Top 5
Entries For June 15-30, 1999 Contest
Theme: Best application for Security using ActiveHome  

Entry 1285: personal assistant for the disabled... i am a personal with a disability and confined to a wheelchair living in an older house where all switches are out of reach. i would use the active house to control small task that most people take for granted, i.e. turning lights, radio and computer equipment, appliances, etc on/off. also i have a power door opener which senses the batteries in my wheelchair to unlock and opened the door. this door can be unlock and opened carrying a automotive battery from the outside, i would use x10 to schedule an on an off macro to turn the opener off so it could not be opened after i go to bed or want to secure the door. i'm also planning on using the x10 motion sensor, light module and chimes to let me know when someone approaches my front door and also allow me plenty of time to answer the door. i've also suggested to a disabled (hearing impaired) friend that he use x10 in place of an alarm clock. he would activate a high intensity light on schedule next to his bed to wake him up, this has always been a problem with him because the shake awake alarm doesn't wake him up. the possibilities for control of your own living quarters using x10 equipment is almost endless for someone with a physical disability. i'm sure i'll come up with hundreds of other uses before i'm through. -- Mark griffith Votes so far: 107

Entry 1273: using x10's x-cam, active home motion sensors and home automation kit, you can set up a system that will begin recording video (on the computer) whenever someone triggers the motion detector. you can have it timed so this security system is only on during certain hours, or after certain command has been typed either from remote or local. the computer can/should be set up such that when the video is being recorded, it gets on the network and starts sending this video clip to a remote system (for obvious reasons), plus it should email the owner, or have some other form of communicating to the owner the system has been triggered. with a modem and a voice synthesizer the computer could even *call* the owner and allert them. along with the video, lights could go on as scare tatics, and apliences could turn on. once the owner has been notified, he/she could log in remotely (either with nt, pcanywhere or linux) and control the appliences/lights. plus with a voice synthesizer they could allert the intruder that the police have been called, and they have been caught on video tape - of course this depends on how daring the owner wants to be. normally this video capture and remote connection is part of a highly sophiticated system that is very expensive, but with x10 it's easy! and affordable! :) i've got this system mostly built (have yet to buy the x-cam) and have already caught my sister borrowing clothes. :> -- Genevieve bartlett  Votes so far: 101

Entry 1513: i am a college student, so am of course always looking for the cheapest solution. i tried to make my own system, but it proved more costly than this system. this may be used in conjunction wiht a server to allow you to control your home from anywhere in the world. also with a web cam set up, if you have a roommate it would be the perfect tool for spoiling his intemate moments with his gf. and for person obsessed with home control, you can use an amplifier tied in to the phone system, and computer to give round the home speaker phone, and voice control to your computer. (yes, like in star trek) -- Chris moering  Votes : 96

Entry 1385: i am an elderly gentleman, and the neighborhood hoodlums are constantly up to no good - making trouble at my expense. they have put two-ply toilet paper in my trees, thrown eggs at my house, and even kidnapped elmer, my poodle. well, i have delcared war and these hoods are going to pay! my front yard is full of motion detectors and other x10 gadets that will make my entire house come to life when they show up to work they're evil in the middle of the night. that way i can shoot at them with my pellet gun from my second story window. thanks x10! -- Michael tennant Votes : 34

Entry 1350: a great way that i think activehome would work for security, is when my wife comes home late she can turn any light on in the house that she wants, also this could act as a ghost for when no ones home. i also think that it woould be nice to be able to turn off the kitchen light when i go to bed from the bedroom or any other room. -- Stevie porter Votes : 32