Wireless Technology (COMP09002)

B00221119 B00221402 B00221414 B00222716 B00227494

Coursework Assessment Word Count = 9348

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Table of Contents 1. Introduction ........................................................................................................................................ 3

2. Market Research ................................................................................................................................. 4

2.1 Secondary Research ...................................................................................................................... 4

2.1.1 American District Telegraph (ADT Pulse) ............................................................................... 4

2.2 Primary Research .......................................................................................................................... 5

2.3 Conclusions ................................................................................................................................... 6

3. Benefits ............................................................................................................................................... 7

4. Challenges ........................................................................................................................................... 8

4.1 Points of Failure ............................................................................................................................ 9

4.2 Accessibility ................................................................................................................................. 11

5. Technical Specification ...................................................................................................................... 11

5.1 Z –Wave Technology – What is it? .............................................................................................. 12

5.2 Z-Wave Wireless Door Lock with Wireless Keypad ..................................................................... 13

5.3 Homeseer Wireless Outdoor Camera: IPCAM01 ........................................................................ 14

5.4 Hub .............................................................................................................................................. 15

5.5 Z-Wave Touch Screen Portable Monitor ..................................................................................... 17

5.6 LED Lights .................................................................................................................................... 19

5.7 Z-Wave HomePro lamp dimmer plug (ZDP210) .......................................................................... 20

6. Financial Viability .............................................................................................................................. 21

6.1 Component Costs ........................................................................................................................ 21

6.2 Production Costs ......................................................................................................................... 21

6.3 Development Costs ..................................................................................................................... 21

6.4 Retail Price .................................................................................................................................. 22

6.5 Running Costs .............................................................................................................................. 22

6.6 Set up Costs ................................................................................................................................. 22

6.7 Projected Sales and Profits ......................................................................................................... 23

7. Future Plans for Innovation .............................................................................................................. 23

8. Quality Control .................................................................................................................................. 25

9. References ........................................................................................................................................ 25

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1. Introduction Currently in the United Kingdom there are approximately 750,000 people over the age of

sixty-five with a form of dementia. One in fourteen people over the age of sixty-five and one

in six people over the age of eighty currently suffer from this condition. It is estimated that by

2021 over one million people will suffer from a form of dementia in the UK which will rise to

1.7 million people by the year 2051 (Community Care 2011)

Research has suggested that there is a gap in the market for a product which provides a

service to elderly people with dementia also anyone wishes to improve their sense of

security and peace of mind. As a result of this, the team have identified a potential solution

to resolve the problems that elderly people with dementia have when answering the door.

The Telegraph newspaper carried out a survey of 3,000 adults which found that,

“43 per cent of people over 60 said they lived alone. Of this group, 48 per cent said they had

no family living locally while 25 per cent said they had no relatives at all.”(The Telegraph

2011)

The main aim is to provide a secure service to help elderly people and their family members

have greater peace of mind where security is involved. The system will provide a method

that allows the elderly to keep track of who is coming to the elderly person’s house and to

know when a stranger is calling through the use of a camera.

A monitor that supports Z-Wave technology displays the live video feed sent from the

camera. Wired LED lights can also be positioned around different locations of the house also

alerting the user that someone is at the door using a Z-Wave door handle where visitors can

type in a four digit code alerting the resident that someone has approached the door. These

codes allow the elderly to see whether or not the person at the door is known to the elderly

person or is a stranger.

All the peripherals that are involved in this system communicate with each other using a

Z-Wave central hub. This central hub wirelessly sends signals to the wireless devices that

are located in and around the house.

In this report, the following will be described in detail:

How the system will function

Market Research

The Benefits and Challenges that are involved when developing the product

Detailed Technical Specifications

Financial Viability

The Future Plans and any Innovations that arise during the project will also be discussed.

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2. Market Research Through extensive market research the team have discovered that there are many different

security systems available to the public. However the team’s approach to the home security

system is not available at present.

2.1 Secondary Research As part of our research the team investigated websites that specialise in security systems to

gather information and gain knowledge on the existing products available. The team have

discovered that there are e-commerce websites dedicated to security products, such as

CCTV direct, which allow potential customers to purchase CCTV bundles. The team have

realised that the CCTV bundles that currently available in today’s market are too expensive

and the aim is to produce a security system that is affordable for families to purchase. Online

research has shown that even though CCTV systems with the same idea are available there

is no evidence that these systems provide a similar service to the one the team wishes to

provide.

