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IBM & Carrier in Web-Enabled Air Conditioner Deal
Ggggeo writes "IBM and Carrier Corp. announced Monday that they plan to offer Web-enabled air-conditioners in Europe this summer. Users will be able to control their units through MyAppliance.com and perform such functions as turning units off/on and setting the temperature. The unit will also be able to send errors messages and other diagagnostic info to phones and email addresses. Story at Yahoo! News. This sounds ok but two this stick out in my mind - Corporate Headquarters setting the tempature in my cubicle, and/or script kiddies 0wn1ng my office air conditioner (or should I now say freezer?)"
Hey, isn't it a bit late to be making April Fools jokes? Like anyone would be stupid enough to put an Ethernet connection on an air conditioner! Next thing you know, they'll web-enable a fridge.
Software sucks. Open Source sucks less.
Using building automation products from an outfit called Automated Logic. The company I was with sold ALC stuff and wired up many school districts with energy management systems that allowed the main office to dialup remote sites, get a nice graphical display of the floor plan color coded with room temperatures, can schedule heating, cooling, and all aspects of HVAC control, fans, chillers, you name it.
I guess the big 'new' idea here is replacing the dialup phone line with Internet, just like web sites replaced the bbs's of that time.
try { do() || do_not(); } catch (JediException err) { yoda(err); }
When they installed a new heating/cooling distribution and control system in my office, the old thermostats were replaced with little beige boxes. Flip open the cover and the only thing that you will see is a single electrical connector, looks like an RJ-11 or RJ-45. When the HVAC people want to adjust the system, they plug a laptop computer into the connector.
Mea navis aericumbens anguillis abundat
Okay so maybe this is a little far fetched, but it could be possible if someone got in.
Parynoind.. naw.. everyone's just out to get me
I don't want a lot, I just want it all!
Flame away, I have a hose!
Only 'flamers' flame!
I mean, puh-leaze. We get all fired up at a web-enabled Pinball machine or a web-enabled Coke machine because it's a good hack.
Now, someone actually hacks a air conditioner with an ethernet interface (a cheap $10 part) to report back it's operating stats (just a bit of clever engineering) via an uplink that's probably outside your structured cabling plant, but it quite likely in the same room or just over the wall from your existing comm room.
So now, the A/C guys get all the pleasure of sitting back and monitoring all their equipment via a single, central point, something we've enjoyed for years. Oh, and now they get to know when something breaks before you do.
I run the networks in a collection of rather large buildings. I just did a walkthru of the communications rooms with the contractor who's installing the new A/C units, because they're 'net enabled. Those guys are fired up over the level of control and knowledge they'll have over their systems.
So now, a couple rather large companies think that maybe, just maybe, home users might like the same level of control over their home systems? It's not like it's expensive - (that $10 part and a bit of Engineering) it's bringing enterprise level technology into the home.
Don't we usually like that?
J.J.
But isn't this assuming that the AC is on all the time, rather than being switched on and off via a thermostat?
Why would the electric company (even in CA) tell you to turn your A/C up when you are not home, rather than off, to conserve electricity? I mean, if what you say is true, then why don't they tell you to turn it completely off (outside of the fact that they want to make money)?
I actually don't have the choice to turn it completely off (maybe the back rooms), because our small animals would die in the summer...
Worldcom - Generation Duh!
Reason is the Path to God - Anon
Thanks for the input.
What you say makes sense - we have two A/Cs, like I said, so maybe I can convince my GF to do the shutdown thing on the one in the back of the house, and leave the other one running, or get that timer like you said also (I might look into the cost of getting a couple of electronic thermostats)...
Thanks again!
Worldcom - Generation Duh!
Reason is the Path to God - Anon
First, you shouldn't turn your air conditioning off, but instead turn it up (make it warmer) when you leave, then down (make it cooler) when you come home. Otherwise, it takes more energy to cool down a very hot house, rather than a slightly warm house.
Try it for a month - set your AC to 75 (or whatever is the temp you like), then when you leave the house, up it to 80-85, then back down when you come home. It isn't that bad, doesn't take long to cool down, and your electric bill will be lower.
What would be better would be room-by-room thermostats that had IR motion detectors, so that you could direct the cooling to specific parts of the house, where you are at, when you are in the area, using vent valves and such, and raise the temperature up and down based on if you are home or not. That would be much better.
