The convenience and security of home automation are undeniable, and more and more people are using it. Not only that, a smart home can be an energy-efficient one, as you have more control of your appliances. It is always nice to have your lights automatically dim as you leave your room or play your favourite song just by clapping your hands. Home automation might cost a bit to install but the benefits are worth the investment.

Defining a “Smart” Home

A smart home incorporates a network that connects appliances and devices. This network allows anything that utilises electricity to communicate with each other and respond to your commands. Controlling the devices could be done using a computer, wireless controller, or by voice. The system can be similar to a personal assistant who awaits your every beck and call. Lighting, home theatre, security, temperature regulation and entertainment are the most common systems to be automated.

A Short History of Home Automation

It was just a few years back when only society’s well-off could afford an automated house. But now, the developments in electronics technology have paved the way for much cheaper systems, enticing more families to convert their abode to smarter homes. How did smart homes begin?

It was in 1975 when Scottish company Pico electronics created X10, the technology that gave birth to home automation. X10 allowed compatible appliances and devices to “talk” to each other using the existing electricity connections inside a house.

Receivers are installed in the appliances and devices, and a remote control or keypad acts as the transmitter. Pressing the remote control sends out data wirelessly, encapsulating simple codes like 0010 for “on” and 0011 for “off”. The X10 was revolutionary during that time although it has its limitations. For instance, communication among the devices using electrical wires can be unreliable – the signals are heavily attenuated by the 120/240 volt system that is used in American homes.

More technologies emerged since then, all trying to overcome the limitations of the X10. Z-wave and ZigBee moved away from using power lines and used a special frequency channel for sending out radio waves. Both technologies used low-power and low-cost modules that are connected, following a mesh topology. Being low-power allowed ZigBee modules to be manufactured in small sizes and use smaller batteries. Mesh networking provides reliability and a more extensive communication range.

Software

Choosing the right automation software is very important. Modules follow the same technical standard and they all work the same, but programs do not. You must choose a program based on how easy use. Activhome is recommended for beginners, as the user interface is simple to follow. You can control your appliances through your computer using it. If you want more customization, then Powerhome could be for you. This program allows you to create timed sequences as well as routines that fit your preference.

Adding other systems would require new programs. For example, if you choose to add a weather monitor, you will need Virtual Weather Station. This program allows your automation software (e.g. Activhome) to communicate with your climate sensors.

Hardware

The server, interface and modules are the hardware of your automation system. The server acts as the brain of the system and will always include controllers, timers and computers. Servers have become more intelligent over the years and may now accept commands from smartphones. E-home Automation products are examples of systems that can process commands from Apple’s iPhone. Interface refers to the connection between the different components of the system, while modules receive the commands for the devices.

Smart Grid and the Future

The term “smart grid” refers to a node in a network of electrical systems that can analyse behaviours and do actions based on what it sees as necessary to maintain the efficiency of the system. The ability to control home appliances and lighting is viewed as an integral addition to the smart grid as it is being rolled out in a few countries.

A combination of home automation systems and smart grids will pave the way for better energy management in the future. A possible application could be turning on the air-conditioning system using the high power derived from a solar panel on a hot day. Smart grid technology will also evolve just like home automation so that this so-called “green automation” can be utilised in more homes.

LX is an award-winning electronics design company based in Sydney, Australia. LX services include full turnkey design, electronics, hardware, software and firmware design. LX specialises in embedded systems and wireless technologies design.www.lx-group.com.au

Published by LX Pty Ltd for itself and the LX Group of companies, including LX Design House, LX Solutions and LX Consulting, LX Innovations.

An embedded system is a computer built for one specific purpose, as opposed to a PC which is built for general purposes and can be used for many things (like watching movies, reading email, surfing the net, etc.) One device can have one or several embedded systems. A great example is a car. A car can have one embedded system to control the anti-locking brakes, another to control the automatic four-wheel drive, one to control the heater and air conditioner, and a multitude of other devices. Embedded systems are great for things that just have one purpose, and it is especially great for tasks which are repetitive and have to be precise (such as the anti-lock braking systems.) Equally, embedded systems are applied to transportation, medical applications and fire safety equipment because they can perform their tasks accurately in real-time without any delay and almost without any need for outside input.