Some of the systems that were researched through the use of websites and any other

materials are as follows.

2.1.1 American District Telegraph (ADT Pulse) The ADT Pulse system is a system that is packaged with video security cameras, doors

sensors and even a motion detector. The system can also be used via a Smartphone or

even a PC. This system currently has the following features:

Monitored Security System

Hub Station and Touchscreen

Thermostat

Two light control modules

Two video cameras

Two door sensors

One motion detector

This system has similar functionalities to the team’s proposed system however some of the

technologies that are bundled with ADT pulse are not a requirement to the team’s project

plan. Technologies that ADT are using that will not be used in the team’s project are:

Door Sensor

Thermostat

Two Light control modules (Elder Home Care Help 2012)

ADT Pulse is dependent on the wireless technology Z-Wave. This technology allows devices

to communicate with one another as well as talking to the user. The ADT pulse system also

provides an online portal where users have the ability to view a secure live video of their

house and also send pictures or review home history events. The online portal also allows

users to set up e-mail and text alerts.

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A mobile app is also available for many multimedia devices for example blackberry and

IPAD. Screenshots of the website can be viewed in the appendix section (ADT n.d.)

2.2 Primary Research

As part of the Primary Research stage the team decided to create an online survey which

was emailed to fellow students. Through analysis of our potential market the team produced

a questionnaire consisting of a series of questions relevant to the research. Based on the

responses to these questions, the team obtained a lot of vital research from people who are

not known to the group. The results that were gathered are as follows.

The first question put forward to our fellow students was “Do you think that a product that

enables the elderly to identify callers at their door is necessary in today’s society?” The

responses that were received showed that there is a potential place in the market for product

like this. 86.7% agreed that a product like this is necessary in today’s society.

Further questions that were asked was “Would you consider purchasing a product that does

this job if it was to become available and what specific feature that you think a product like

this should have?” 73.3% of the peers stated that they would willingly purchase a product

similar to this if it were to become available on the market today. However 26.7% stated that

they would not consider purchasing this product. Examples of specific features that people

wish to see implemented in the system are as follows:

“Easy to use. Foolproof. Ability to call an external source for assistance if

necessary”

“Face Recognition”

“Would need to have some sort of recognition facility to alert the elderly person if it

was ok to allow entry as carers, community care nurses etc are not always the

same people that would be visiting and may not always be known to the person”

Some of the examples that were received in the feedback were discussed within the team

before the survey was sent out. However since some of these examples were not feasible at

the time as the team wanted to start off simple to penetrate the market with ease.

Members of the team were then asked “Have you heard of any products that are currently

available that perform a similar role?” The majority of the responses 73.3% said they had not

heard of any products that are available on the market. A small percentage of our peers

26.7% can identify existing products that are available on the market however they did not

provide a name to the product.

“Do you think your loved ones would feel safer if you installed a system like this?” was the

next question that was put forward. For the most part 73.3% agreed that a system like this

would help make their loved ones feel safer. The minority of the responses 26.7% indicated

that they feel the system would not provide a sense of security. Some of the reasons that

were given included “because they don’t like technology” and “lonely elderly people will talk

to anybody”.

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The final question that was asked was “If a system like this was available what would be

most likely to persuade to purchase it?” The responses to this question were mixed and

examples of these included:

Cost and the simplicity of the product to set up and use.

I would believe that the manufacture has provided a secure and safe product and I

would know my older grandmother is safe when me or my family isn't around

sometimes.

Cost and maintenance/service contract

Safety of love ones.

Based on the results analysed there is potential market for our product and for products that

are similar that can be made available to the public.

2.3 Conclusions After researching a number of websites the team have recognised that it is more financially

viable to purchase separate components of our system from third party companies and

bundle them all into one package. The package will contain the following hardware:

Door handle with Z-Wave technology

Camera containing security light

Wireless Hub

Small portable monitor with Z-Wave technology

Wireless activated LED lights

Z-Wave HomePro Lamp Dimmer Plug

The team’s initial idea was to use RFID technology in order to alert the residents whether

there was someone they knew at the door or stranger. But after researching this area

thoroughly it was concluded that RFID technology would not fit in well with the system.

