I've been Thinking over the practical applications and challenges to a centralized/integrated/imperceptible computing solution for households. This is a rabbit trail off of Rotento's Imperceptible computing idea, something that I think about a often. It's probably way off track, and very sci-fi. Comments are welcome. Here's a brief idea-blurb on a whole-house computer system:
Practical applications:
Utilities Monitoring - think Google's Powermeter, only on the next level. The ability for your central computing unit to calculate optimum operation levels for your appliances. How cool/warm to keep the A/C based on your current location in the house, based on your presence in the house at all, optimum cooling levels for your refrigerator/freezer, etc.
Standardized plug and play units - you could charge your phone, sync your phone, and plug your coffee maker into the same plug.
Entertainment and Efficiency- have your playlist/documents/files sync with your handheld, desktop, netbook, or tablet PC, and have features like RFiDJ in multiple locations.
Smart appliances - how dark do you like your toast? Is your popcorn done popping? how long should you micro-wave your TV dinner? How hot do you like your shower? When is a good time for your coffee to start brewing? Maybe your coffee should begin brewing when you have been out of bed for 10 or more minutes, between the hours of 6am and 10am? All these programmable 'learning' behaviors could be integrated into appliances, without having to put small computers in them all, like we are doing now. They simply need a way to monitor their functions and the ability to take commands from the central processing unit.
Challenges:
Wiring - Most houses aren't truly wired to provide data and power through the same plug.
Software - Lots of software development would be needed.
Hardware - To do this, you would most likely need to own a full web server, running software that is either under development currently, or does not exist, as well as all of the 'units' you would plug into the system aren't currently manufactured.
Public Sentiment - Most people probably don't care, and won't care for a long time. Lets face it: what we have, works. Implementing an entire new system isn't 'needed'.
Cost - Lots of people probably could not afford a conversion; if something similar to this was to begin evolving, it would probably be starting with new construction only.
Manufacturing - Who's going to start building smart appliances for a non-existent market? Here is and article on one of the main obstacles.
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