Automated Lighting Research

Automated lighting systems in various forms are currently available quite widely. However, many automated lighting products seem to be focussing on the environmental reasons for implementing such a system. Technology at the moment is being used to control lights as a person leaves a room to conserve energy. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/6067900.stm).

This is clearly worthwhile, but this project is concerned with using this technology to aid the lives of elderly people who perhaps find it physically difficult to get up and move around to switch lights on and off. Automated lighting would also allow lights to be switched on in a room before the person moves there reducing the chance of an accident happening such as a trip or fall. Such products already exist in some forms and it would be worthwhile to adapt existing technology to fit on our wheelchair.

There are schemes that have looked at energy efficiency and home automation in combination. One of these took place in the Netherlands and found that automated lighting systems that are triggered by movement are not very popular with elderly residents because they are often triggered to come on when the resident does not want it to. (http://mail.mtprog.com/CD_Layout/Day_2_22.06.06/0900-1045/ID193_Kester_final.pdf). There are benefits to the environment of this kind of system but a better approach would be to have a user controlled automated system.

www.uk-automation.co.uk has details of products that are currently on the market. This website also outlines the steps needed to convert a home so that the lights can be controlled via remote control. Three components are needed to install the system described by www.uk-automation.co.uk. A transceiver module is needed to receive the signal, wall switches need to be adapted and a remote control is also required. The estimated cost of such a system is around £75 for the first room then around £25 per room after that. For this project, much of the existing technology could be used. The changes needed would be to have the control system as part of the user interface on the wheelchair. The remote control currently on the market (http://www.uk-automation.co.uk/handheld-remote-control-p-1091.html) is probably quite good but it would be easier to have the controls clearly labelled and always available on the interface. The advantage of having such a system as part of the overall interface is that the remote control would not get lost as may be the case with the above system.

The above approach requires quite a lot of electronics knowledge to implement. It may be better to consider out automated lighting system in the context of future homes that could be built with this technology in mind. Specifically, it may be efficient to take advantage of the use of Bluetooth technology. This is widely available in mobile phones and laptops and is relatively cheap to implement.