Internet-connected system implements remotely-controlled home automation and security functions

Monitoring appliances and other home and office electronics remotely over the Internet is no longer a futuristic dream. Though not yet pervasive, Internet-connected systems for homes and businesses are on the market and evolving quickly. For years, we have seen prototypes of futuristic gadgets and "smart" appliances in movies and on tradeshow floors, from the latest refrigerator that gives you a local weather forecast to the washing machine that can read the tags on your shirts for washing instructions. A student team from Shanghai Jiao Tong University in China has demonstrated that a smart connected home is closer to reality than you may think.

This team has developed a working proof-of-concept smart network terminal that controls electrical devices over the Internet. Designed as a system-on"a-chip (SOC), the prototype is based on an FPGA with an embedded soft processor. Because the terminal functions wirelessly and provides centralized control, it can save time and money in managing systems like home appliances and electronics.

Although off-the-shelf components like ASSPs and microcontrollers are popular choices for the underlying technology to these systems, they are limited in their functionality and lifespan. The combination of programmable logic with embedded design, however, adapts to changing protocols and functionality requirements, preventing obsolescence. In developing this prototype, the design team demonstrated how such a system can be built quickly and with limited resources.