We’ve started seeing WiFi controlled LED lighting in the hobby and in the residential lighting market and a review of WiFi controlled lights on Gizmodo is showing the promise of WiFi and app-controlled lighting. Since the built-in WiFi allows devices to communicate through the air, there is no need to rewire your house and it fits in with the normal wireless computer line you already have running in your house making it a big plus. Now tie into an app on your iPhone or Android to adjust the settings and you have some pretty useful, personalized lighting at your fingertips.
The technology behind GreenWave Reality Connected Lighting Solution is pretty spectacular. Just screw in the light bulbs that come with the system, plug the GreenWave box into your wireless router, setup the lights on your iPhone or Android and then you are all set with WiFi-controlled LED bulbs. Since each bulb or potential device you could add to your system (think door locks, thermostats, TVs, set top boxes, feeding systems, aquarium lights, cooling fans, etc.) would have its own IP address (using IPv6 protocals), the future of these types of systems is limitless.
As systems like these and other residential applications come out and standards and protocols are established, we are hoping the aquarium industry works within these systems to make seamless connections between your refrigerator and your aquarium. Have one central platform and protocol frees up having to install redundant devices makes it a lot easier and in the end, more cost effective. Imaging having to have an adapter box to plug into your wireless router for each system you run? After a couple of those you have no ports left and have to have an app or program for each system.
So whether this is the promising technology or if there will be a standards battle with Google’s Andorid@Home akin to the HD DVD vs Blu-Ray or Beta vs. VHS battle, we are hoping it gets done sooner than later so we can start seeing some smart aquarium devices that play well with others.
