nota

MPM: reading a blog written by things in your house

In late 2005 I figured out the next stage for my research would be “what if your house could blog” that might actually make use of an old project, tinyML, an XML schema for wireless sensor networks. The technology I work with (i.e. wireless sensor networks) provides much richer information that currently available (e.g. your monthly electricity bill). The missing piece is frequent, relevant delivery and access to that information, rather than some standalone GUI or even a slick but infrequent online bill analysis software. RSS and standard feed readers seem to fit the bill; I already read what Guy Kawasaki has to say about startups, why not read what my house has to say? So machine-to-machine (M2M) now transforms into machine-to-person-to-machine (MPM).

All of this reminded me of Neil Gershenfeld’s When Things Start to Think. So I started keeping an eye out for similar ideas. Recently, WSNblog noted that some IBM master inventor discussed the idea of “blogjects” — things that blog about their life. A little more digging and you’ll find Julian Bleecker’s Why Things Matter manifesto that uses the neologism “blogject”. An interesting commentary that discusses the coming age of machines, as well as “trans-species” interaction citing a scenario where pigeons will be our new environmental sensors, blogging about air conditions as the fly around.

But, getting back to reality…the potential for your house to become an educational resource for you presents a nice opportunity to tackle that elephant in the room — educating people about energy consumption in their house. So maybe the biggest influence for a home owner’s isn’t the government rebate for that new high-efficiency air conditioner — maybe it’s simply communication …. between home and human.