In this week’s SmartWorld roundup, we’ll be highlighting some of the advancements that are making their way into people’s homes, such as the fusion between virtual and real world objects, AT&T’s Digital Life home expanding to more homes, and smarthomes benefiting amputee veterans.

Smarter Objects

MIT Media Lab’s Fluid Interfaces Group developed a program called Smarter Objects, which connects virtual objects to real objects, in order for people to control the real objects with the virtual objects.

The program needs to be installed on a smartphone or tablet, then with the use of the device’s camera, the user points it to an object he wants to control virtually, such as a light switch.  The “Graphical User Interface (GUI) maps the digital information onto the surface then an application recognizes the object and intuitively generates a graphical interface to control the object’s knobs and buttons or to be programmed from afar.”  Smarter Objects can then be connected with one another “for a potentially limitless interface.”

The GUI works with anything that has a button or a knob, and Smarter Objects will attempt to combine the “muscle memory” operation of objects with “tactile and visual awareness” when using a touchscreen device to facilitate a more natural way of controlling things in your home.

Smarter Objects from Fluid Interfaces on Vimeo.

Digital Life

AT&T’s Digital Life, a home automation service, launched in seven more cities – Baltimore, Kansas City, Minneapolis, Phoenix, Pittsburgh, Sacramento, and Washington, D.C.  Digital Life is now available for homeowners in 22 markets in the US.

Digital Life allows homeowners to manage their home security, temperature, lights, lock doors and windows remotely, check carbon monoxide levels and water pipes.  It can be controlled via a mobile app for iOS, Android or Windows Phone.

There’s a basic package that costs $30 a month with a $150 equipment fee that comes with a battery backup, wireless keypad entry, key chain remotes, sensors, and an indoor siren.  A premium security package costs $40 per month with a $250 equipment fee that comes with a motion sensor, carbon monoxide sensor, glass break sensor, smoke sensor, and takeover kit, and can be upgraded to include advanced camera, energy, water, and door management.

SmartHomes for Wounded Warriors

There will be a benefit concert on September 13, 2013 to raise money to build triple amputee veterans a SmartHome that would effectively make their lives much easier.

The benefit concert is from the collaboration of the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation and the Gary Sinise Foundation with tickets costing $35 for LAWN tickets and $75 for VIP tickets.

The SmartHomes will be equipped with custom house fixtures and appliances that can be controlled with an iPad, such as a countertop which can be lowered or raised to suit whoever is using it, windows and treatments that can be controlled to ensure safety without having to move much.

The triple amputee veterans Army Master Sgt. John Masson and Staff Sgt. Thomas Howard McRae have first hand experience.  Masson lost three of his extremities in Afghanistan in 2010 when two 60 millimeter mortars blew them off.  McRae’s legs and left arm needed to be amputated when an improvised explosive device was detonated under him while investigating a threat in Patrol Base Chakaw in Afghanistan.

Make sure you check out our collection of the Smart Home on Springpad!