Open source software is software which is in the public domain, and where the owner\maker has given his permission for the world at large to use and make changes to his original work. Open source home automation is home automation which is open to being tweaked so that it better suits the needs of people who have incorporated it into their home. This represents a significant step up from the home automation of the past, which was limited to what homeowners could buy in the form of linear actuator enabled technology and pre-programmed technology. While a table lift is something which has a variety of uses throughout the home, open source home automation is undeniably more in-depth, allowing for greater home control.
Linear actuators have been involved in home automation for a while, and are in fact responsible for much of the recent innovation in the area. Actuators are most commonly used in tv lifts and in other motions which are similar, but they have also made inroads into security systems as well, allowing for cameras to be more mobile, among other things. Open source technology is something which could still benefit from linear actuators.
Home Assistant
A home assistant is a piece of technology which allows the homeowner to directly control the automative devices they have installed in their homes. This technology can be tweaked by the user depending on what types of technology they have in their homes, to allow them to better control their environment. The technology involved can change depending on what a homeowner has to control, from a fully smart house, to one which only has the most basic of elements installed.
A home assistant is also useful in its own right, as it can itself be programmed. Not only can it control locks, lights, heating, and other areas of the home, it can be programmed to have greater or lesser control over these things, as the major hub which connects its owner to the house.
Platforms
There are several/ open source platforms in existence which can be used by homeowners when it comes to their home automation. These platforms are unlike the home assistants of the previous section in that they do not have physical form – they are pieces of technology which can be downloaded and used on any device of the homeowners choosing.
These platforms can be used on most mobile devices, and can interact with any home automation that is present in the home. It is up/ to the home owner how they program the platform to/ interact with their home – there might even be some home automation which they do not want to have as part of their synchronisation. Most of these platforms can understand a variety of different programming languages, so different systems will be integrated easily onto one platform.
Data Collection
We have been able to collate data for years now, but open source trends are allowing us to see how to use it in different ways. Open source platforms and technology have access to important data about how you use your house, and so can use that data to better understand your habits, and, perhaps, predict what you will do next.
Data collection can make a homeowner’s house more comfortable, but it can also be used to help him save money if he wants to/ cut down on energy consumption.