State-Of-The-Art Wireless Technologies for Modern Home Applications

Recently due to the rapid advancements in wireless communication and information technologies it is now possible to embed various levels of smartness in the modern home. Wireless networks and sensors are seen to play an increasingly important role as key enablers in emerging pervasive computing technologies that are required for the realization of smart homes. A top level architecture of a smart home is illustrated in this paper. It includes a server/gateway/router that can be used as the central point of connectivity for devices within the home as well as allowing connectivity to the outside world. The setup also includes smart sensors as well as appliances that have either wired or wireless connectivity. This paper reviews some of the major wireless communication technologies that can be used to realize a smart home. A prototype system is designed and implemented to enable an authorized user to monitor and control home devices equipped with a smart interface structure using a mobile phone and also using pc. It enables monitoring and control of various devices with multiple levels of settings is described and the results achieved are presented.