Energy Management In Buildings Automation: IoT And Home Automation

IOT and home automation

Discuss About The Energy Management In Buildings Automation?

Internet of things is said to define the connectivity of various devices present in the vicinity to the internet. Using such technologies, people will never have to adjust the applications manually for their needs. This report includes the definitions and the specifications of the various devices used for home automation. The report further includes the various risks in security and privacy related to these applications. Furthermore, the report includes the mitigation measures to be taken to address such risks.

Automation in the home is responsible for the provisions of connectivity among the devices that are present in the house itself. These devices range from lighting systems to the garage doors where this is achieved by the use of programmable logic. The different aspects like the security systems, cleaning systems, lighting system or the kitchen appliances all falls in the idea of connectivity in the home automation.

The issues in a smart home include the security and the operational issues. As the devices need to connect to the internet to work, they are to remain connected all time (Baraka et al., 2013). This increases the utility bill of the house. In addition, the networks are always vulnerable to outsider attacks.

The network of the home will include all the connected devices that will name it the “smart house”. The main devices included are the connecting hub (1), security appliances (surveillance cameras (2), smart locks (3), smart applications (4))), temperature devices (thermostat devices (5), air conditioner (6)), lighting systems (7), kitchen appliances (cooker appliance (8), intelligent oven (9)) and cleaning devices (vacuum cleaner (10)). All these devices will be connected to each other with internet. The connecting hub will facilitate the connection between these appliances.

This section of the report discusses about the various devices that are to be integrated in the operations of a smart home. Most importantly, the hub will be present in the smart house, which will form the connecting bridge between these devices.

The connecting devices are used to make connections to the various devices dwelling in the house. The chosen device for this application is the Wink Hub 2. This removes the need to access each of the systems in the house for controlling. Moreover, the device can be integrated in the Smartphone with apple or android technologies.

1. a) The main issues in usages are the slowing of the speed in operations with time. This causes difficulty in operations and the need for re-purchasing of the device is necessary to keep up with this system. It is recommended that the manufacture needs to address such difficulties.
2. b) The control issues are the requirement of a smart phone with good specifications. Normal users may not have this specification to run the app and this is the main control issues. T is recommended that the apps be downscaled to facilitate more use.
3. c) Connectivity issues are the presence of z-wave connections. The device works in mesh topologies. This causes some problems, which can be removed by the use of better addressing to these settings. The router can be made to restart to facilitate better connection.
4. d) The security issues are the most common that is present in mostly all IOT devices. These are the vulnerability to hacking. The applications of better security proposals are needed.
5. e) The privacy issues are also the same as that of the other devices. The presence of a public profile in the company can lead to many customers opting out of the systems.

The chosen device for the surveillance purposes is the Net gear Arlo Pro. The device is supposed to be wireless and weatherproof. This facilitates the removal of the deployment related problems and removes the problems faced during the winter or rainy seasons. The device also records videos in high definition qualities with 130° vision angle.

1. a) The usage issues involve the glitches in the video feeds that last for 1-2 seconds. These are sometimes evident and not always. The manufacturers are recommended to address such issues.
2. b) The control issues are the requirement for a high end Smartphone to watch the application feeds. The manufacturer needs to address such issues.
3. c) The connectivity issues include the presence of problems in the application. The application in the phone crashes several times which makes it quite difficult to access. In addition, the presence the device incorporates connection to the central hub first before authorizing access. The manufacturer needs to address such issues.
4. d) The security issues are the most common that is present in mostly all IOT devices. These are the vulnerability to hacking. The applications of better security proposals are needed.
5. e) The privacy issues are also the same as that of the other devices. The presence of a public profile in the company can lead to many customers opting out of the systems.

Network of the home

The device chosen in this section is the August Smart Lock. This device is used to provide the security related processes of the house. The lock is used to grant access by the use of the Smartphone. The lock can also be used to set access during a certain time. The user can look at the video feed and answer via their phone to the visitors.

1. a) The main usage issues are the need for being close to the lock to open it. The app only works via the Bluetooth, which causes the user to come close to the lock to open it. The presence of wifi technology must be integrated to address such issues.
2. b) The control issues are the uncontrolled behavior in the app. The user needs to come to the vicinity of the lock and connect to the app. The app will then instruct the lock about the connection and then the user is needed to open it. This causes hindrances to the users.
3. c) The connectivity issues are the requirement for apple phones because a pre toolkit is made for IOS users. This puts android users to a disadvantage.
4. d) The security issues are the most common that is present in mostly all IOT devices. These are the vulnerability to hacking. In addition, in case the user goes out the garage and enters through the door, lock automatically opens but do not locks the door until manually done. The applications of better security proposals are needed.
5. e) The privacy issues are also the same as that of the other devices. The presence of a public profile in the company can lead to many customers opting out of the systems.

