IHC
The Igel Home Controller (IHC) is a home automation and monitoring system,
developed for demonstration purposes as a part of the Norwegian government
sponsored research project 'Besta'.
The system is still in use at a few selected Norwegian
health institutions.
The hardware platform consists of a standard computer hooked up to a number
of external devices.
The configuration software was made in such a way that any kind of input
might be used for generating any number of outputs.
Inputs
- Date/time (schedule)
- Infrared remote controls
- Wall switches
- Home automation hardware (several standards supported)
- Generic on/off sensors, e.g. smoke detectors, temperature sensors, movement sensors etc.
- and more
Outputs
- Infrared transmitters
- Remote monitoring GUI
- TV set (for programmed image display)
- X10 home automation hardware
- Voice message hardware
- Phone dialer
- and more
Usage examples
- Every night at 9pm: turn on the outside lights
- Every morning at 6am: turn off the outside lights and start the coffee maker
- Next tuesday at 6am: turn on the stereo system and start the CD player
- When a selected switch is pressed, or a selected button on the TV remote is pressed: turn off the living room lights and inform the user by voice message : "Living room lights turned off"
- When somebody comes close to the front door: make the TV switch to the channel of the front door camera and activate the door phone.
- If a smoke detector detects smoke: turn on all lights, turn off the stereo system and TV set, call the fire department
- If there has been no movement within the apartment for the last 16 hours: call a relative.
The possibilities with this system are endless. Use your
imagination. (Common sense might be useful, too.)
Target technologies
- Windows 3.1x
- X10 home automation hardware
- EIBus "home" automation hardware
- Hardware developed and manufactured by IGEL data AS
Software made
- Configuration GUI
- Remote monitoring GUI
- Event scheduler
- Macro command programming system
- X10 control and monitor software
- EIBus monitor software
- Support for infrared input devices
- Support for digital input devices
Links