Embedded systems have been around for longer than most people realise. For example, one of the first ones was used in the space shuttle, Apollo Guidance System, in the 60s. These were created to reduce the size and weight of onboard computers for the shuttle craft and one of the first and prime examples of integrated circuit use. Of course, as technology advanced, embedded systems became cheaper and smaller, and thus we’re no longer limited to putting them on million-dollar space shuttle, but even things like microwave ovens, water heaters and dishwashers.

Why an Embedded System?

Perhaps many people may think, instead of using a dozen small computers in one device, why not just put one computer to do all these things? Well, perhaps for things with a lot of embedded systems (such as the car) that may be possible, but what about for simple things, like your coffee machine, oven or a digital watch? Adding an entire computer system wouldn’t make much sense, when all you really need for your embedded system to do is tell time, turn itself on in the morning or make sure it stays a certain temperature. It simply makes much more sense to put in a simple, single-function computer.

When deciding on an embedded system, these are usually the top considerations:

Price – A computer used to be something only governments or big companies could own. Embedded systems make it possible for electronics to be affordable and efficient, so that we can place them in virtually anything and everything (yes, even the kitchen sink.)

Size and Weight – Before integrated circuits, no one could even dream of computers smaller than their living room, much less the palm of their hands. Now, we can have embedded systems in things even smaller than our palms, and they continue to become smaller and lighter.

Productivity – An embedded system does only one thing, and it can do it efficiently. For many repetitive tasks, such as the many mentioned previously, this is enough. It’s simply not a good use of resources to have an entire general purpose computer in something that only does one thing. What about that car example? Well, it’s true you could have one PC to control, but it would not only be expensive, but it would be inefficient. If the computer broke down, then you wouldn’t be able to use your car. With embedded systems, if your car’s temperature control broke down, you could still get to where you needed to go (you’d just need to wear shorts and roll the windows down.)

Embedded systems aren’t perfect, though; for example, you’d need a lot of testing to release certain products out on the market (such as medical and life-saving devices) and because it is embedded deep into the product, you couldn’t update it easily. However, embedded systems have certainly changed the course of human development in the last 20 years, and will most likely do so in the next century.

LX is an award-winning electronics design company based in Sydney, Australia. LX services include full turnkey design, electronics, hardware, software and firmware design. LX specialises in embedded systems and wireless technologies design. www.lx-group.com.au

Published by LX Pty Ltd for itself and the LX Group of companies, including LX Design House, LX Solutions and LX Consulting, LX Innovations.

Proof of Concept Prototype
A proof of concept or proof of principal prototype is a model that is close enough to the envisioned device to establish sufficient certainty that the idea has the potential to do what is intended, before pursuing the task in earnest. Issues that are identified can be remedied long before the more costly and complex research process begins. This can save time and money that could potentially be wasted if it turned out that the conceptual idea is either impossible or is too difficult to make it worth the time and effort.

Prototype Product Evolution
Demonstration prototypes are the next step in the product evolution. Once designers, engineers and investors are convinced that the product is feasible, the prototype serves as a demonstration tool to sell the idea to others. Usually that refers to investors and others with an interest in the feasibility of the concept. In some cases the prototype is required to file for a patent for the device. Demonstration prototypes are generally more advanced and closer to the fully operational device than the concept prototype, but still not fully functional or formed.

Product Development
Once everyone is satisfied that the product is possible, the next stage of product development begins. In electronics, this often consists of the creation of software and control instructions. The research prototype serves as a test bed for the software and may undergo some hardware changes to ensure compatibility with the software algorithms.  Depending on the device, a research prototype may be used to also help develop appearance and physical designs. Once the research is complete, the final product is built in the form of a functional prototype, which as closely as possible mimics the finished product.

Commercial Production
Once the research necessary to build the device is complete, the final process is the commercial production phase. This is when the device is finally made into the fully functioning product that will be sold to consumers. The first iteration is called an alpha prototype. It will be as close to the intended final product as possible in both form and function and serves to identify any issues that interfere with production. Once complete it will be thoroughly tested and if necessary changes to either the device or production process will be made. The next iteration is the beta prototype, which reflects any changes that were made during the first iteration. Once complete the device is put through more grueling trials and testing. Once again, any identified issues are corrected and when complete the pre-production prototype emerges. This is the final prototype before large scale production begins.

