Technofile: Many of us control our personal lives and work through technology, so it's only natural that products are starting to control our homes.
Motorola has this week launched a new system of cameras and sensors that monitor what goes on in your home by recording, storing and sending photos and video clips to you via e-mail. On first inspection, the gear looks innocent enough.
The Homesight system consists of a black box system controller, a wireless camera, a wireless sensor for doors and windows and a software application. The movement-control cameras that look like mini CCTV can be positioned anywhere in the house - but by the front door makes most sense.
The cameras can be linked via wires to your PC, or operate wirelessly. Interestingly, Motorola is using a different frequency to the usual Wi-Fi and Bluetooth frequencies, in order not to interfere with the myriad of devices now available in the average home.
Once the cameras are installed, it's a matter of loading the software on the PC (no Mac support yet, I'm afraid), hooking up the system controller box to the PC and switching it on. Motorola says set-up time should be less than half an hour.
Now, when someone passes a camera, a photo or short video (you specify which) is captured and sent to your PC. Using your home broadband internet connection, the PC then sends the images direct to your e-mail account.
But Homesight doesn't stop there. As well as allowing you to keep an eye on things, it will also switch household devices on and off. For example, you can turn the hall lamp on automatically as you open the door, turn the radio on if there's movement outside the door when you're out of the house or even switch the microwave on when you leave work to defrost supper. It's also possible to organise an alert for a water leak, by interfacing with the water mains system.
Homesight comes with door and window sensors, accessories for linking the information to other monitors and will even link to a siren for DIY burglar-prevention.
Homesight has come out of Motorola's new Connected Home division, and is the first major retail product from Motorola aimed at the home.
Later this year you'll be able to buy the power controllers to turn on lamps and appliances remotely. There are also plans to enable you to control Homesight through a mobile phone.
"Homesight provides peace of mind, enabling people to stay aware of what's happening in and around their home, even when they're away. This extends Motorola's vision of Seamless Mobility which is all about linking you to people, information and entertainment, wherever you are, whenever you want," says Paul King, Motorola's vice-president of Connected Home business in Europe. That may be so, but there are more nefarious uses it could be put to, not least of which might be a very controlling partner! It must also be said that Homesight will need your PC running all the time if it is to be of any use.
While in theory a real geek might be able to throw together many of the features Homesight offers, like wireless webcams, Homesight makes it much easier for the average PC user. And I can see Homesight being used by small businesses to keep an eye on the office while they are away on business.
The Homesight easy start kit will be available exclusively through PC World at a suggested retail price of €339.99 from September 17t, and obviously you'll need a broadband connection to get the best out of it.
