Comments on: SmartSwitch Makes Wasting Energy More Difficult http://www.gearcrave.com/2009-02-24/stanford-university-smartswitch/ Sun, 25 Oct 2009 01:54:18 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: TurboFool http://www.gearcrave.com/2009-02-24/stanford-university-smartswitch/comment-page-1/#comment-35293 TurboFool Sun, 01 Mar 2009 01:42:32 +0000 http://www.gearcrave.com/?p=13096#comment-35293 Extremely clever and very tactile concept. It makes something we have a hard time envisioning more real. I love it. And michael, while your idea is certainly practical and a good one, it doesn't produce the same educational impact as this one. In your circumstance (and with motion-sensitive options), there's no learning curve. You can turn lights on and without any real consideration for power usage, since thye'll just turn themselves off anyway. With this principle, though, you get a constant direct "feel" for your usage, which will cause you to be more likely to be directly involved in controlling your usage. And then you'll be more likely to apply that elsewhere, as well. Extremely clever and very tactile concept. It makes something we have a hard time envisioning more real. I love it.

And michael, while your idea is certainly practical and a good one, it doesn't produce the same educational impact as this one. In your circumstance (and with motion-sensitive options), there's no learning curve. You can turn lights on and without any real consideration for power usage, since thye'll just turn themselves off anyway. With this principle, though, you get a constant direct "feel" for your usage, which will cause you to be more likely to be directly involved in controlling your usage. And then you'll be more likely to apply that elsewhere, as well.

]]> By: michael kastler http://www.gearcrave.com/2009-02-24/stanford-university-smartswitch/comment-page-1/#comment-35259 michael kastler Thu, 26 Feb 2009 14:37:54 +0000 http://www.gearcrave.com/?p=13096#comment-35259 Interesting. However I think it's easier (and I'm sure a LOT cheaper) to do what i've done in my house: I installed a bunch of cheap timer switches - you turn a dial to set how long you want them on - in any area where people typically leave lights on. The kids bedrooms, the basement. Simple. Cheap. And no hightech gear drool getting all over my electronics. :) Interesting. However I think it's easier (and I'm sure a LOT cheaper) to do what i've done in my house: I installed a bunch of cheap timer switches – you turn a dial to set how long you want them on – in any area where people typically leave lights on. The kids bedrooms, the basement.

Simple. Cheap. And no hightech gear drool getting all over my electronics. :)

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