AN INTRODUCTION TO DOMOTICS
The field of domotics more commonly known as “home automation” is one that is becoming increasingly important in the 21st century. As technological
strides are made, we’re discovering ways to automate our homes in ways that,
just a matter of decades ago, were the stuff of science fiction. In this
article, we’ll introduce you to domotics, discussing its benefits, some of the
areas of the home where domotics can be applied (such as roller
blinds and automated lighting), and the types of technologies
used to control these areas remotely
DOMOTICS
Domotics it's the encounter of information technology, electrotechnics and electronics that makes a home become "smart".
It's the tool that allows to control systems, devices and automations with the aim of increase the living and comfort quality of the domestic space, but not only.
The building starts to develop its "own intelligence", characterised not by the amount of high technology it contains, but by the way in which the technologies integration is projected and by how these technologies are able to satisfy the individuals' needs, which are always in evolution.
The word domotic is now part of the italian vocabulary as "Science that concerns electronics and information application to domestic life (household appliances and control systems), and that concerns the use of the appliances".
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF DOMOTICS?
WHAT IS IT USED FOR?
In every building there are routine processes in which we can observe repetitive habits or similar situations that may be easily automatized. Some daily examples might be: turning on the lights of a dark stairs and turning it off when no one is around, turning on and off the lights even when there is nobody in the house, in order to simulate presences, reducing automatically the air conditioning when the external temperature goes down, controlling cameras and security devices, etc. In every implementation sector, domotics, as a control home integrated system, gives to the final user a new comfort and security standard that couldn't be achieved through old traditional systems or partial automations.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF DOMOTICS?
The most
obvious benefit of domotics and the one that all those involved in home
automation are aiming towards can be summed up in one simple word: convenience.
It’s all about creating a more convenient way for people to live their lives.
Think about the television, for example. The TV remote control has been around
for decades and, in reality, this is an early form of domotics that we’re all
quite familiar with.
Now imagine
applying similar technologies to switching the lights on and off, or adjusting
the air conditioning temperature. Better still, there is now technology that
doesn’t even require you to manually control these functions; picture a
lighting system that can sense when you’re entering or exiting the room, or an outdoor
awning that retracts itself as soon as conditions become too
windy.
Home automation gives you access to control devices in your home from a mobile device anywhere in the world. The term may be used for isolated programmable devices, like thermostats and sprinkler systems, but home automation more accurately describes homes in which nearly everything -- lights, appliances, electrical outlets, heating and cooling systems -- are hooked up to a remotely controllable network. From a home security perspective, this also includes your alarm system, and all of the doors, windows, locks, smoke detectors, surveillance cameras and any other sensors that are linked to it.
CLOSED CIRCUIT TELEVISION
Closed-circuit television (CCTV), also
known as video surveillance is the use of video cameras to transmit a signal to a specific
place, on a limited set of monitors. It differs from broadcast television in that the signal is not openly transmitted, though it
may employ point to point (P2P), point to multipoint (P2MP), or mesh wired or wireless links. Though almost all video cameras
fit this definition, the term is most often applied to those used for surveillance in areas
that may need monitoring such as bars, banks, casinos, schools, hotels,
airports, hospitals, restaurants, military installations, convenience stores
and other areas where security is needed. Videotelephony is seldom
called "CCTV" but the use of video in distance education,
where it is an important tool, is often so called
Surveillance
of the public using CCTV is common in many areas around the world. In recent
years, the use of body worn
video cameras has been introduced as a new form of
surveillance. Video surveillance has generated significant debate about
balancing its use with individuals' right to
privacy even when in public.
In
industrial plants, CCTV equipment may be used to observe parts of a process
from a central control room, for example when the environment is not suitable
for humans. CCTV systems may operate continuously or only as required to
monitor a particular event. A more advanced form of CCTV, utilizing digital video recorders (DVRs), provides recording for possibly many years, with
a variety of quality and performance options and extra features (such as motion
detection and email alerts). More recently, decentralized IP cameras,
some equipped with megapixel sensors, support recording directly to network-attached storage devices, or internal flash for completely stand-alone
operation.
There
are about 350 million surveillance cameras worldwide as of 2016. About 65% of
these cameras are installed in Asia. The growth of CCTV has been slowing in
recent years.
TECHNOLOGY
The earliest video surveillance
systems involved constant monitoring because there was no way to record and
store information. The development of reel-to-reel media enabled the recording
of surveillance footage. These systems required magnetic tapes to be changed
manually, which was a time consuming, expensive and unreliable process, with
the operator having to manually thread the tape from the tape reel through the
recorder onto an empty take-up reel. Due to these shortcomings, video
surveillance was not widespread. VCR technology
became available in the 1970s, making it easier to record and erase
information, and use of video surveillance became more common
During
the 1990s, digital multiplexing was developed, allowing
several cameras to record at once, as well as time lapse and motion-only
recording. This increased savings of time and money which then led to an
increase in the use of CCTV.
Recently
CCTV technology has been enhanced with a shift toward Internet-based products
and systems, and other technological developments.
Closed-circuit digital photography
Closed-circuit digital photography (CCDP) is more suited for
capturing and saving recorded high-resolution photographs, whereas
closed-circuit television (CCTV) is more suitable for live-monitoring purposes.
However,
an important feature of some CCTV systems is the ability to take high
resolution images of the camera scene, e.g. on a time lapse or motion-detection
basis. Images taken with a digital still camera often have higher resolution
than those taken with some video cameras. Increasingly, low-cost
high-resolution digital still cameras can also be used for CCTV purposes.
Images
may be monitored remotely when the computer is connected to a network
IP CAMERAS
A growing branch in CCTV is internet protocol cameras
(IP cameras). It is estimated that 2014 was the first year that IP cameras
outsold analog cameras. IP
cameras use the Internet Protocol (IP) used by most Local Area Networks (LANs) to transmit video
across data networks in digital form. IP can optionally be transmitted across
the public internet, allowing users to view their cameras through any internet
connection available through a computer or a phone, this is considered remote
access. For professional or public infrastructure security applications, IP
video is restricted to within a private network or VPN or can be recorded onto a remote server.
WIRELESS SECURITY CAMERAS
Many consumers are turning
to wireless security cameras for home surveillance. Wireless cameras do not
require a video cable for video/audio transmission, simply a cable for power.
Wireless cameras are also easy and inexpensive to install, but lack the
reliability of hard-wired cameras. Previous
generations of wireless security cameras relied on analog technology; modern
wireless cameras use digital technology which delivers crisper audio, sharper
video, and a secure and interference-free signal.
FACTORS
AFFECTING SECURITY CAMERA INSTALLATION COST
Among
other factors, the specific type of camera being used has the most significant
impact on its cost. The average cost of two digital cameras packaged with an
LCD monitor is around US$450. Different brands
can also have different prices. The type of technology used also has an impact
of security camera installation cost. Wireless camera systems are generally
more expensive than their wired counterparts.
The specific
type of software that is being used also has a role to play on its price. On
average, professional level software is offered at US$75, with some of them
requiring annual fees for membership. Network attached storage or DVR, used for storing recorded video, will
also be part of the cost. On average, that can cost about US$499. This will
depend on the storage capacity and other features of the device chosen by the
user.