However after more research in the area it was concluded that an ideal replacement would

be using a door handle that involves the use of Z-Wave technology.

Most cameras that were researched were found to be wired cameras that were linked to

central hubs inside the house. The majority of security packages that are available to

purchase contain two or more cameras which are not required to achieve the aim of our

project. While researching cameras it has been noted that there are available cameras that

fit the requirements in order to satisfy the needs of the system. However further research

proved that having that cameras with built in night vision are overpriced but cameras with Z-

Wave technology had night vision as a standard and also was affordable in comparison to

products that are on the market today.

Initially the team were going to use a monitor that contained wireless technologies and could

also stream a live video feed however further research has shown that there very few

expensive monitors on the market that had the technology built in which were required in

order to achieve a complete a system. Despite the team’s best efforts to find an affordable

monitor that met the systems requirements a monitor with such technologies did not exist.

However a monitor that contains Z-Wave technology was available for purchase despite its

high retail price.

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The wireless hub is the central part of the system as the hub communicates with all the

technologies that are present in the system. On the market today there is a wide variety of

hubs, which contains Z-Wave technology, available for purchase that will match the

hardware specification used and communicates effectively with other peripherals in the

system.

Another aim of the system was to provide a visual identifier for elderly residents who may

have difficulties with hearing. The original idea was to have a set of LED lights which would

display different colours when certain people entering their code, but this was made clear

that it would be too expensive having more than one LED light per room. To solve this

problem of having more than one LED light in two rooms within the house, the team has

decided to package a set of two LED domes plus two dimmer plugs so that the lights can

respond to the system once activated. Customers who wish to purchase additional LED

lights may do so upon request.

Once the team realised that no LED lights with built in wireless technologies were available

for purchase research was carried out to find a solution for this problem. A dimmer plug with

Z-Wave technology was discovered and this allowed the LED lights to respond to other

technologies containing Z-Wave.

3. Benefits One advantage of the innovation is that it is going contain one portable monitor. With the

system’s live video feed being sent to a screen that will be a 3.6 inch screen users are able

to place it anywhere in their house, in particular rooms that they will be using most

frequently, such as living room or bedroom. This will benefit the elderly because the portable

screen does not weigh much and they are able to carry the screen around with relative ease.

As the screen is 3.6 inches this means the elderly person can simply carry the monitor

around the house with relative ease.

Another advantage is that the system’s visual alert is going to be contained in a two LEDs

around the house. The LEDs will light up and the colour will depend on who is visiting the

resident’s home, a unique colour for the people who have a connection with the user of the

system. The user can adjust colours of the LED lights depending on who has inputted their

unique code and display that unique colour on the LED lights.

A further advantage is that the system will be using an existing form of wireless technology.

The technology that is going to be used in the system which is often found in home

automation is Z-Wave. The visitor will approach the house with a four digit code in mind,

which will be inputted by the user on the keyboard at the door. This will benefit not only the

elderly resident, but those who visit the resident as well. As the system is using in something

that everyone sees in everyday life, it means that you are able to explain how it works

without the need to be too technical about it.

Furthermore, the system’s advantage is that it allows the person who lives in the house to

see who is visiting the resident without the need to answer the door. This helps the elderly

because whenever someone comes to the door, they have to approach the door without

knowing who is coming to the see the tenant and sometimes unfortunate events can happen

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to the tenant, such as being approached by cold callers. The live video feed allows the

resident to be able to look at who is approaching the door and avoid the risk of being hurt or

scammed. This gives the resident security and reduces their stress, but is also gives their

family piece of mind and the knowledge that their loved one is safe and not in distress.

A financial benefit of this innovation is that although the initial cost appears to be quite high,

in the long run it will be worthwhile investment for the resident and those who are

responsible for their care. There is no additional cost involved with the upkeep/maintenance

of the system. The cost of the LEDs is so low, that this outweighs the high cost of the initial

set up of the system. More detail is given in the Financial Viability section.

