This work presents the design and implementation of a wireless home monitoring and automation system consisting of wireless sensor/actuator nodes, wireless camera, and a home server. The low-cost wireless sensor/actuator node features temperature, light intensity and motion sensors, and actuator driver circuits for the control of motors, heaters, and lights. Server and client programs used to monitor and control the home were also developed. The home server receives and processes sensor readings, such as temperature and light intensity readings, and also transmits user commands to wireless nodes. The system provides ambient condition monitoring, graphing of sensor data, intrusion detection, automated device control, and video monitoring in order to achieve improved security and comfort in the home. In addition, users have the flexibility of determining sensor-actuator interaction at run-time. The developed system could also put the home in various configurable modes based on user requests, time or environmental cues.
Over the years, the sizes and costs of processors and wireless transceivers have been shrinking tremendously. This has led to the proliferation of smart devices with embedded processing and communication capabilities, such as smartphones and wireless sensors. One area of application that has attracted a lot of attention is the smart home, in which groups of such devices form wireless home automation networks (WHANs).
WHANs refer to networks of sensors, actuators and other devices that interact over wireless links to provide services which improve the safety, security or comfort of homes and their occupants [1]- [3]. Sensors measure parameters of interest, such as ambient or health variables. Ambient conditions include temperature, humidity or light intensity. Health parameters monitored by sensors include electrocardiogram (ECG), weight, blood pressure, and heart rate [4]- [5]. Actuators, on the other hand, execute desired activities in the home, such as switching of lights or heaters.
Interfaces serve as the platform through which users can control or interact with the home devices and environment. Examples of such interfaces are mobile phones, custom-built touchscreen consoles, and computer software. Services provided by WHANs include environmental monitoring, intrusion detection, health monitoring, energy management, remote/automated device control, and detection of hazardous conditions such as gas leaks [6]- [9].
A lot of wireless protocols have been implemented in the home scenario. Some of these standards include IEEE 802.15.4, ZigBee, 6LoWPAN, Bluetooth, and IEEE 802.11 [1]. They operate mostly in the license-free Industrial, Scientific and Medical (ISM) bands of 2.4 GHz and sub-1 GHz. Some of these, such as Bluetooth and IEEE 802.11, were not originally designed for such low power applications but have gained popularity because of the existence of wellestablished consumer products using the standards. When compared with wired systems, WHANs have the advantages of easy installation and configuration, better aesthetics, and easy troubleshooting/repair because of their wireless and ad-hoc nature.
This work discusses the development of a wireless home automation network using wireless nodes and a camera operating in the 2.4 GHz radio-frequency (RF) band. In addition, embedded and Java GUI software were developed to enable the provision of services in the home, such as ambient condition monitoring, automated device control and intrusion detection, in order to improve living conditions and safety in the home.
A lot of work has been done in the area of applying wireless sensors to home monitoring and automation, and the development of relevant interfaces [3]. A short review of some of the research follows.
Yahaya et al [10] designed a web-based monitoring system that allows the continuous monitoring of room temperature over the internet and X10. Through a speech synthesizer, it can verbally inform users of current temperature. The system has limited use since it focussed only on temperature measurements.
Ahn et al [11] designed a home automation system that features a personal digital assistant (PDA)-enabled mobile robot. Home appliances are connected to a gateway through wired or wireless links. Whenever the home network is faulty or visual information is needed, the robot is commanded by a server program to go close to the specified device and control it. The robot also provides visual feedback so that users can confirm the state of the controlled device.
Zhang et al [12] developed ZigBee wireless sensor and actuator nodes for home monitoring and appliance control system. However, the system did not provide support for data storage and video monitoring. These additional features are desirable in order to improve system capabilities and user experience.
Therefore, this work presents a simplified and cost-effective internet-enabled home monitoring system with wireless sensors, actuators, and camera with many important features such as ambient condition monitoring, video monitoring, data storage, and automated device control.
The designed WHAN is made up of wireless end devices (EDs) and cameras distributed around the house, the home server, and clients that access the home devices over the internet or home network (Fig. 1). The EDs measure ambient conditions and relay the information to the access point (AP). They also receive commands from the AP to control devices. The AP communicates information to and from the ED to the home server. The EDs and AP form the wireless sensor/actuator network of the home. The WHAN has an operating frequency of 2.4 GHz, a band that is license-free worldwide. This was chosen so that the system could be deployed in most places with little or no modifications.
The home server acts as the final aggregation and processing platform for sensor and visual data. It functions as the central controller and monitor of the home environment and devices. It also stores and retr
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