Prototype Process
Prototypes are an important part of the process of creating, building and manufacturing an electronic product. Without utilizing prototypes along the way, the process would suffer frequent setbacks that will consume funds needed for the project. The prototypes evolve as new information comes to light and grows along with the idea. Without a prototype, the only way to know if a device will do what is intended would be to manufacture it, which requires a much larger expenditure of time, effort and money, and the finished product may not work at all.

Prototypes are an essential tool in the development of any electronic device because they take a concept that exists only on paper and in theory and transforms it into something that is tangible and actually performs at least some aspect of the envisioned product. Prototypes are considered so important in the electronics manufacturing field that there are entire companies that specialize in constructing them for other designers, inventors and manufacturers.

LX is an award-winning electronics design company based in Sydney, Australia. LX services include full turnkey design, electronics, hardware, software and firmware design. LX specialises in embedded systems and wireless technologies design. www.lx-group.com.au

Published by LX Pty Ltd for itself and the LX Group of companies, including LX Design House, LX Solutions and LX Consulting, LX Innovations.

The first type of hybrid solar collectors works by increasing the amount of solar energy that is directly converted into electricity. The cells of the collectors are made out of two different materials. One material receives the sun’s energy, which causes electron excitation, and the material begins to give off, or donate, electrical particles. For this reason, it is often called the donor material. The particles it donates are transferred to the second material, called the acceptor. The second material acts to diffuse or disassociate the charged particles and distribute them through the system in the form of usable electricity. The interaction of the two materials together results in a larger amount of solar energy being converted into electricity than would occur with only a single material.

There are several combinations of materials used in the donor/acceptor pair, as well as several designs for both how the transfers occur and how the disassociation of the particles takes place. Popular designs are the nanoparticle/polymer composite design, carbon nanotube design, dye-sensitized design and the inorganic nanostructure/small molecule design.

The second type of hybrid solar collector uses a different technique to increase efficiency. Rather than attempting to increase efficiency by increasing the amount of electricity the system can produce, it instead makes use of both the conversion of energy to electricity and the collection of heat produced in the process. One popular version of this type of hybrid solar collector is manufactured by Solimpeks Corporation in Turkey.

The Solimpeks Volthik hybrid solar collectors use tubes to circulate water through the panels. The water absorbs heat produced by the interaction of the sunlight with the collector materials. The water is then circulated and stored in tanks, which can be used for hot water or heating in the structures. An added benefit is, as the water circulates through the system collecting the excess heat, the collection materials are cooled, which greatly increases their efficiency.

The most optimally efficient hybrid solar collector system incorporates both of these techniques. However, increased costs and installation difficulty associated with the tubing and other components required for the Solimpeks type of hybrid solar collector may mean that the simpler dual material collectors are more practical in some situations. As the systems become more efficient and manufacturing costs drop, the hybrid systems will be more frequently installed during new construction, which in turn will further lower the costs associated with hybrid solar collector.

LX is an award-winning electronics design company based in Sydney, Australia. LX services include full turnkey design, electronics, hardware, software and firmware design. LX specialises in embedded systems and wireless technologies design. www.lx-group.com.au

Published by LX Pty Ltd for itself and the LX Group of companies, including LX Design House, LX Solutions and LX Consulting, LX Innovations.

One of the biggest problems with current sources of sustainable energy is unpredictability. Consider sustainable energy sources such as wind and solar, and it is quickly apparent that the unpredictable nature of the sun and wind make it difficult to assure sufficient power generation, and thus power distribution, at any given moment. Another problem is the ability to take advantage of the times when there is abundant amounts of sun or wind. Taking full advantage of the resource can be wasteful if that amount of energy production is not needed when the resources are available. What is required is a solution that allows providers to be able to take advantage of times of abundant sustainable energy and continue providing power when the sources are not so abundant. Achieving sustainable energy through redox flow batteries offers a solution to both of these problems.

Redox flow batteries are a type of rechargeable batteries that operate by storing electricity chemically via an electrolyte solution. While this doesn’t differ from many other types of batteries, redox flow batteries offer much higher storage capacities as well as a very low rate of self-discharge. These two characteristics are what make redox flow batteries a good solution for power storage in sustainable energy applications.

