Top 5
Entries For April 16-30 Contest
Theme:Submit an idea on what a home of the future will be like

Entry 1513 In 2005, the automated home will be user aware. There will be a PC or smart entertainment device in every room. As you enter the room, the X10 system will identify you. If you were watching a TV show in the living room and you walk into the kitchen, the system will shut off the TV in the living room and bring up the show you were watching in the kitchen. Lighting and environmental conditions will be adjusted as you move from room to room. The system would also accept voice commands so you would never need a remote. Since the X10 system would always know where you are, E-mail and voice mail would be directed to the closest PC or Entertainment system. In 2005, the X10 system would also be internet aware. This would allow you to have your personal profile (E-mail, Voice Mail, Security, Environmental systems) follow you to work or even a friend's house. Never again would you be out of communication.-- Andrew gahm 442 Votes

Entry 1701 in 2005, the automated home will be able to control hundreds of devices with unique ids (not limited to the current x10 limit of 256 devices with only 16 unique ids). not only will you be able to turn the devices on and off, but you can also access all controls on the device (e.g., choose a particular cd from a cd jukebox and play specific tracks from that cd, turn on the vcr, change to a particular channel, and start recording). in addition to being able to call your house to control any devices, you will also be able to call your house to get the status on any devices... for example, you can check if you remembered to program the vcr or the current temperature of the house. -- Michele marques 428 Votes

Entry 2070 April 22, 2005 - another typical workday. luckily it's friday. prior to my waking, the automated system in the house starts the "morning pre-wake" routine which consists of warming up the house from "sleep mode", start brewing the coffee (boy do i need it), downloading the morning newspaper, reviewing my daily calendar, checking the weather report, and begin to slowly turn up the lights in the bedroom. off to work.. the home system begins to perform the "work day routine" which consist of vacuuming, turning down the temperature to save heating costs, forwarding the phone and email messages (removing telemarketers) to my portable and start taking a grocery inventory (will order these later), all the while continuously maintaining security on the house. later that night start the "post work routine" which includes turning the heat back up in the house, and providing a list of favorite recipes for tonights dinner based on the availiability of ingredients in the cupboards. lastly, the automated system performs the "end of day" routine which turns down the heat in the house and then goes into "weekend sleep mode". -- John stachniewicz  164 Votes

Entry 1534 The home of the future would be completely controlled by one remote. the people who live in the house would be able have security, convenience, and accesibilty all in a touch of a button. as soon as a person drove up in there car(which has an infared sensor on the hood that identifies it) the garage door would automatically open and the door to the house would unlock. then the depending in whether it was night time or not the preselected house lights would come on. then the persons favorite radio station would automatically tuned and turned on by the sound of the persons voice. this is so more than one person could use this feature. when the house hold is away the whole house would come alive when during their natural times in the house. the home computer would of course be the control center for such a house. a person would have computer screens mounted in the rooms where the most traffic would occur. this is so while the occupants were doing other things they could be constanly have the freedom to access the internet and view any information they may need at the time. snacks for games would be easier than ever. a person watching a football game could turn on the microwave, the oven, the popcorn machine, or even the kitchen lights by a touch of the remote. everything in the house would be voice activated. that means everything from the phone to the flusher on the toilet. if you need just about anything done you give a command. such as 'dial mom' or 'flush'. this sounds like to me the house of the future. and x-10 could take us there. -- Daniel w watson 126 Votes