This section is used to address the security features by Abode bundles. The device helps in secure connections and facilitates the user to forget about manual locking of the door. The door is automatically locked when the user leaves and opens when the user is near home.

1. a) The main usage is the problems with very older system. The device may not connect or work properly leading to problems faced by the user.
2. b) The main control issues of the app are the adding of devices through the mobile application. To add devices manually, the website is to be opened. The developers are recommended to tend to this matter.
3. c) The connectivity issues are the requirement of cellular data. Although, it works fine with the local internet connection, in case of power outage or no access, the cellular data is supposed to be used. This is the main reason that is to be addressed as the manufacturers think of this as a safety mechanism.
4. d) The security issues are the most common that is present in mostly all IOT devices. These are the vulnerability to hacking. The applications of better security proposals are needed.
5. e) The privacy issues are also the same as that of the other devices. The presence of a public profile in the company can lead to many customers opting out of the systems.

The chosen device is the Nest Thermostat. This device is used to automate the heating requirements in the house. The device allows hassle free installation and activates when the user gets close to the house. This device also comes with an application for the Smartphone that helps the user to monitor the activities of the temperature changes in the various corners of the house. 

1. a) The main usage issues are the wiring problems. The heat control due to this does not go well and causes the heat to rise to a high level. The manufacturer is recommended to reference this issue.
2. b) The main control issues are the presence of glitches in the internal devices that leads to problems like stopping of the device after prolonged use which causes inconvenience among people. The developer has to address such issues.
3. c) The main connectivity issues are that the many people reported the battery to be draining fast or the device going offline. These are the issues that are referenced by the developers too and gave many solutions to counter these like manual recharging or connectivity checking.
4. d) The security issues are the most common that is present in mostly all IOT devices. These are the vulnerability to hacking. The applications of better security proposals are needed.
5. e) The privacy issues are also the same as that of the other devices. The presence of a public profile in the company can lead to many customers opting out of the systems.

The chosen device is the Hisense 10,000 BTU air conditioner. The device is supposed to be portable and can be connected using Wi-Fi technology. The manufacturers of the device have made an app which can be used to control the device.

1. a) The main usage issues are the problems in operations. Customers have made several complaints regarding the production of much noise.
2. b) The main control issues are the requirement for a small space to enable cooling. In case of a large open space, the device cannot be used to address such needs.
3. c) The connectivity issues are the requirement for a mobile app in operations. However, it is commonly reported from customers that the app crashes several times. In addition, the app needs consistent performance in the Smartphone for smooth running.
4. d) The security issues are the most common that is present in mostly all IOT devices. These are the vulnerability to hacking. The applications of better security proposals are needed.
5. e) The privacy issues are also the same as that of the other devices. The presence of a public profile in the company can lead to many customers opting out of the systems.

The device is the Philips Hue bulb. The device has totally implemented the use of smart technologies by making bulbs that can change color along with connectivity over an app.

1. a) The main usage issue is the presence of some problems in changing colors.
2. b) The main control issue is the presence of a plastic remote that can be breakable at times.
3. c) The connectivity issues are the requirement for connection of the hue bridge to the main network by the presence of Ethernet cable. The device cannot be directly connected to the Wi-Fi.
4. d) The security issues are the most common that is present in mostly all IOT devices. These are the vulnerability to hacking. The applications of better security proposals are needed.
5. e) The privacy issues are also the same as that of the other devices. The presence of a public profile in the company can lead to many customers opting out of the systems.

The main device to address the cooking requirement is the Char-Broil Digital Electric Smoker. The device is used to smoke foods in a very short time. It has 2-3 compartments and the temperature can be controlled via apps.

1. a) The main usage issue is that the cookware exudes a lot amount of smoke when the internal construction is not welded. The manufacturers need to address such issues.
2. b) The control issue is that the temperature rises much higher than the set amount.
3. c) The control issue is that the app control is not of much use as it is not of much use during controlling the temperature.
4. d) The security issues are the most common that is present in mostly all IOT devices. These are the vulnerability to hacking. The applications of better security proposals are needed.
5. e) The privacy issues are also the same as that of the other devices. The presence of a public profile in the company can lead to many customers opting out of the systems.

The device for oven related purposes is the June Intelligent Oven. The oven is a smart home appliance that has inbuilt technologies like camera, artificial intelligence and Wi-Fi connectivity.

