Many of us worry more and more about the energy consumption of our home and, for that, despite the fact that it can be very complicated, we need to know what type of appliance consumes the most or if it would be possible to save a certain amount of money by changing certain habit. To try to answer these questions, today I want to present you a unique project carried out by a group of researchers from the MIT Through which a network of sensors has been designed that, located on the electricity cables, allow us to analyze electrical flows and inform us about which device in our house consumes more or which less.
As has been published by the group of researchers in charge of the project, it seems that in its development they have collaborated with research staff from the Office Naval Reserch of the United States Navy. This joint work has allowed the development of a system composed of five sensors that must be located just above or very close to the electrical lines that feed the different electrical appliances and devices present in our home that we want to sample.
Researchers are already working on a final product that can reach the market.
One of the characteristics that make these sensors interesting is that they are capable of differentiating the consumption of each type of device thanks to the fact that can detect the so-called 'electrical signatures' produces each device. Thanks to this, it is possible to detect which electrical appliances are switched on, which are switched off, their connection frequency, at what times and even the intensity of the signals they produce.
Finally all this information is displayed in real time in a mobile application that allows users to focus on specific ranges of time to analyze what is consuming the most at all times. According to those responsible for the project, as of today they are already working on a commercial product that, although it is not known when it may reach the market, they do venture to comment that it could be available at a price that would be around 25 or 30 dollars.
Further information: Phys