SMART.TM Introduces New INSTEON® Powered Home Control Products

SmartLabs, Inc. has launched a new line of home control products under the brand name SMART. The products, which were introduced at the 2010 CEDIA Expo in Atlanta, GA, will be available to dealers and installers in November, and will feature SmartLabs’ award-winning INSTEON technology.

“We’re extremely excited to be offering a line of products available exclusively to dealers and installers,” commented Steve Lee, Business Development Manager for SMART. “The line was really well received at CEDIA, so I expect our product offering and distribution network to expand rapidly.” Lee added, “We have a full schedule of product trainings taking place across the country, and hope those trainings bring our first wave of dealers and installers.”

The initial launch features 13 home control products to control and automate lighting, appliances and temperature. All of the SMART products are compatible with other INSTEON products including Smarthome’s retail INSTEON line of products, ISY and other INSTEON-compatible products. The line is also compatible with popular front-end systems like Crestron, AMX and ELK systems, which allows installers maximum flexibility when presenting solutions to homeowners.

More information on SMART products and trainings can be found at www.smartproline.com.

Google Cars Drive Themselves

New York Times reported the car is google's newest endeavor, kept relatively secret but in plain view to other drivers accross around Mountain View California. The project encompasses vehicles that can drive themselves, using artificial-intelligence software that can sense anything near the car and mimic the decisions made by a human driver.With someone behind the wheel to take control if something goes awry and a technician in the passenger seat to monitor the navigation system, seven test cars have driven 1,000 miles without human intervention and more than 140,000 miles with only occasional human control.

Google argues that robot drivers react faster than humans, have 360-degree perception and do not get distracted, sleepy or intoxicated, the engineers argue.There is also their potential to reduce fuel consumption by eliminating heavy-footed stop-and-go drivers and, given the reduced possibility of accidents, to ultimately build more lightweight vehicles.

But the advent of autonomous vehicles poses thorny legal issues, the Google researchers acknowledged. Under current law, a human must be in control of a car at all times, but what does that mean if the human is not really paying attention. And in the event of an accident, who would be liable — the person behind the wheel or the maker of the software? The Google researchers said they had carefully examined California’s motor vehicle regulations and determined that because a human driver can override any error, the experimental cars are legal.

To read the full article, please click here.

SCTE LAUNCHES INITIATIVE TO DRIVE ADOPTION

The Society of Cable Telecommunications Engineers (SCTE), today announced an unprecedented new initiative that is designed to help cable system operators to leverage the financial and environmental advantages of implementing “green” strategies.

The Smart Energy Management Initiative (SEMI), an expansion of SCTE’s leadership role in the application of environmentally-friendly and sustainable procedures and products, is intended to drive the creation of meaningful solutions for more efficient operations and economic benefit, as well as positive community impact. The initial agenda for 2010 and beyond includes multiple forums to raise awareness of developing solutions and how they apply to cable operations; an intensive research and thought leadership program; expanded panels and exhibit platforms at Cable-Tec Expo and other SCTE events; development of best practices in the area of energy management; and practical technology demonstrations.

SCTE will host the first of several 2010 SEMI events on April 7 at the Comcast Center in Philadelphia. The agenda is expected to include a variety of topics, such as development of a process for calculating baseline energy usage; updates on alternative heating and cooling solutions; and approaches to reduce outside plant powering costs and consumption. An inaugural forum in December, 2009 addressed facility powering issues and the industry-wide need for, and benefits of, comprehensive energy management plans.

For the full press release, click here.