Research initiatives into new “intelligent home” technology moves closer. Innovative technology will provide consumers with centralized remote access to appliances, heating, and home security services, via the Internet using a variety of hand held devices.
Technology is being developed that will enable consumers to program mobile phones and personal digital assistants when shopping for items. The device will notify you when you approach a retail outlet selling the item.

What's it all About?
It’s about making life easy with intelligent homes. Imagine your home equipped with innovative technology that will allow appliances such as, refrigerators, boilers and washing machines to alert a service center when parts need replacing. Intelligent home technology will enable consumers to control heat settings, verify doors are locked, and ensure the stove and iron are off while away with remote access. In the future, an intelligent home could turn up the heat 15 minutes before residents wake up, turn on the bedroom lights when the alarm clock sounds, display the morning news on the bathroom video screen, and adjust the dinner menu if the scale detects weight gain.

What Technology underlies it or enables it?
The vIRC (virtual Interdisciplinary Research Center) is a coalition of cutting-edge companies, high-tech businesses and innovative universities, which will bring organizations together to conduct and share research.

Projects will examine how the very latest in innovation and technology can benefit consumers and test the mass-market appeal of new products. The virtual research centre will also examine security and privacy issues of such revolutionary technologies.

Examples of potential technologies, in the home, include:

1. Home security appliances linked direct to security service providers, raising the alert if for example, windows / doors are opened at unexpected times, or without lights being turned on etc;
2. 'Streamed media': LCD displays making extra television screens on any domestic appliance; TV on your wristwatch, internet on the microwave, DVDs on the fridge;
3. Systems to reduce energy consumption of domestic appliances e.g. when people not in the home, offering huge savings on energy bills and reducing the environmental impact.
4. Digital family portraits that monitor activity and temperature from one home to another. This will be helpful to children to monitor their aging parents.

Examples of potential technologies, on the move, include:

1. Retail systems which will allow you to program your mobile phone or PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) when shopping for a certain item. Your mobile will alert you when you pass an outlet selling the item;
2. Access audio-visual clips - known as soundscapes - on your mobile or PDA, for instant information about a place or product; and
3. Cars that will alert the nearest service control centre of a potential fault

Until now, the focus of innovative intelligent technology has been targeted toward entertainment. Douglas Alexander, e-Commerce Minister, said:

"Only a few years ago, these kind of technologies and devices were only seen in the movies. The virtual Interdisciplinary Research Centre will help to make these innovations a reality.

"We already have the technology and expertise. What this centre will do is test the business potential of employing that technology, allowing the UK to maintain its strong lead in high-tech industries.

"I am delighted to see so many organisations taking part in the centre. This programme will bring us closer to mass-market products and services with the potential to improve home security, cut energy consumption and improve quality of life."

Members of the vIRC were selcted following a bidding process and include household names such as Hotpoint, Dyson, Siemens and IBM. Universities including Cambridge, Warwick, Nottingham, Surrey and Kings College London will offer research and technical expertise. The centre will also have representation from a number of trade associations and umbrella organisations such as AIM UK and BEAMA.

Individual research projects will be selected and funded by the vIRC panel of eight senior academics and technology industry representatives, including a representative from the small and medium sized business sector.

The centre is jointly funded by the DTI and the participating organisations.

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