InfoPods: Zigbee-based remote information monitoring devices for smart-homes

Recent developments in ad-hoc wireless networks, single-chip embedded systems and the wide-spread availability of Internet in homes has made it possible to remotely monitor status of external data sources and home appliances using small, independent wireless devices. This paper presents an open-architecture and an implementation of such a system called the IPnfopods System. This architecture is based on a Zigbee-based controller. The architecture allows multiple family members to simultaneously monitor their home appliances as well as external Internet resources using cheap, stand-alone hand-held mobile wireless devices. The proposed architecture can be easily integrated with existing smart-home systems. The architecture is implemented and demonstrated in the context of an existing Java-based smarthome architecture.