Half a croissant, on a plate, with a sign in front of it saying '50c'
h a l f b a k e r y
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point 'n click appliances
Home automation switches, just point 'n click
  (+11)(+11)
(+11) 		  [vote for,
against]


Home automation is fun, but being able to turn your lights on and off from your computer isn't really all that practical compared to a good ol' fashioned light switch... until now.

what I propose is a watch that detects which way your arm is pointing, it also has a small mic inside that recognises when you click your fingers. Just point at an appliance and click your fingers, the watch relays the information back to the computer which turns the appliance on or off.

some ideas to achieve this (feel free to add your own or elaborate)

1. blue tooth enabled watch with directional and location capabilities

or

2. tight beam infra-red with receivers at each appliance

greyfiend, Jun 12 2006

(?) A Sixth Sense for a Wired World http://www.wired.co...logy/0,71087-0.html
Apparently a magnet (it should be humyn non-immunoreactive) can interface between your peripheral nervous system and the wonderful world of electricity [LoriZ, Jun 12 2006]


Short name, e.g., Bob's Coffee

Destination URL. E.g., http://www.coffee.com/

Description (displayed with the short name and URL.)







       If more appliances just offered a bluetooth interface, the user would be free to use whatever device is convenient for them. That could include a watch, phone, remote, PDA, whatever.
ed, Jun 12 2006
   

       I don't know how to click my fingers.
BJS, Jun 12 2006
   

       What would help with accuracy is a small, diffused light on an appropriate corner of each compliant appliance.   

       The light would produce a soft glow when the appliance had your watch's focus, so you could distinguish between switching on applicances that are close together, such as a kettle and radio on a worktop.   

       From the user's perspective it would work like the auto-aim focus system in some shoot-em ups.   

       Maybe the 'click-to-activate' system could be enhanced where appropriate with a bit of follow on voice recognition to allow the user give exact instructions to the appliance.
boysparks, Jun 12 2006
   

       good thinking, that small light on each appliance, means you can turn things on in the dark too.
greyfiend, Jun 12 2006
   

       A universal remote?
Texticle, Jun 12 2006
   

       Print an infra-red visible barcode on the devices and have a laser barcode scanner in the device
BunsenHoneydew, Jun 13 2006
   

       perhaps the watch could also incorporate a roll detector, so you can turn volume,dimmers etc up and down by twisting your hand clockwise or anticlockwise in the air.
greyfiend, Jul 18 2006
   

       [BJS] can you whistle?
greyfiend, Jul 18 2006
   


 
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