1. a) The main usage issue is that the device cannot recognize all foods. In case the food is not being recognized, the app will display an error message.
2. b) The control issue is that the temperature cannot be set manually. The device does so itself. This can lead to uncooked food sometimes.
3. c) The connectivity issue is that the developers have made IOS connectivity. Android users also need to have connectivity features.
4. d) The security issues are the most common that is present in mostly all IOT devices. These are the vulnerability to hacking. The applications of better security proposals are needed.
5. e) The privacy issues are also the same as that of the other devices. The presence of a public profile in the company can lead to many customers opting out of the systems.

The chosen device is the Eufy RoboVac 11. The device is used to clear the dust from the floor without needing the user to help.

1. a) The main usage issue is the requirement for manual remote control by the user.
2. b) The need for manual adjustment every 45 seconds as reported by many customers is the main control issue of the device.
3. c) The connectivity issue is the absence of automatic control in the device.
4. d) The security issues are the most common that is present in mostly all IOT devices. These are the vulnerability to hacking. The applications of better security proposals are needed.
5. e) The privacy issues are also the same as that of the other devices. The presence of a public profile in the company can lead to many customers opting out of the systems.

Conclusion:

Thus, it is concluded from the analysis of the different internet of things devices that the smart home is a solution that is referenced by including all such devices mentioned in the report. The analysis also discusses about the various solutions that it is intended for. This includes the making of ease in operations around the house. It also references the comfort of the people living in it. Although, the report discusses various problems that exist with all these devices, the applications of solutions to these devices can greatly improve their performance leading to a great image in the market.

References:

2, W. (2017). Wink Hub 2. Wink.com. Retrieved 15 September 2017, from https://www.wink.com/products/wink-hub-2/

Air Conditioners Portable | Portable AC | Hisense Appliances. (2017). Hisense USA. Retrieved 18 September 2017, from https://www.hisense-usa.com/appliances/portable-ac

Baraka, K., Ghobril, M., Malek, S., Kanj, R., & Kayssi, A. (2013, June). Low cost arduino/android-based energy-efficient home automation system with smart task scheduling. In Computational Intelligence, Communication Systems and Networks (CICSyN), 2013 Fifth International Conference on(pp. 296-301). IEEE.

Bundle and Save with abode!. (2017). Goabode.com. Retrieved 15 September 2017, from https://goabode.com/sale/

Cleaner, R., & Cleaner, R. (2017). RoboVac 11 Vacuum Cleaner. Eufy. Retrieved 18 September 2017, from https://www.eufylife.com/products/robovac-11

Digital Electric Smoker | Char-Broil®. (2017). Charbroil.com. Retrieved 18 September 2017, from https://www.charbroil.com/digital-electric-smoker

ElShafee, A., & Hamed, K. A. (2012). Design and implementation of a WIFI based home automation system. World academy of science, engineering and technology, 68, 2177-2180.

How It Works | Smart Lock & Smarter Home Access™ | August. (2017). August. Retrieved 15 September 2017, from https://august.com/how-it-works/

Hue products – Meethue | Philips Lighting. (2017). Philips. Retrieved 18 September 2017, from https://www2.meethue.com/en-us/products/all#filters=BULBS_SU&sliders=&support=&price=&priceBoxes=&page=&layout=12.subcategory.p-grid-icon

Jain, S., Vaibhav, A., & Goyal, L. (2014, February). Raspberry Pi based interactive home automation system through E-mail. In Optimization, Reliabilty, and Information Technology (ICROIT), 2014 International Conference on (pp. 277-280). IEEE.

June Oven. (2017). Juneoven.com. Retrieved 18 September 2017, from https://juneoven.com/

Kailas, A., Cecchi, V., & Mukherjee, A. (2012). A survey of communications and networking technologies for energy management in buildings and home automation. Journal of Computer Networks and Communications, 2012.

Meet the Nest Learning Thermostat. (2017). Nest. Retrieved 15 September 2017, from https://nest.com/thermostats/nest-learning-thermostat/overview/

Mennicken, S., Vermeulen, J., & Huang, E. M. (2014, September). From today’s augmented houses to tomorrow’s smart homes: new directions for home automation research. In Proceedings of the 2014 ACM International Joint Conference on Pervasive and Ubiquitous Computing (pp. 105-115). ACM.

Ramlee, R. A., LEONG, M. H., SARBAN SINGH, R. S. A., ISMAIL, M. M., OTHMAN, M. A., SULAIMAN, H. A., … & ALICE, M. (2013). Bluetooth remote home automation system using android application.

Rechargeable Wireless Security Camera: Arlo Pro | Arlo by NETGEAR. (2017). Arlo.com. Retrieved 15 September 2017, from https://www.arlo.com/en-us/products/arlo-pro/default.aspx