| Home appliance controls are changing from purely | | | | well. Home owners now have a better option of |
| mechanical to fully electronic as microcontrollers | | | | the Zigbee technology over wired home |
| are being incorporated into the designs. The | | | | automation systems. PC-based home automation |
| migration in the industry from mechanical to | | | | is one of the easiest ways to get started. Both |
| electromechanical control, then to full electronic | | | | hard-wired and wireless home automation |
| control has been ongoing for several years. | | | | systems are available. Structured wiring consists |
| Today, microcontrollers provide the intelligence to | | | | of cables that get snaked through the walls of |
| every electronic solution. The primary reasons | | | | your house with outlets in convenient locations |
| driving the adoption of electronics are reliability, | | | | while the only wire involved with wireless |
| cost, and improved energy efficiency. | | | | technology is the power cord. |
| The functionality of the oven/cooker/range has | | | | Since wireless technology can be susceptible to |
| been changing gradually over the last five years | | | | interference, most people in the home automation |
| and is driven by consumer demand for new | | | | industry agree that structured wiring is more |
| features. Microcontrollers support these new, | | | | reliable. Structured wiring is more expensive to |
| innovative cooking appliance features. A Smart | | | | install, and once it's in, it's difficult to move if you |
| Kitchen survey carried out by MORI found that | | | | decide you want a different access point for the |
| more than half of the consumers surveyed would | | | | control panel or touch screens. |
| rather technology made home life simpler than | | | | If you don't have any major renovations planned |
| provided more information at work. Electronically | | | | in the near future, wireless technology will |
| controlled ovens are moving in to the high-end | | | | probably prove more cost efficient for you. |
| market to fulfill the needs of the consumers. | | | | Though it may not be the preferred choice, |
| Automate your Home | | | | advances in the technology are making it more |
| Home automation is becoming more popular in | | | | reliable all the time. Half the houses being built |
| new homes, but people in older homes may also | | | | today are equipped with some kind of home |
| want to add home automation to their homes as | | | | automation. |