iWay-Safety.com: Site Security News & Views

Security cameras aren't just for big corporations any longer!

Mon, 27 Jun 2005 20:56:49 GMT

IP Camera + Pocket PC = Security! [?? How about security tool instead!] Thanks to the dropping cost of camera technology and the proliferation of broadband connections and home LANs, affordable solutions are now available for the average consumer. [The article looks at a specific technology combination - D-Link DCS-900W IP camera and a Pocket PC equipped with a program called ViewCommander-Mobile - but contains good info on (wireless) ip cameras and setting the whole thing up.]

Home-Based Business Safety and Security Issues

Tue, 19 Oct 2004 18:29:14 GMT

It can be harrowing at times, for home-based business owners in the issues of safety and security, especially if their home-based business is indeed, in their home, exposing their family members to security and safety issues and risks, as well as themselves. This is not to say that undue measures should be taken, or that undue fear should pervade. A home-based business is really at no more risk of crimes against person or property than a personal residence or any other type of business. Pre-cautionary measures should however, within normal guidelines be employed, to prevent any untoward occurrences during the course of a business day and after office hours.

Homeland Security 101

Fri, 20 Aug 2004 12:24:26 GMT

In an effort to attract federal funding, draw new students and prepare graduates for careers in the expanding field of homeland security, universities are augmenting existing courses and launching entire programs around security, defense and terror issues.

Smart homes offer a helping hand

Sun, 23 May 2004 22:43:58 GMT

Smart homes of the future will not only feature designer fabrics and furniture, they will also be filled with clever technology that takes a greater interest in your daily life. Researchers at the technology consultancy Accenture are working on ways to help homes watch what their occupants are doing. The work is aimed at helping older people by spotting when they get into difficulties, to diagnose health problems before they become serious and to combat loneliness by making it easier to keep in touch with their family. To help people cope, Accenture researchers are concentrating on five main projects: Persuasive mirrors; Connective tables ; Shared scrap books ; Interactive pictures ; Activity monitoring .

Automated Home Management

Tue, 13 Apr 2004 23:20:28 GMT

Imagine walking into your kitchen and having the lights turn on automatically. Think about the energy you could save if your blinds and lighting automatically adjusted for the amount of sunlight entering your home. CasaWorks, a division of Metrics Technology, announced the Cielo Home Management System, a hardware- and software-based solution that offers these and other functionalities...

No Outlet? Don't Worry, an Ethernet Cable May Do

Fri, 26 Mar 2004 17:28:56 GMT

Ethernet cables are starting to shoulder a new load: providing electrical power in a small but growing number of businesses.

M&S Systems’ MC2000 – Whole-house Home Audio

Fri, 12 Mar 2004 19:11:11 GMT

the M&S MC2000 is a 16-source/10-zone system, which combines multi-room audio and intercom features into one product on the same network. The system’s digital network hub, which includes a stored media device, gives you localized control from “intelligent” room stations with wall-mounted, liquid-crystal displays (LCDs). The intercom features allow communication between individual rooms providing intercom capability in up to ten rooms plus two entrances. This safety and security enhancement means that homeowners can check who is at the door before opening it.

Monitoring the Beach House

Tue, 13 Jan 2004 18:57:41 GMT

By MAREK FUCHS (NYT)
Sensors, cameras and two-way audio devices are being hooked into traditional alarm systems, providing owners of second homes peace-of-mind from afar.

Running the Home Remotely

Thu, 01 Jan 2004 02:15:42 GMT

NY Times - August 31, 2003
By JAY ROMANO
Some 20,000 people are expected to attend a convention in Indianapolis next week to learn, among other things, how to turn on their porch lights, pan and tilt their security cameras, preheat their hot tubs, fire up their coffee makers and determine who, if anyone, is coming down the driveway at home - all without actually being at home.
George Snyder, vice president for marketing and communications of Home Automated Living, a company based in Laurel, Md., said virtually anyone could now operate the systems and appliances in the home by remote control from virtually anywhere using virtually any electronic device that can transmit signals.
The other technological advance that has made sophisticated automation of home systems an inexpensive reality, Mr. Snyder said, is the emergence of "home networks" made possible by wireless communications in existing homes and by the installation of "digital plumbing" in new buildings. Digital plumbing, Mr. Snyder said, consists of low-voltage wiring that can be run inside walls during construction, allowing communication between various systems in the house and the computer network.
"Some of the best stuff is the simplest," he said. "Can anyone today really imagine what it would be like to sit down and watch TV without a remote control?" Mr. Snyder said.
Danny Briere, who with Pat Hurley recently updated their book "Smart Homes for Dummies" (Wiley, New York, 2003), said that most home-automation systems contain a few basic components: the controller, which is used to send signals to the various systems and appliances; device controllers, which are electronic interfaces that the systems and appliances are plugged into and which receive the signals from the controller; and a transmission system to relay signals from the controller to the various devices. In most cases, Mr. Brier said, the home's existing wiring or dedicated wiring is used for that. Sometimes, wireless technology is used.
The other basic component of a home automation system, he said, is the protocol - or language - that the devices use to communicate with one another. The most common system used in existing homes is known as X10, which was developed in the 1980's. The X10 system uses an "open protocol," meaning it can be used by the devices of different manufacturers. The home's existing electrical wiring system is used to transmit signals from the controller to the device controllers. Those device controllers - known as X10 modules - can be either electrical outlets or electrical switches that are plugged into or replace the home's existing ones.
The controller can be made to operate automatically as before or in response to signals it receives over telephone lines or through wireless devices or, if it is connected to a computer, over the Internet.
A number of small X10 cameras can be connected to a computer in such a way that the images they capture can be viewed from a inside the house - on a computer or television monitor - or from anywhere the homeowner can access the Internet. Generally, Mr. Brier said, it is necessary to have a "broadband" connection to the Internet - such as cable or DSL - because a dial-up connection cannot transmit live video effectively.
Information on home automation is available on Mr. Brier's Web site (www.smarthomesbook.com); on the Internet site of Smarthome (www.smarthome.com) an Irvine, Calif., company that specializes in home automation products; and on the site of Home Automated Living (www.automatedliving.com).
While "hard wiring" is the best way to transmit the necessary signals for home automation, there are alternatives. Some systems, for example, use a home's existing cable television lines. And wireless systems - using either radio frequency signals or high-speed "WiFi" signals - make it possible for just about anyone to retrofit a home for remote control.

You've Got Mail ... From the Microwave

Thu, 01 Jan 2004 01:05:26 GMT

By PAUL BOUTIN
Published: November 16, 2003
A coffeepot that starts when your alarm clock goes off (after warning you the night before if you forget to fill it). A security camera that e-mails you at work if it detects motion and then lets you see through it and pan around a room remotely. A refrigerator that will scan its own contents to keep a running inventory. A combination oven/refrigerator that can be instructed from a cellphone to start dinner ... what home networks, ...are rapidly coming to. ... The biggest revolution in home networks, though, is wireless Internet technology ....