The monitor of the peripherals included with the system is of a portable nature and this is

also beneficial. The Visual Display Unit (VDU) is made from a lightweight material and is

quite small (see paragraph one for specification), this makes it suitable for people who are of

a fragile nature. As well as the monitor being portable the LED lights are also made of light

materials and can be moved easily by the resident depending on where he/she requires

them.

The camera contains online technologies that can be used as part of the system. Relatives

of the elderly person may view a live feed of the camera online using an unique user name

and password. This is a benefit as the relatives can look after the house without having to

physically being at the house.

Finally, the system will be powered by using the home’s socket power. It will be a case of

connecting the system’s wires around the house. All the products that have been built into

the system all run on very low power. The system will be running on a continual basis; 24

hours a day, however this can be manually controlled in the event no being home, e.g. a

family holiday. This will benefit the elderly because the system runs on a continuous power

supply, there will be no need for the resident to find and replace batteries that do not last

long and will cause the system to cut out. This will ease the stress on the resident and their

family as there will always be a way for the resident to live at home and ensure that they will

be safe from harm.

4. Challenges Unfortunately, there are several areas where the system does bring up some challenges;

one of them is the systems socket power source. As the system is going to be connected to

the home’s main power, it will be mostly dependent on there being a continuous supply of

electricity. If there is a power cut at any time, then the system will not function and this could

cause significant stress for the resident and their family. The system may also struggle to

work during unsettled weather conditions. As the camera helps the resident see who is

coming to the door, the live video feed may become distorted or even break up as a result of

the unsettled weather and this will cause even more stress for the resident and their family.

A potential solution to this problem could be that the system will include a battery pack with

its own power source to enable the system to function during a power cut. This would mean

that residents would still be able to identify who is coming to their door and be able to live an

independent life.

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Another drawback of the system is that it is unable to help all the elderly people who could

potentially use it. The system will not only help those who suffer from dementia and other

similar conditions, but the elderly in general however it is unable to help those who have

poor vision or even those that are blind as there is no audio warning to alert the resident that

someone has come to the door, they could easily become threatened by someone claiming

to be a member of their family. This will cause a lot of unnecessary stress for the resident

and their family because the system is not designed to help all those who could benefit from

it, which means many people could be at risk and unable to live an independent life. A

potential improvement to overcome this shortfall is to include an attempt limit of how many

times someone can input a code at the door. This slight improvement could ensure that

partially sighted people will be able to live at home safely and securely, and give their family

peace of mind and knowledge that their loved one is fine.

The fact that the system is not designed to help those who are visually impaired means that

it is unable to help those who are colour blind, which is another limitation. Since the system

uses an LED light to alert the resident of who is coming to the door and the system lights up

green for safe or red for danger. As the majority of people who are colour blind struggle to

differentiate red and green, then they will find identifying visitors who come to their door very

distressing. When the unique visitors code is inputted, information is sent to the LED lights

through the hub to light up the appropriate colour, then the resident will not be able to

identify that the person who is at the door is a relation to the elderly person or someone who

has ulterior motives, then this will cause significant stress to not only the resident but their

family as well. A possible solution to overcome this problem is to have a setting that displays

the word of the colour that the LED light is shining. This will ensure that the resident will be

able to see that the person who is coming to the door without being confused about whether

the LED is working or not.

A challenge the team across was it was discovered that no LED light contained Z-Wave

technology. For this issue to be resolved it was essential to find a method so that it will

respond Z-Wave technology. Researching this area made it apparent that having a dimmer

plug that contains Z-Wave technology caused the light to respond when the system was

activated.

4.1 Points of Failure Every system or device will have potential points of failure and it is beneficial to know what

these are and how to counter them. These will be included in a supporting manual. Below is

a list of some of the failures that could occur:

1. The Wireless Lock and Keypad

2. The VDU (Visual Display Unit)

3. The connector(s)

4. The wire

5. The power source

6. The LED light(s)

7. The Z-Wave Dimmer Plug

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1 The Wireless Lock and Keypad

This is a critical point of failure as it forms the ‘backbone’ of the whole system working. The

resident and/or their visitors could forget their access code. Also the battery for the keypad

could run out of power. Finally the Z-Wave sensor may not be able to read the signals

coming from the key tag. If the battery becomes flat, then use replacement battery provided.

