Well, I chose Zwave because at the time Wifi lights were nonexistent and Hue wasn't available yet.
However, Zwave is pretty nice because it doesn't tie up my Wifi bandwidth, is quick to set up, and it forms a mesh network. Plus the devices are a fraction of the cost of the Wifi connected one.
All the improvements have been minor but they add up to large lifestyle improvements. Some examples:
- I never have to worry if I left the garage door open or the lights on.
- I can set my alarm (the intrusion detection kind not wake up kind) without leaving bed if I forget to set it.
- Controlling all my entertainment devices is now one click instead of messing with 5 different remotes. It's also easier for guests to understand.
- My sprinkler system adjusts watering based on the moisture level and the last time it rained. Which conserves water.
- My thermostat knows when I'm not home which also conserves energy and saves money.
- My exercise equipment turns on when I need it on schedule, which helps me to stay motivated. The TV with the workout DVD in it also turns on on schedule.
- Holliday lights turn on at dusk and turn off at 1 AM. Or when I tell them to with my phone.
- I can get woken up at the right time so I'm less tired throughout the day.
- If I have someone coming over to say, fix the plumbing, I can give them a temporary code that is only good during the time they are supposed to be there. Or they can call me and I can unlock the house from my office. And I can see them on video while they are there. Plus the alarm can set when they leave.
As I said, little things that add up.
The health and quantified self type stuff has helped me spend less time on stuff I shouldn't be doing and more time being healthy.
One of my favorite devices in terms of effect on my life, as weird as this sounds, is my Sonos system. I have speakers in every room in the house and I can use them to play music that sets the right mood whether I'm working out or eating. It's also nice to be able to pipe the TV audio to other rooms during, say, the presidential debates.
Have I considered machine learning? Yes. I actually use some to automate email. It deletes email I don't want to read and nags me about email I really should reply to (hence my previous post that mentions IMAP). But I'd love to find more uses of it.
One use I've been toying with is learning when I need to go places (like the grocery store) and alerting me when I'm driving near it so I can save an extra trip. Example: the milk will be gone in two days and you're right next to the store, you should get more now so you don't have to make a trip later.
None of this is important on its own and some of it is downright silly, but in aggregate it adds up.
Thanks for the insightful response. One use for machine learning could be to determine an optimal sleep/eating schedule. You'd probably need to log some mood/health data but should be doable. Similarly you could probably do something with diet data.
However, Zwave is pretty nice because it doesn't tie up my Wifi bandwidth, is quick to set up, and it forms a mesh network. Plus the devices are a fraction of the cost of the Wifi connected one.
All the improvements have been minor but they add up to large lifestyle improvements. Some examples:
- I never have to worry if I left the garage door open or the lights on.
- I can set my alarm (the intrusion detection kind not wake up kind) without leaving bed if I forget to set it.
- Controlling all my entertainment devices is now one click instead of messing with 5 different remotes. It's also easier for guests to understand.
- My sprinkler system adjusts watering based on the moisture level and the last time it rained. Which conserves water.
- My thermostat knows when I'm not home which also conserves energy and saves money.
- My exercise equipment turns on when I need it on schedule, which helps me to stay motivated. The TV with the workout DVD in it also turns on on schedule.
- Holliday lights turn on at dusk and turn off at 1 AM. Or when I tell them to with my phone.
- I can get woken up at the right time so I'm less tired throughout the day.
- If I have someone coming over to say, fix the plumbing, I can give them a temporary code that is only good during the time they are supposed to be there. Or they can call me and I can unlock the house from my office. And I can see them on video while they are there. Plus the alarm can set when they leave.
As I said, little things that add up.
The health and quantified self type stuff has helped me spend less time on stuff I shouldn't be doing and more time being healthy.
One of my favorite devices in terms of effect on my life, as weird as this sounds, is my Sonos system. I have speakers in every room in the house and I can use them to play music that sets the right mood whether I'm working out or eating. It's also nice to be able to pipe the TV audio to other rooms during, say, the presidential debates.
Have I considered machine learning? Yes. I actually use some to automate email. It deletes email I don't want to read and nags me about email I really should reply to (hence my previous post that mentions IMAP). But I'd love to find more uses of it.
One use I've been toying with is learning when I need to go places (like the grocery store) and alerting me when I'm driving near it so I can save an extra trip. Example: the milk will be gone in two days and you're right next to the store, you should get more now so you don't have to make a trip later.
None of this is important on its own and some of it is downright silly, but in aggregate it adds up.