column // technical talk
Keeping control
Apple’s revolutionary gadget, the iPhone
has, in less than two years, become one
of the most owned and sought after
devices in the market. But its use within
the home interfacing field has made it an
even more important asset to companies
Fredy
such as Unique Automation. Director,
Vasilev,
director
Fredy Vasilev comments on the benefits
of Unique
Automation
of using such applications in the home…
Unique Automation is a manufacturer of two prime products, solution to the problem. We have the intended interface layout
bathomatic and bathovision. In recent times we’ve also taken with the only difference being that you move it up and down
on research and development work for others, utilising the rather than flicking between pages. On the Bathler application
technology mastered through the development of our own we had to regroup controls whilst maintaining button sizes and
products. The evolution of a product in our company is very the overall layout, creating a multi-page arrangement that looks
fast and dynamic and this is what distinguishes us. great and I’m sure will be enjoyed by all users. Developers
We conceived the bathovision bathroom TV concept as often create interfaces which are not really suitable for the
an interface to our bathomatic bath management system in broader audience of non-programmers. The device limitations
February 2008 and a month later we had the first prototypes of presented, I believe, helped us to create these much needed
a new product range with add-ons like a Telnet interface, touch human interfaces, which are both intuitive and simple.
button control and our unique Rimote, which is the ultimate The best thing about working with Apple is that we have
water-resistant remote control with touch buttons and non- had Apple’s team checking our work to ensure that all the
contact charging. applications are as good as intended.
I believe the immediate future of interfacing control systems We have a team with expertise ranging from hardware
is in a single piece, intuitive, easy-to-use and always-at- electronics design and development to software engineering,
hand device and the iPhone stood out as the most suitable graphics design and science under one roof with a good
candidate for the job. We had to prepare for work in a Mac electronics lab and a mechanical workshop. This gives us a
environment and with the release of the application software bi-directional scope for flexibility, from hardware to software,
development (SDK) we set to work. The initial results were very to achieve the desired goals and, in the context of the iPhone,
promising, thanks to establishing clear goals and dedicating a seamless integration with a minimal setting.
the necessary resources to the project. With the applications being individual to every control
iPhone and iPod touch should be considered as a well- system it’s easy to use and configure. With the creation of
packaged portable computer with well-developed graphics macros the installer needs to put in some effort to ensure the
interface. The devices provide various interesting solutions for network of devices is correctly set, configured and routed, and
storing and presenting information. The user-friendly graphics also to create the custom interface the customer wants.
interface, which is based on animated views with a rich set There are great applications on Apple Store and we
of useful visual components, and controlled via touch screen appreciate the effort of all developers, but not many go much
with built-in guest recognition mechanism, make the device further than the conventional calculator. Our aim is to change
very intuitive. this. With Apple’s advancement through the iPhone and the
From a home automation system point of view an iPhone work of companies like ours we are moving into a different
can be considered as a personal control device with WiFi and world – luxurious, yet environmentally friendly.
Bluetooth wireless interfaces. Additionally the latest OS 3.0,
available shortly, will introduce a new interface based on 30
pins connector. WiFi interface is the easiest way to use the
device as part of a home automation system. Since an iPhone “I believe the immediate
is able to find and establish a connection automatically to a
future of interfacing control
known network the user doesn’t have to be involved in the
process.
systems is in a single piece,
One of the challenges presented by the iPhone was the
intuitive, easy-to-use and
small screen size and the temptation to show the full size
of our intended interface layout. Our Rimote application, for
always-at-hand device and
example, is not suited for a multi page presentation. We have the iPhone stood out as the
the number buttons and the various navigation and option
most suitable candidate
controls which, ideally, need to be used together and from
the same page. However, the iPhone, unlike any other mobile
for the job”
device, has a built in accelerometer which, in addition to the
ability to touch and drag the screen up and down, gave us the
24 May 2009 www.custominstaller.co.uk
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