APMR Version 2.0 Released
Version 2.0 of the Arduino Power Meter Reader (APMR) project is now released. APMR s an open source hardware and software project. APMR reads the power (W) and energy (Wh) readings of RS485/Modbus communicating power meters at a constant interval. Readings are recorded on an SD card and/or sent over the Internet using a HTTP RESTful web service. Version 2.0 sees a number of new features and enhancements which include:
- Added feature to log readings to SD card
- Added feature to save setting/config to EEPROM using browser
- Modified JSON format and accompany web service
- Perform load testing on hardware
- Sense when network down, when up send all unsent readings
APMR has a new project website (http://smakonin.github.com/APMR/) and the project source code can be down loaded from GitHub (https://github.com/smakonin/APMR).
Special thanks to TJ Moon who worked on this project all summer long!
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A Smarter Smart Home: Case Studies of Ambient Intelligence
This week I learnt that I (and co-author Lyn Bartram and Fred Popowich) will have a paper appearing in a future issue of IEEE Pervasive Computing (vol 12, no 1). Here is the paper abstract:
Research has shown that small changes in behaviour in how we use our homes can result in substantial energy and water savings. Home automation and the integration of computational intelligence capabilities in the “smart home” are often cited as promising advances in the design and renovation of efficient buildings. However, the design and implementation of such technologies are largely based on energy use simulations, smart automation of the building systems and components for optimal performance rather than on effectively supporting how people use their homes. Additional factors including system complexity and awkward automation can discourage acceptance of smart home technologies. In this paper we propose that technological support for sustainable home use lies in more subtle and contextually appropriate interventions that integrate more informative models of occupant behaviour, provide hybrid levels of automated control, and use ambient sensing for localized decisions. We discuss several cases from our experience in designing sustainable home systems and describe two current design cases for ambient intelligence in home control.
Keywords: Smart Home, Ambient Intelligence; Adaptive Lighting; Circadian Rhythms; Adaptive HVAC.
You can find a PDF of the paper at http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/MPRV.2012.58
Keep your eyes peeled as there are a number of other submissions that I am either waiting on review or in the midst of writing. Write on…
Attention Proliphix Thermostat Users!
If you have a Proliphix thermostat like me (I have a IMT550w thermostat) and want a way to collect data and generate reports on the data then you should visit InThrMa. The have an web-based product that does this. They have a iPhone app as well as energy-saving features like SmartStart and Heat Pump Optimization (see Beta Labs). They also offer a free (no credit card required) 2 week trial.
I have been using them for a couple of months now.
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Published New Dataset
I have been working very hard on my Depth Exam lately and have not had a chance to post much. Until today, when I decided that I wanted to publicly make available a 2010 dataset of a monitored home for use in research on load disaggregation, NILM (non-intrusinve load monitoring or NIALM), Smart Homes, and AAL (ambient assisted living).
This dataset contains ION6200 power meter and Digi Wall Router ambient light/temperature sensors readings; including weather and daylight data. Sensor readings were collected over a ZigBee wireless network at 15 minute intervals. The following published papers used this dataset: 2011hoa and hoa2012.
You can get this and future datasets from here: https://github.com/smakonin/HomeData
Happy Researching!
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- Public Data Sets for NIALM (op106phd.blogspot.ca)
New Consumption Report
So I have finally had a chance to update the My Smart Home: Consumption Report to reflect readings from the new DENT PowerScout 18 meters and a new database design. Checkout:
http://makonin.com/report_consumption.html.
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- Branch Circuit Power Metering (eco-sustain.org)
Home Occupancy Agent: Occupancy and Sleep Detection
Earlier this month I learnt that I (and co-author Fred Popowich) will have my first journal paper published in the GSTF Journal on Computing in the April/2012 edition (vol 2, no 1). Here is the paper abstract:
Smart homes of the future will have a number of different types of sensors. What types of sensors and how they will be used depends on the behaviour needed from the smart home. Using the sensors to automatically determine if a home is occupied can lead to a wide range of benefits. For example, it could trigger a change in the thermostat setting to save money, or even a change in security monitoring systems. Our prototype Home Occupancy Agent (HOA), which we present in this paper, uses a rule based system that monitors power consumption from meters and ambient light sensor readings in order to determine occupancy. The agent is also able to determine when the occupants are asleep, and thus provide the potential for further energy saving opportunities.
Keywords: Smart Home, Intelligent Agent, Occupancy Detection, Power Consumption, Ambient Light Sensors, Sleep Detection, Energy Conservation, Sustainability.
Keep your eyes peeled as there are a number of other submissions that I am either waiting on review or in the midst of writing. Write on…
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Branch Circuit Power Metering
Over the weekend I was busy replacing my 2 INO6200 meters with 2 DENT PowerScout 18 branch circuit power meters (BCPM). Instead on only monitoring 2 circuits (the main house and the heat pump), I can now monitor 24 different circuits!
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- PS18 Install – Open Panels
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- PS18 Install – Power Junction Box
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- PS18 Install – Finished Install
I will post a link to a real-time consumption report soon. I am having issue with my ModbusTCP server and a lack of time to program the report.
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- Energy and Water Meters Installed (gcgreen.wordpress.com)
- Why a Smart Meter Can be a Smart Investment (txu.com)
Arduino RTC Shield Schematic
Arduino RTC Shield
I have now posted information on the Arduino Power Meter Reader (APMR) project page on how I created the Arduino RTC (Real Time Clock) Shield I used.
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Arduino RS485 Shield Schematic
Arduino RS485 Shield
Well I have been too busy with course work 
…but I found some time to post up the schematic for the Arduino RS485 Shield I used for my Arduino Power Meter Reader (APMR) project.
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Wiring and Arduino Update
Wire Cabinet Finished
Well I have been very busy with course work. I though I would post a quick update.
I have finally finished reorganizing my wiring cabinet and I now have it jam-packed with all sort of equipment. As seen on the right.
I also stated the Arduino Power Meter Reader (APMR) project page which I will slowly add information to in the coming weeks. I will also be posting the source code on GitHub in the next couple of days. This will be released as an open source project.
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