Current redox flow batteries are limited by their relatively low energy density. Current redox flow batteries feature an average energy density of about 35 Watt hours per kilogram (35 Wh/Kg). As a comparison, current lead acid batteries have an energy density of about 40 Wh/Kg and lithium ion batteries can achieve an energy density of up to 200 Wh/Kg. However, redox flow battery technology is advancing rapidly and Fraunhofer Institute researchers have claimed they’ll soon be able to increase the energy density of redox flow batteries to a level comparable to that of current lithium ion batteries.

Achieving sustainable energy through the use of redox batteries is already being done in several places around the world. A wind power project in Hokkaido, Japan uses a 275 kilowatt redox flow battery system to balance power distribution. Similar systems are in use in Tasmania, Utah and several other places, including solar power applications.

As the production of energy through sustainable means increases in efficiency and the output becomes greater, sustainable energy will become more widespread and cost-effective, hopefully eliminating the need for other non-sustainable energy sources. But for this to happen, the ability to store the power produced so it is consistently available is essential. Redox flow batteries are the technological innovation with the best chance of providing this necessary component. Achieving sustainable energy through redox flow batteries is the focus of universities and corporations around the world, which illustrates the hope researchers have for the batteries’ success.

For further information:

Debra Drury, LX Marketing Coordinator, t: +61 2 9209 4133, debra.d@lx-group.com.au   

LX is an award-winning electronics design company based in Sydney, Australia. LX services include full turnkey design, electronics, hardware, software and firmware design. LX specialises in embedded systems and wireless technologies design. www.lx-group.com.au

Published by LX Pty Ltd for itself and the LX Group of companies, including LX Design House, LX Solutions and LX Consulting, LX Innovations.

LX has scored a place among Anthill’s Top 50 in its 2011 Annual Cool Company Awards, a national program developed in 2006 to recognise Australian companies that are doing things differently to bring about positive change.

Over 700 aspiring ‘cool companies’ were nominated for the 2011 awards, making ‘The Cools’ one of Australia’s largest business awards programs. The winners will be announced at an award’s function on Thursday 24 November 2011 and published on AnthillOnline.com.

“The Cool Company Awards are extremely egalitarian,” said James Tuckerman, Editor-In-Chief, Anthill Magazine. “Previous winners have included two-person start-ups, not-for-profit social enterprises, large private companies and publicly-listed corporations.”

“Judging takes into account far more than mere business variables, such as revenue and wealth. The criteria is geared to consider other qualities, from the disruptive nature of the product or service to the culture of the organisation.”

“Applicants either nominated themselves or were nominated by peers, work colleagues, family, friends and other ‘admirers’. A field of hundreds was examined (and cross-examined) before our judges were able to isolate three Finalists for each of our seven categories.”

What are Cool Company Awards?

The Cool Company Awards was launched in 2006 as a way for Anthill Magazine to publicly acknowledge and celebrate Australian organisations that are doing things differently to bring about positive change. In its sixth year, the awards attracted nominations from over 700 organisations, making it among the largest business award programs in Australia.

What is Anthill Magazine? 

AnthillOnline.com is a digital business magazine that celebrates creativity, inspiration and commercial ingenuity, providing a fresh, exciting and practical perspective on Australian business in a global world. It is among the Top 50 Business & Finance websites in Australia, as ranked by Nielsen Online Ratings, and is home to the Cool Company Awards, the 30under30 and the Smart 100. It’s where ideas and business meet.

For further information:

Debra Drury, LX Marketing Coordinator, t: +61 2 9209 4133, debra.d@lx-group.com.au    

LX is an award-winning electronics design company based in Sydney, Australia. LX services include full turnkey design, electronics, hardware, software and firmware design. LX specialises in embedded systems and wireless technologies design. www.lx-group.com.au

Published by LX Pty Ltd for itself and the LX Group of companies, including LX Design House, LX Solutions and LX Consulting, LX Innovations.

Industrial design is said to be a mix of applied science and art, of creating innovative products to be manufactured and sold. Of course, industrial design is a very broad term, as this can encompass many other areas of design, including electronics design, packaging design, furniture design and even car design. It is a combination of using the arts and science to create or modify an existing product and sell it to a target market.

