LabVIEW Idea Exchange
One of my planned projects is to write home automation software for my new house. I already have three iPads installed in the wall (kitchen, theatre and upstairs), all my awning windows are motorised, I have a solar powered hydronic in-slab heating system that needs the right type of control, earth tubes, a whole-house fan, solar chimneys, many other passive climate control features and plenty of data cabling throughout the house. User interface access would also be via iPhone, which I carry in my pocket at all times, and mobile iPads.
The intention is to automate the house for climate control, lighting, theatre control, security, monitoring electricity usage, monitoring phone costs, controlling the hot water system, seeing who’s at the front door and letting them in (even if I'm not home), setting up a in-house phone/intercom system, limiting phone use, changing TV channels, looking at weather forecasts for activating systems in anticipation of tomorrow’s weather, remotely viewing the inside of the house, and plenty more. You could call it a life-long project!
I’d like to use LabVIEW for programming since it’s the most fun language I know. The only problem is that when it comes to easily programming a great user interface, I can’t find the way.
1) Data Dashboard for LabVIEW is too limiting with only 6 indicators and no controls (and needs work at the iPad end?)
2) Web UI builder is way too expensive (I need a free solution) and cumbersome
What’s also important is that different rooms can have different user interfaces. Perhaps each can reflect the front panel of a sub-VI.
There are plenty of examples on the web of great looking Home Automation iPad user interfaces. Apart form the example shown above, http://a2.mzstatic.com/us/r1000/089/Purple/v4/d9/23/ec/d923ec9c-0a31-6a62-cb7c-e74a4f8feecc/mzl.uayv... looks good. Such great user interfaces and there is no way (or I don’t know how) to make them happen using LabVIEW.
This may not need to be a product development, per se, but may actually just turn out to be a step by step set of instructions on how to achieve the outcome using existing tools and an example application. Given what I imagine as a wide appeal for such a LabVIEW user interface, I think it’s worth the effort and could be used for many other application such as process control.
The basic criteria are:
1) Must work with iPhone, iPad (and Android devices)
2) All programming at the desktop (I don’t want to stand in front of multiple iPads setting them up/updating)
3) User interfaces must look as good as the examples on the web (and sampled here)
4) No additional cost
Wouldn’t it be great to have a LabVIEW based Home Automation user interface that is versatile, easy to use and free?
Any idea that has received less than 7 kudos within 7 years after posting will be automatically declined.