To save energy, I turn off my home central heating when I go out. When I get home, the house is cold, and it takes a while to warm up.

The system could sense if I was in or not (motion sensor) but this wouldn't solve the problem of warmup time.

What if my heating system could figure out how roughly far away I was (using my cellphone's location system). It could then switch on if I was within a certain radius and moving towards the house.

Version Two would run me a bath and start the potatoes boiling...
-- bumhat, Dec 30 2005

Remote control central heating, baths, potatoes http://www.save-on-...phone%20control.htm
(Requires dialing up.) [DrCurry, Dec 30 2005]

Call it in, or use the internet http://www.resident...0.html?SMSESSION=NO
[ldischler, Dec 30 2005]

Timers work well, if you run on a schedule.
-- Worldgineer, Dec 30 2005


All possible, expensive for home use.
-- gnomethang, Dec 30 2005


I thought you meant something for shifting heat concentration around the house
-- theircompetitor, Dec 30 2005


Intellligent timers that worked out your average schedule by analysing when you're home would be good.
-- wagster, Dec 30 2005


[worldengineer] I tend to run on schedule, except when I don't. Which happens quite often, if you know what I mean.

[wagster] that would work as well, except when... it wouldn't - I'm just a wild and crazy, unpredictable guy. A sensor-based system would work 100% of the time... or handle two people sharing one place (hard to predict).
-- bumhat, Dec 31 2005


Except ofcourse when you are on route to your neighbours.
-- zeno, Jan 02 2006


I'm not sure this is the best way of doing it, esp with [zeno]'s example. You can get SMS control for aircon now, maybe just use that.
-- neilp, Jan 02 2006


Sure, that would work, but you'd still have to remember to do it, so I wouldn't. The point of auto-sensing is that it just 'magically' *works* - whenever you're home, the heating is on.

My neighbours are weird, so I don't visit them.
-- bumhat, Jan 03 2006


If you want proximity-dependent warmth couldn't you just wear a jumper?
-- hippo, Jan 03 2006


[hippo] Of course I could. The intention of the idea is to pander to my laziness.
-- bumhat, Jan 04 2006



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