Many people consider becoming an industrial designer because such a career rewards people for being creative and inventive. So why would you want to be a designer?

Designers

Choosing to become an industrial designer is not a decision to be taken lightly. Much like any specialized career, you need education and skill, and perhaps most of all, passion in the field. Many designers work long hours, and the job is demanding as well as rewarding.

For example, an electronics industrial designer might need to work with the same electronics prototype over several versions to get it right, to satisfy a client’s expectation, the budget, as well as electronics industry regulations and other factors such as environmental issues. If you’re still interested industrial design, take a look at what it takes to become an industrial designer.

Industrial Designer Requirements

Industrial design is a career that needs a lot of skill and passion. Education is important too, but artistic and practical skills, as well as knowledge in physics and math are the expertise designers use throughout their careers.

Many people who love art and have drawing, sketching and sculpting skills go into industrial design. Indeed, putting a design to paper is the most basic skill a designer should have. However, to transform that two-dimensional design into a three-dimensional object that works, you’ll have to know math and physics, to be able to understand how things move in space.

Additionally, you’ll have to undertake more training, depending on what type of design you want pursue. If you want to focus on gadgets and electronics, studying engineering and electronics design is a pre-requisite, as you’ll need to know how these devices work inside and out.

There are some universities and colleges that offer degrees in industrial design, but you can also check with art, design or electronics engineering schools that may be able to offer more comprehensive degrees. An internship is a great idea, especially if you’re switching careers or thinking (but still not sure) about going into design. This will give you an idea of what working as an industrial designer is like, and you can find out if this type of career is for you. Of course, talking to other designers about their experience will also tell you more about the job and what a day in the life of a designer is like.

While you’re studying to be a designer, it’s important to have a strong portfolio of work. In addition to a resume, potential employers will judge you based on your actual work. Build a good portfolio throughout your studies and make sure you showcase only your best work for future employers to see.

Designer Career Path

So, what does an industrial design graduate have ahead of him or her? There are many places a career in industrial design can take you. The first place many graduates go to is a design house. For example, an electronics design house is usually contracted by another firm to create electronics products for them. Usually these places work on a variety of projects, and many like this pace of not working on the same electronics product every day. An electronics designer will work on an electronic product from concept through to completion. This is an exciting process and includes creating an electronics prototype for client approval.

Going Further

With the current unstable world economy, many industrial designers must find ways to keep themselves sharp. It’s important that designers always brush up on their skills or acquire new ones. Competition is fierce, so you want to stand out. The more design skills you have, the more desirable you’ll be to companies and clients. Getting an additional degree or training is a good idea.

You Want To Be An Industrial Designer?

So, if you think you have what it takes to be a designer, such as an electronics or industrial designer, the best time to start is now, whether you are secondary school, taking a different degree or in the middle of another career. The work is challenging, but it is a career where your inventiveness and artistry can thrive, while reaping the financial rewards.

LX is an award-winning electronics design company based in Sydney, Australia. LX services include full turnkey design, electronics, hardware, software and firmware design. They specialise in embedded systems and wireless technologies design. www.lx-group.com.au

Published by LX Pty Ltd for itself and the LX Group of companies, including LX Design House, LX Solutions and LX Consulting, LX Innovations.

The system, produced by AIMEDICS, monitors for sleep time hypoglycaemic (low blood sugar) episodes in people with insulin dependent diabetes. If changes occur, the HypoMon triggers an alarm, alerting the user and the caregiver.

AIMEDICS Chairman, Mr Martin Greenberg, is very pleased that AIMEDICS has been recognised on the world stage. “HypoMon is a non-invasive monitor and alarm system and our international award is acknowledgement of our significant, ongoing and relevant investment into the HypoMon technology.”

The HypoMon is suitable for people aged 10 to 25 years of age with further clinical studies planned to expand the age range. The HypoMon is convenient and can be used from home, offering the user a “safer nights sleep for young people with Type 1 Diabetes”. The system is also flexible. The parent of a 10-year-old person with Type 1 diabetes will probably use the HypoMon every night where as a teenager might use it when they have exercised during the day and are at higher risk of hypoglycaemia.

HypoMon is scheduled to go on sale in Australia and Europe for the first time later this year.