Of course, what I don't understand out here in lovely Phoenix, Arizona, why people don't use solar cooling instead of A/C - it can work great if the house is built properly (read as: proper orientation of windows/walls, having a partially buried house, rammed earth construction, etc)...
Worldcom - Generation Duh!
Reason is the Path to God - Anon
Helpdesk: "Carrier helpdesk, how can I help you enjoy your day?"
User: "Hi, I can't seem to switch on my air conditioning. I used to be able to hit a switch marked 'on' and set the temperature using a dial"
Helpdesk: "OK, have you re-booted your computer?"
User: "Uh-huh"
Helpdesk: Have you tried rebooting the air conditioner?"
User: "Uh-huh"
Helpdesk: "Have you installed the Carrier CD-ROM supplied by IBM?"
User: "Uh-huh"
Helpdesk: "Have you tired reconfiguring your TCP/IP stack and re-installing your network card?"
User: "Uh-huh"
Helpdesk: "Have I tried to blame it on your ISP?"
<time passes>
Helpdesk: "Now navigate to the widget marked "temperature" and enter the temperature of the room in degree Kelvin, *please* make sure you set a value greater than 270 as freezing your lounge room to absolute zero will invalidate your warranty".
<time passes>
Helpdesk: "Can I get you to open the folder marked 'windows' and scroll down until you find a file called "CARRIER.DLL", when you find it, right mouse on it and select properties.
User: "Uh-huh"
Helpdesk: "What version does it say it is?"
User: "version 3.11.09b"
Helpdesk: "OK, that should work with your version of air conditioner and your version of WindowsYQ. Let's try resetting the parameters in 'aircondpnl.ini' to match your hot keys"
User: "But it's hot here already..."
<time passes>
Help desk: "Oh, I see. You have installed the Southern hemisphere application. Our more recent automatic software update would have set the correct cooling program for you. But because you installed the incorrect application, this new feature is not going to function correctly in your hemispehere. If you un-install your air conditioner and re-install it with the Northern hemispehere application, it will stop heating your house. Have a nice summer Sir."
&AT&F ~~~~ NO CARRIER...
"Everything is adjustable, provided you have the right tools"
The site was an interesting experiment on human nature, more than on the technology.
It showed that people will abuse any chance they hve to make other people miserable, where there is no accountability.
It is facinating to watch . Even when they begged (your sign, as above) their heating bills were double normal...
--
This message brought to you by Colin Davis
Colin Davis
I agree on your two points, but I think it would be much better suited to a *home* network control base. Do you really need to go though the inconvienence of getting on the net, and logging into their site to turn on your AC? No! Of course not... it is silly! Now, if it was a mere program or dongle that hooked up to a nice home network, that is a different story. Hell, I'd even opt for that in my house.
Man is born free; and everywhere he is in chains.
For two successive summers, I had to keep a long-sleeved wool shirt around. Repeated phone calls eventually revealed that my setpoint was 68 degrees, regardless of the time of year. I started having RSI problems from the cold. So they fixed it, but every time their Windows box crashed it would reset to the default setpoint of 68.
Thanks, but no thanks. I'd rather have an old bulletproof bimetal Honeywell. What it lacks in fanciness, it more than makes up by actually working and giving me personal control.
As far as pranks go with new technology, let's remember when the first telephones were around, the operators would sometimes listen in on your conversation and come out with a wise crack in the middle of your conversation! It'll be funny to see the cold turn on in the dead of winter because of some kiddie, as long as it doesn't happen to me.
Don't let microsoft near this one. Next thing you know, it's got support for executing VB scripts / apps.
The next logical progression is a series of virii that hijack the control to the air-conditioner.
e.g. Sahara virus: Temperature set to a nice dry 45 degrees C.
Siberia virus: Temperature set to a nice cool -45 degrees C.
Yoyo virus: keeps changing the temperature setting to random values.
I think it's terrific that technology now offers us the option to be absolutely lazy at whatever temperature what desire.
Now, if I could just teach my AIBO to bring me a Coke when I ask for it....
Got Rhinos?
What is all this mizer BS about?! You are going to loooooose $ trying to save on your AC bill if you thermally cycle your house enough to make humidity, mold, rot, termites, and moths happy. Air Conditioning was invented to give us all filtered hygenic air of the kind only a few can afford to breath is some of the world's nicest places. Build more nuclear power plants and live your life in health and comfort!
