Microsoft Testing Home Automation Technology, too

Looks like Google’s not the only one with its eye on home automation. Microsoft is reportedly now testing a new platform in 12 homes over the last several months.

The platform, known as HomeOS, treats everything in your home as a network peripheral, one that can be interfaced with and controlled. Right now that control happens in the form of a desktop computer dedicated to the task, though doubtless if this ever makes it to market smartphones will also act as a control mechanism.

Apparently there are even apps and an app store, which support voice and face recognition, motion tracking and more. You can download more through the Homestore.

All this information was released in a new white paper from Microsoft Research, which you can read here. There is also a video which Microsoft Research put out about the project, which you can see below.

The demo is quite impressive. It shows unmodified devices being controlled in many novel ways. Microsoft is trying to make this technology work with anything with a plug, an impressive goal and one that many others have failed to reach. Right now it is still a research project, but the company has put a fair amount of work into the platform. And considering how dissatisfied most are with existing home automation solutions, well, any futurist would see the opportunity there.

Home automation has seen a recent fluffy of activity. Google has introduced its own platform, one which the company plans on expanding on at the upcoming Google I/O 2012 developer conference. Networking mainstays have introduced hardware designed to replace existing standards, all of which are expensive, slow and limited.

We might finally be on the verge of a smart home revolution. All the billionaires are beginning to throw their hats in the ring; give it a few years to stew and I think we will have a healthy market.

Electronista Photo by : Microsoft