CEO of AIMEDICS, Victor Skladnev, has found the working environment at ATP conducive to the development of HypoMon. “ATP’s nurturing environment has allowed us to easily keep up to date with Government programs and simplified our engagement and access to advisors.”
AIMEDICS was established in 2001 based on the work and patents of two inventors from the University of Technology Sydney (UTS). Since then, it has been funded through a series of investments and government grants including the Business Innovation Factory, the NSW Government, JDRF (through UTS) and the Australian federal government.

For more information please visit www.hypomon.com

http://atp.com.au/newsletters/21/hypomon-on-the-world-stage

Let’s look at the ways that this green trend has influenced product design.

‘Green’ Product Design Criteria
To design a truly green product, it must meet some or all of these criteria:

• Be non-toxic so as not to harm the environment, people and pets; In electronics products for example, must contain lead-free pcb boards.
• It can be recycled or recyclable, to reduce the amount of trash in the landfills;
• It must use energy responsibly, whether that means that products use only renewable energy sources such as wind, solar or geothermal power or will reduce energy use, such as electronic products that go into ‘sleep mode’ to conserve energy.
• To a certain extent, it must support environmental responsibility, such as eco-friendly practices, creating more green or local jobs, and even use fair and truthful marketing when selling their products

‘Green’ Materials
Understanding the materials used for any process is essential for any project and one of the first things many designers must master is the use of materials. Unlike 20 years ago, eco-friendly materials are now more available than ever. Eco-friendly plastics for example, which can be recycled or biodegradable, are now more widely available, but are also as tough and durable as their regular counterparts. Take the ubiquitous plastic water bottle, for example – simple to design but the material takes hundreds of years to decompose, and is quite toxic to the environment. Arizona-based Enso Bottles has developed a truly biodegradable plastic, by using an additive that helps the bottle degrade in as little as 250 days, without releasing any harmful gasses. Electronic manufacturers also use green materials for their own products. For example, LCD TVs which use carbon neutral biopaint, smart phones with bioplastic enclosures and electronic products which feature lead-free electronics pcb boards.

Product Manufacture
It’s not enough that your materials are eco-friendly, but the way you create your product should be as well. Consumers truly care about how a product is made, and so the construction of a product must also fit within green standards. For example, Kyocera, a Japanese firm, creates their own energy from solar power generating systems for their manufacturing plants and offices around the world. One of the problems of any manufacturing plant is not just the energy they use, but the amount of waste produced. Canada-based OKI Printing solutions, which produces printers and printing accessories, have reduced the wastes and harmful materials from their process, including the total removal of hexavalent chromium from their screws and implementing a waste segregation policy which has reduced their waste by 70%.

Electronic waste or e-waste is another prevalent problem, this time on the side of electronic product designers. In many cases, such as in with the CEH (Center for Environmental Health) in the United States, electronic design houses are encouraged to, design products that are eco-friendly and safe for the environment, whether that means creating non-toxic programs, or creating products which can easily be recycled.
Product Disposal
Aside from just waste disposal, the end-of-life disposal is just as important – what happens when a product is no longer useful and must be replaced? Previously, manufacturers just let their old products linger in the landfills, but for today’s environmentally-conscious consumer, that simply won’t do. Many manufacturers recycle their products, or donate their waste to other companies or organizations who can reuse their old materials. Electronics designers and manufacturers should, from the very beginning of the design process, should create “Take-back” campaigns wherein consumers are encouraged to bring their used electronics back to the manufacturer for proper disposal or better yet, recycling. Apple Computers in 2009, for example, figured out that they were emitting 9.6 million metric tons of greenhouses gases every year. So, within the next year, they re-evaluated their entire process – from designing, to manufacturing, transportation, product use, recycling and even how they their facilities (office, stores etc.) and made numerous changes that drastically reduced their carbon emissions. Their biggest expenditure when it came to carbon emissions was the manufacturing process itself (45%) and so they drastically reduced this by redesigning their products to be smaller, thinner and lighter, thus dramatically lowering their over-all carbon footprint.
The green trend, it seems, is here to stay. Electronic product designers and manufacturers must comply or be left behind. By keeping their products and processes eco-friendly, everyone – the designers, manufacturers and even the retailers are not just protecting their bottom-line, but the environment as well, ensuring that we all preserve the planet one product at a time.

