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Networked Fridges 'Negotiate' Electricity Use
An anonymous reader writes "Researchers have developed a way to network household and commercial fridges together in a distributed peer-to-peer fashion that lets them 'negotiate' with each other on the best time to consume electricity. A retrofittable controller is attached to each fridge and then a temperature profile is built around the unit. The controller enables communication between other fridges on the network and also the power source. It enables fridges to work together to decide when to cool down, and thus consume power, based on how much surplus power will be available, and to anticipate power shortages and change their running schedules accordingly to use as little power as possible during these times."
Is this really such a breakthrough? Any yokel with a router and a few boxes could set this up at home.
People should do the same.
"Hey Bob, I'm cold. Do you mind turning off the tv so I can turn up the heat a bit?"
"Ask Steve. He's been using the oven for an hour already."
"Fuck you Bob. I'm making pizzas, I won't turn my oven off."
"You're a dick. Why don't you stop eating pizzas? You fat bastard."
"Shut the hell up Bob. Turn off your ass dildo and you'll have power for the heat."