The “brain” behind all household automation products in your home
Z-Wave Alliance member Fibaro (www.z-wavealliance.org) will be introducing the new Home Center 2 (HC2) at CeBIT 2012 in Hall 13, Stand B19. Newly designed by the company’s developers, HC2 can be used as a central control unit for all Z-Wave devices in the home. The integrated Z-Wave interface module allows the user to control all compatible devices from their PC or laptop, and to monitor their status at a single glance via an intuitively laid out control screen. The Gateway communicates using sensors and devices throughout the entire home – with a choice of wireless or wired communications.
Home Center 2 is the central control unit in the Fibaro system or in any Z-Wave network. In its continued development of the product, Fibaro has paid particular attention to the new casing design. It is made of solid aluminium and as such, stands out among the usual plastic casings found on the market.
Using the system’s central interface, users are able to control devices in their own home, apartment or office while they are out and about. The Fibaro system can be installed on mobile devices. Using a mobile app, Smartphone users can switch off a light or lower the blinds if they have forgotten to do so before leaving the premises. HC2 gives users complete control over lighting, heating and air conditioning systems, blinds, alarm systems, garage doors as well as audio and video devices, etc. that are integrated in their personal home network.
Communication interface for home-control scenarios
Devices can communicate wirelessly. Another significant advantage of Home Center 2 is that the status of each device is continuously monitored since the centre and devices communicate with one another via Z-Wave. The simple installation and configuration of the network devices, as well as an intuitive user-friendly interface, allow everyone in the home to configure the devices on the basis of their own preferences and habits.
Rooms and devices can be named in the Home Center interface, which also makes it easier to maintain an overview of the home network. Users can also set up scenarios: This allows the system to close the windows and to shut off garden sprinklers when it rains, for example. Among other things, the heat can be raised and lowered on a time-control or the garden lights can be automatically switched on or off. Moreover, the creation of scenarios in HC2 is very trivial and reduces to assigning specific actions to block diagrams. A particular feature is to track family members via GPS (Global Positioning Service) and connect scenarios to special actions. For example: While a family member approaches home, HC2 localizes him/her via GPS and launches a planned scenario, eg. closes windows, increases heating temperature, opens the gate etc.
HC2 has an Intel Atom 1.6Ghz processor, which allows it to work faster than comparable gateways. A generous 1 GB RAM of memory guarantees rapid communication between Z-Wave devices. Home Center 2 also has a built-in backup disk that allows data for each device to be backed up. Furthermore, the centre has a remote access and does not require fixed IP addresses. For more comfort, HC2 gives possibility to the devices via the home voice control system named LILI.
Smart Home forum on 6 March at CeBIT
An expert’s forum entitled Smart Home will be held by members of the open consortium of manufacturers, Z-Wave Alliance, to address the additional application possibilities offered by Z-Wave technology and why that technology may offer a way into the smart grid. The forum will be held on 6th March starting at 1:30 p.m. in Hall 13, Stand A56.
In addition to attending these technical lectures, visitors can learn more about the products of Alliance members, Greenwave Reality and Z-Wave.me (Hall 13, Stand B29). Alliance members Cuculus (Hall 9, Stand E09) and Eminent (Hall 15, Stand D66) will also explain various application possibilities for Z-Wave technology. Further information is available at www.z-wave.com and www.z-wavealliance.org.