I hate all of this stuff. Faced with scarcity, nice people think of ways to sacrifice themselves, jackasses think about how to sacrifice their neighbors, and smart people fix the problem. Let's be smart, please.
Friends don't help friends install M$ junk.
...and send appropriate junk mail.
Friends don't help friends install M$ junk.
Isn't it a little early to be blaming the Bush? I'd rather blame the jerk who oversaw the last 8 years of mega mergers, tax increases, rights decay and general stupidity.
To think Orwel, think ubiquitous ever connected web cams. Think of not being able to turn them off. Think of the police watching them all the time. Think of Socialist London. Orwell was English and his party afiliation was Engsoc. He only missed by 20 years and nuclear war. One is sure to bring the other, then he will have been right.
Friends don't help friends install M$ junk.
That said, more than likely this system is not designed for the home user, but for large buildings already using CCN systems (which can control and monitor some 200+ devices (not couting subnets), from thermostats to massive 10,000 gallon chillers), so I don't think every joe-shmoe is going to have an IP for his home AC unit.
Also, I would imagine this will be implimented on site with a device connected to the CCN which just happens to have an net-connection, and the real work will be on the software controlling myappliance.com (because customs also hate to have to change their hardware).
God does not play dice with the universe. Albert Einstein
Those who fail to understand communication protocols, are doomed to repeat them over port 80.
Mess with their house appliances, although I'm pretty certain it's going to be rather secure and you could turn off web-control by a turn of a switch. I don't think this will be exploited too much -- after all there isn't any monetary benefit from it.
You don't need to use technology when you want to annoy someone using an appliance. If you live in an apartment house with one rather weak central waterline and you want to get back at your neighbour for the ruckus he caused the night before by playing his music during early hours of the night... Well, just wait till he gets in a shower and then go and flush your toilet. Take my word -- his screams will be best music to your vengeful ears.
If you open yourself to the foo, You and foo become one.
Now I can freak out small children in my house! AC on, AC off, AC on, AC off. AAAAAAAAAH MAKE IT STOP! :)
While I think it is great that someone is trying to think up a system for controlling ACs,don't we already have a system for doing this? Isn't this what the Moderation system already does?
I think the idea of DDOS against ACs is a good idea too, but we have to remember that some ACs have important things to say, and also that since they are anonymous, we won't be able to find out their IPs.
I think the best way to control ACs is just by setting our threshold to 1 or higher...
Hopefully I didn't put any [] around my words.
What about when it is 3:00 in the afternoon, you telnet home and turn on the air con so the room is sufficienly cool when you get home - saves 6 hours of electricity?
What about when the h4x0r5 do the same thing, leaving your house either hotter than hell or cold as the North Pole? Not to mention the fact that your electricity bill for the day comes out to about $25000 (add a few extra zeroes if you live in California). Please don't tell me this thing runs Windows. Checking the web site, it doesn't say.
BTW, this reminds me of an old project -- don't know if it is still up, doubt it is -- in which a few people were living in a climate-controlled house, but the AC/heating was controlled by visitors to their web site. IIRC, visitors only got one vote per day, and each vote only affected the temperature by a fraction of a degree. But here's the funny part -- the temperature was in the mid-to-upper 80s when I visited the site, and from the webcam view on the site, you could see a hand-drawn sign that said "Too hot!" and a stick figure pouring sweat.
---
The AOL-Time Warner-Microsoft-Intel-CBS-ABC-NBC-Fox corporation:
I pledge allegiance to the flag...
of the Corporate States of America...
It reeminds of of that Babylon 5 Episode where Molari angered someone he should not have, and wound up having his quarters and his life ruined not by a virus, but by a holodemon program.
The Lurker's Guide has this:
Londo is in his quarters, having considerable difficulty, when Vir enters. Londo explains that a holodemon has possessed his data system. It is eating up files, records, and buying stocks he would never purchase for himself, in addition to playing painful Narn opera continually. Vir suggests that Londo apologize. Londo refuses at first, but when his computer suddenly reports that he is the new owner of 500,000 shares of Fireflies Incorporated, then blacks out the entire room, Londo agrees.
Check out the Vinny the Vampire comic strip
"It is a greater offense to steal men's labor, than their clothes"
Just wait, one day you won't have to worry about turning the air conditioner off because it's getting cold. The gubment will have already done it for you.