LX is an award-winning electronics design company based in Sydney, Australia. LX services include full turnkey design, electronics, hardware, software and firmware design. They specialise in embedded systems and wireless technologies design.www.lx-group.com.au

Published by LX Pty Ltd for itself and the LX Group of companies, including LX Design House, LX Solutions and LX Consulting, LX Innovations.

Sustainability, which means of using our resources wisely today so that we will have enough for tomorrow, is the number one priority for many cities and governments all over the world. And so many are taking the initiative to create and promote so-called smart cities. While there can be many definitions of smart cities, many agree it is about creating a place that meets the need of its citizens – clean, safe, sustainable and not to mention having services that are efficient.

Electronics design and technology play a big part in creating these smart cities. Ingenuity, know-how and innovation have brought such advances in technology in different sectors, be it consumer products, medical, engineering or transportation. Smart cities take a holistic approach to improving the over-all quality of life – every little bit, from medical services, electric grids, urban planning, crime prevention, education, transportation etc., are taken together as parts of a whole, each one being improved so as to produce a city that is truly sustainable and just plain better. Let’s look at some examples of how smart cities are working to create a better experience for its citizens

Better Health Services Even in the most developed countries, medical care for the elderly is never straightforward. Those who need care the most are often the ones who are out of reach – living far away from the nearest clinics and so, require home visits. Take for example a Wireless Telemedicine System developed by LX. Primarily aimed at elderly people, the device can be worn and measures body function such as heart rate and blood activity. The system will alert the user if something is wrong.

HypoMon is another example of an innovative electronics medical product LX assisted develop. The HypoMon System is a non-invasive monitor and alarm for sleep timehypoglycaemic episodes. It is for people with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus between 10and 25 years of age.

Driver Fatigue & The iCone Traffic jams are one of the headaches anybody living in the urban jungle must face, especially in a mega-citiy like the Los Angeles, USA. This was the ideal place to utilize smart traffic cones. iCone® is a “smart” traffic cone, which looks just like a supersized traffic cone, but packs a punch. Each iCone has sensors and GPS receivers inside, which collects data like traffic flow, temperature and vehicle speeds. This data is then transmitted to the main office. Analysts can then determine the flow of traffic in real time, allowing the city to prepare for heavy traffic jams, reduce congestion and even use the data for planning of future roadways. Of course, the smart cone is so smart that it even catches the bad guys – a would-be thief stole two of the devices in California. The iCones continued to transmit their whereabouts, and the police tracked them all the way to the perpetrator’s home, where the man was promptly arrested.

Another example of an innovative electronics transport product is a driver fatigue system developed by LX. The  driver fatigue safety system designed to monitor the position of a car relative to the road in order to detect signs of driver fatigue and dangerous situations. The system gently alerts the driver via a vibrating seat cushion.

Masdar: A True “Zero-Emission City” Abu Dhabi is out to beat out everyone in the smart city race by planning and building the first ever truly “zero-emission” city – Masdar City, just 17 kilometres from Abu Dhabi city. It will be powered 100% by renewable sources – through solar power plants built just for Masdar, photovoltaic modules to be installed on the rooftops of city buildings, a windfarm outside the city, a geothermal plant, plus it plans to build the largest hydrogen power plant on earth. Waste and water consumption is reduced, through a desalination plant (also solar-powered) which will provide 60% of the water to the city, plus most of the waste water will be recycled, mostly by using it to irrigate crops and other such purposes. Biodegradable waste will be used as fertilizer by creating compost materials and other waste will be recycled and repurposed.

Electronics design and technology allows solutions to be found for issues humans have created in their environments. Smart cities allow us to look into the future – of what can be, if we all make the effort. Using smart electronics design will allow our cities to think and live smartly for us will allow us to just spend our time living our lives (instead of worrying about tomorrow.) The dream of smart cities isn’t so far away.

LX is an award-winning electronics design company based in Sydney, Australia. LX services include full turnkey design, electronics, hardware, software and firmware design. They specialise in embedded systems and wireless technologies design. www.lx-group.com.au

Published by LX Pty Ltd for itself and the LX Group of companies, including LX Design House, LX Solutions and LX Consulting, LX Innovations.