When 2016 is in full swing, intelligent lighting control has become something commonplace. However, there remains some information vacuum, leading to a misunderstanding of the role that this subsystem plays in an intelligent dwelling - “smart home”.
What is a "smart home"? How does the lighting work in it? What does this give to the consumer? Consider these questions in this article.
Definition of "smart" home
The integrated control system of all engineering equipment of the building is called “smart home”. Such a system is built according to a modular principle, which makes it easy to change and expand it without losing the existing functionality. Modules - control of lighting, climate, security systems and so on.
Regardless of how perfect the individual engineering subsystems are, only centralized management makes all of them together a “smart home”. It is based on specific wiring and automation equipment set. As a result of integration, each part of the whole works in close relationship with other elements. Consider this on the example of lighting.
Lighting control in a smart home
The way in which the lighting of the “smart” home is controlled is technically more complicated than the “classic” one, but it turns out to be easier for the user. All the complex logic of work is laid at the design stage, and the control is displayed on a convenient panel with a single interface. And we are talking here not only about turning on and off lighting devices. Important elements involved in making the lighting control intellectual properties are:
- Motion / presence sensors, contact sensors that turn on or off the light at home at a certain moment. For example, JUNG mini-sensors operating on the basis of the KNX standard, a GIRA weather station with a set of sensors.
- Dimmers that smoothly change the brightness.
- Motorized curtains, blinds, roller shutters, electric screens, through which the balance between natural and artificial light will be adjusted.
- Lighting devices that can be both ordinary and independently "smart". However, they can be used separately or as an element of a unified system. For example, Philips Hue light bulbs or “smart” cartridge VOCCA.
- System equipment, including control panels and logic modules, connected together by special electrical wiring.
Not only in cooperation with each other, but also with other engineering subsystems, this equipment, as part of the “smart home”, allows achieving amazing comfort along with economical use of electricity. Let us dwell on this in more detail.
What gives the user "smart" lighting control?
The technical details of this or that equipment are of little interest to the final consumer. More attention is given to features that are available due to its use. With the help of "smart" lighting control are possible:
- Notifications. What if the house is loudly turned on music and the doorbell sounds? In the era of home automation, this is not ignored. The system is configured so that if the music is on, the lighting will blink a couple of times when you press the doorbell bell button. The role of integration is manifested here when one engineering system (light control) works in cooperation with others (security system and multimedia control).
Other events can be processed. The motion sensor will turn on the corridor illumination when the child is awake; it will not allow him to stumble when it is dark. When the sensor is triggered, the system can be programmed to simultaneously turn on the muffled light in the parents' bedroom to signal the situation. Convenient and safe. Automatically without human intervention, the algorithms laid down at the design stage are executed.
There are light bulbs that change color (Philips Hue). With the help of a special application Taghue, they can be configured to respond to messages from social networks and email clients. Now, just being next to such a lamp, you can instantly know about the arrival of a new message by its color. And then take the necessary action.
- The work of sensors. Thanks to the sensors, it is possible to unlock the potential that "intelligent" lighting control has. Here, the security features intersect with the lighting. Illumination of the walkway at the house, which is turned on by the motion sensor, will not only create comfort while moving at night, but also serve as a means to scare away uninvited guests.
When the home theater is located in the basement, a script is triggered by the door's door sensor: while the door is open, the lights come on; when the door is closed, if there are people in the room (the presence sensor is working) and the equipment is turned on, after a while the light is muted to watch the movie and the lighting in the corridor in front of the cinema is turned off. After viewing everything happens in reverse order.
- Flexibility to create the necessary atmosphere and decor. The desire of new sensations always comes more often than it is possible to make a radical rearrangement or repair in the house. With instant changes in luminaire parameters (color, brightness, directionality), as well as the possibility of creating new scenarios (a series of actions performed on an event or at the touch of a button), the atmosphere in the room changes to unrecognizable.
- The balance between natural and artificial light. Do not turn on the light bulb in the morning, if you can gently raise the curtains, letting the sun rays in. This is how the morning scenario works, working every day. If there is bad weather outside, weather station sensors or a separate light sensor will inform the system of a lack of sunlight, and that the need to increase the brightness of the lamps.
So, lighting control includes all these features, but is not limited to them. With the use of modern professional systems "smart home" (www.intelliger.ru) there are no limitations of imagination and the needs of the owner. As a cheaper option with minimal, but sufficient functionality, stand out separate devices, like the mentioned Philips Hue bulbs or “smart” VOCCA cartridges. All this provides maximum comfort and a high degree of efficient use of energy - without which it is already difficult to imagine a modern home.
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