You think I'm wrong. watch and see.
Kris Felscher
Kris Felscher
We've got enough youth, how about a fountain of "smart"?
As an adult, I have to wonder why I would want to do such a thing.
I am sure there must be some really decent uses for such a luxury and time will bring more practical remote control applications.
Did you just leave for vacation and forgot to check if the oven was left on? No problem, logon to the net with your PDA and check. While you are away on vacation just turn the lights and television off and on randomly to scare away would be burglars (California residents need not do this because rolling blackouts will do it for them).
I can think of hundreds of worth while applications for being able to control applicances via a web interface (not the least of which is setting the vcr to tape X-Files while I am stranded in traffic), in some ways it is a dream come true.
George Orwell causes me to think twice about this luxury though. I'd sure hate to come home and find that some script kiddy had programmed my vcr to record MTV or worse VH1. I would not want some neo-technical pyromaniac setting my house ablaze from two continents away by simply turning my stove on high while I am gone.
Then there is the government and big business (one and the same...thanks Bush) spying on which television shows I recorded from afar. Perhaps the movie industries equivilant of the RIAA keeping tabs to make sure I do not tape any of their movies.
Thanks, but no thanks. I think I will wait until these services are more secure before turning the keys to my home over blindly to anyone on the net. Maybe they could host the services on SE-Linux (lol).
More broadly, this kind of home automation would be very useful for things like turning the lights on/off remotely (living in a three-story house you get very sick of walking down the stairs to turn off the light you forgot to switch off), turning down the stereo when the phone rings. I can't wait for it to finally happen. Maybe the wireless networking technologies presently being touted will be the catalyst.
Go you big red fire engine!
Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from a rigged demo
--Andy Finkel (J. Klass?)
Switch the . and the @ to email me.
I work for a building automation equipment manufacturer. I have developed web interfaces to such building automation equipment (even Carrier units). Every building control system manufacturer of any quality has a web-based control interface to their building control network. Some manufacturers ONLY control their equipment via the HTTP, Java, and other net protocols.
The only thing that's new here is that IBM and Carrier seem to be targeting the consumer market.
Personally I think it is only a marketing move to get IBM and Carrier names into the future home automation market. I think it is going to be 10 years or more before the average joe shmoe has any kind of control system running in his house, much less anything that he will conrol from OUTSIDE his house.
If my experience with Carrier is any indicator, this is nothing more than a packaging of Carrier's proprietary control network over an HTTP connection, something all of us building automation manufacturers have been doing for years.
Carrier's control equipment is at the bottom of the heap as far as quality and innovation goes- their HVAC units are what get them in the door. Customers use their control equipment only because they don't know any better or it came with the HVAC units for the most part.
Go buy yourself a bunch of X-10 parts and download MisterHouse. Assuming you've already got the Linux box and the net connection, the rest is simple.
I did this last summer, so that I could turn on my air conditioning shortly before leaving work. When I got home, it would be pleasantly cool. Since my work hours varied widely, this worked better than the timer solution.
The obvious next step, which should be easy once I get the time: use my Motorola T900 two-way pager to send myself email which turns my air conditioner on and off. Granted, this probably isn't necessary, but it sure seems neat.
Welcome to the future.
1. Apply Service Pack 10 to NT machine
2. Run "apt-get update/upgrade" on Debian machine
3. Configure kernel on PDA
4. Defrag the toaster
5. Upgrade firewall on air conditioner
6. Setup Apache on microwave.
I can see my future is gonna be a pretty tight schedule.
I am currently not obliged to divulge that information as it might compromise the agents in the field
As a sys admin who is currently dealing with problems with the air conditioning system for my server room, I think it would be great to have a way to monitor and tune its performance remotely.
Can't wait for this to hit the states.
What happen?
...move thermostat.
Someone set us up the thermostat.
We get hot.
A.C. turn on.
(it's you!!!)
How are you gentlemen?
All your appliance are belong to us.
You are on the way to the thermostat.
(what you say?)
You have no chace of comfort make your time.
HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
You know what you doing.
Move down every thermostat.
For great comfort.
--
--
#nohup cat
My wife doesn't use the internet - I'll finally have complete control over the temperature...
This is truly a good day indeed for all who argue over temperature.
I donate all spillover Karma to the charity of my choice... Ada was still a babe despite what people may say...