Evan Kleiman
- 2001.10.03
Q. What can I do to make my room even more like its from Star
Trek?
A. With the growing popularity of the latest Star Trek
installment, Enterprise, TNN's now somewhat over-showing of every
great Star Trek movie, and now the re-syndication of Star Trek: The
Next Generation, more and more people are growing to love Star Trek
again - me, for one. More and more people are wanting their lives
and houses to be more like Star Trek as well.
Last week, we discussed making your
room a lot like Star Trek by putting in your own X10
system. This week we'll discuss using motion sensors and scripting
to have even more control over your room. One of the coolest things
in the "Star Trek Room" is voice-command. "Computer, lights!" is
possible. First, you need to set up your software to use scripting;
AppleScript is, of course, the preferred way to do this, and almost
all of the available applications for X10 support this protocol. My
favorite applications for this are either X-Tension or SmartHome,
by Smarthome.com, both
available at X10's Web site. Both of these programs are set up
different ways.
Once you have your scripts set up, it's time to let the speech
magic begin. First, enable Speech Recognition on your computer.
Next, make an alias of your script and drop it in the "Speakable
Items" folder. Now you can just say "lights" or whatever -
basically anything you name the program or script - and your script
will run and do whatever you've programmed it do for you.
Next, we can use motion detecters to make your computerized room
seem even more computerized and Star Trek-like. First, to make the
motion detecters work, you need to buy a motion detector. As usual,
you can find these little delights at the usual bevy of places such
as x10.com, eBay,
Smarthome.com, and others. Once you get one, aim it at your door
(or whatever opening you'll normally be coming through), and you'll
now be able to turn on your lights or run any script by walking
into the room.
Another cool thing you can do with your new X10 setup is run TV
or video cameras through your computer for a type of security
system. If you've ever been to X10.com's Web site, you've
definitely heard about (or at least seen a picture of) it's "number
one" xCam2 system. This system consists of cameras, receivers, and
TV or computer control boxes. You add a camera to any area you wish
to view on your TV or computer and then hook 'em up. Each one, like
your lights, has an individual X10 address. All you do is hook up
the cameras and hook up a TV transceiver module, just like you hook
up your VCR, and you can watch it on your TV - just like you watch
a tape or DVD - and if you want to, you can even record it to your
VCR and watch it later, just like you do with a regular, normal,
expensive security system.
Also, another cool thing you can do is link up your Xcam2 system
with your computer, using many of the different types of supplied
software available at X10
's web site, along with some of the hardware which will work with
the more modern DV Macs.
Now that you have set up more of your Star Trek room it's time
to play with it and have some fun. Next week: how to be getting
Scotty and Jean Luc Picard in your room, or not.
