Rabone Systems releases Marco Polo

In addition to the auto configuration of the control environment, the software provides a number of features that can be enabled or disabled whilst a user is roaming with a touch panel.

Active lighting tracking with override and last zone restore provides automatic lighting when a user enters the room. It also has the ability to override a room’s current active state and return a room to its previous state when the user leaves. This allows the user to walk around the home without the need to turn on a single light.

Active media tracking monitors the current media source being watched in one room and will route the source to the next media zone entered. With Rabone Systems residential software built around resource management and the infrastructure supporting native signal distribution for all media devices, it is now possible for someone to start watching a DVD in the family room which is being sourced from any player in the house, activate the tracking mode, walk into the bedroom and continue the same DVD whilst having the option to automatically shutdown the previous zone or leave it running.

Byron Rabone, Director and Founder of Rabone Systems commented that automation in the home is about true resource management, squeezing the most out of these resources whilst building in redundancy and system stability.

This residential software has been developed over the past four years and further development continues every day. It offers the customers a solution that is not obtainable from traditional programming methods, provides a more feature rich environment and a thoroughly tested platform.

The proprietary tracking system utilizes two existing technologies, (Dynalite and AMX), requires no additional hardware costs to implement and does not utilize RFID technology, which is now making its way into the automation industry with additional costs to implement. It is extremely accurate and is not limited to AMX wireless panels.

The system functions by instructing network devices to pulse discrete IR codes which are picked up by Dynalite panels and sensors located around the home. Dynalite broadcasts these messages along with the Dynalite device ID across the network which is received by the AMX control system. The software interprets the data, identifies the device, and stores its location in an array. Each touch panel is unique, including the tracking system options that can be enabled or disabled.

Communications between wireless touch panels and AMX are still handled by standard WIFI eliminating the limitations of IR but providing a unique method of identifying the location of devices.

Potentially any device that has the ability to pulse an IR code such as a watch could be used allowing the user to get up in the middle of the night for a midnight snack or a trip to the toilet with only the requirement of opening the fridge door or lifting the seat on the toilet.

Byron Rabone commented, in the short term, Rabone Systems has provided a low cost and effective method of achieving an intelligent tracking system.

He also added, in the long term, the company has seen short and long range RFID technology playing a big part and offering even more functionality to the home user like automatically reclining the home theatre chair to the user’s favourite position without having to lift a finger, just like luxury cars do with driver seat adjustment today.

However further progression and use of such technology will occur, such as setting the desired water temperature for a shower or bath based on user and ambient temperature but instead of having to configure a system manually, the system should be intelligent enough to monitor a user’s habits and set accordingly.

With the reading and writing capabilities of RFID technology, the user will eventually be able to take some of these creature comforts with them to a hotel or friend’s house. The possibilities are endless which is what makes this industry so exciting.