Unless it has been set up, then input pre-determined default code. If the sensor is unable to

read the signals, simply reboot the whole unit.

2 The VDU (Visual Display Unit)

This is another critical point of failure as this is important to ensuring that the system works

correctly. As in section one, the screen may not power up in which case you would just turn

it off, leave it for two minutes and then turn it back on again. As the screen in made from a

delicate material, forceful handling could cause it not display properly. If this happens, try

and reboot it and if that does not work, send it back for a replacement.

3 The Connectors

The connectors could be sensitive to touch and could become loose. If there is nothing

wrong with the external scanning device and visual display unit. Before checking the

components of the device simply check that the connectors are securely attached.

4 The Wire

The wire could become loose or frayed. If it is loose check the connectors, however if it has

become frayed, then discontinue use and ring the contact number so that a replacement

wire can be issued.

5 The Power Source

If the system has become unresponsive, firstly look at the external scanning device to the

wire and then check any other devices connected to the main power. If they too are

unresponsive it will be power source that is the cause. In order to resolve this check to see if

the trip switch has been activated and just switch it back to its original state. If the system

afterwards is still unresponsive, then it is more likely to be a power outage in your local area.

If the scenario occurs the system will power back on once the electrical fault has been

resolved.

6 The LED light(s)

This is another critical point of failure within the system as this helps with identification. The

LEDs may not be working properly due to wires becoming damaged as a result of accidental

damage. If this problem occurs then contact your local engineer who will distribute local

wiring.

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7 The Z-Wave Dimmer Plug

The dimmer plug can be considered a point of failure as a result of surge of power. This

surge of power can cause the system to cut off any peripherals connected to the plug.

Simply waiting for the power to restore itself should resolve this problem however if the plug

is not responding for a long period time then the electrical company should be notified.

Points of Failure Table

Point of Failure Single POF Solution

1 Yes Contact for replacement

2 Yes Contact for replacement

3 No Securely attach connectors

4 No Contact for replacement

5 Yes Contact Electrical Company

6 No Use replacement LEDs

7 Yes Contact Electrical Company

4.2 Accessibility

As the target audience for this system is the elderly it is essential to consider the possibility of any additional support in order for the user to make full use of the product.

Some of the condition that needs to be considered when creating this system are:

Visual Impairment

Arthritis

Dementia

Disabled – Poor Mobility

Specific Learning Difficulties

5. Technical Specification

The proposed plan for the team’s innovated idea will contain existing peripherals that are

currently available in today’s market for purchase. The aim of the planned product is to

bundle the six products into one package so that this will create an effective system suitable

for all ages and particularly the elderly. These six products are as follows:

Door handle with Z-Wave technology

Camera containing security light

Wireless Hub

Small portable monitor-Wave Technology

Wireless activated LED lights

Z-Wave HomePro Lamp Dimmer Plug

In this technical specification section more detail will be discussed with regard to the above

products.

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In order for these devices to communicate with one another without dropping signal an

effective wireless technology must be installed into the system. This wireless technology is

called Z-Wave. The technology allows hardware to communicate with each other effectively.

5.1 Z –Wave Technology – What is it?

Z-Wave is a wireless technology protocol that is designed for Home Automation, especially

to remote control devices in residential environments and light commercial environments.

Z-Wave works by a low power wireless technology that is designed specifically for remote

control applications. Z-Wave is designed solely for reliable, low latency communication and

uses a protocol used to send small data packets unlike other wireless technologies such as

WiFi and other IEEE 802.11 standards which are primarily used to send large packets of

data at high speed rates. Z-Wave operates in the sub-frequency range which competes with

some cordless telephones and other electric products available on the market. However it

avoids interference with WiFi and other technologies under the 802.11 standard which

operate in crowded 2.4GHz band. Below is a list of the official Z-Wave Specifications:

Bandwidth: 9,600 bit/s or 40 kbit/s, fully interoperable

Modulation: GFSK

Range: Approximately 100 feet (or 30 meters) assuming "open air" conditions, with

reduced range indoors depending on building materials, etc.

Frequency band: The Z-Wave Radio uses the 900 MHz ISM band: 908.42 MHz

(United States); 868.42 MHz SRD Band (Europe, Africa and the better part of Asia

including PR China); 919.82 MHz (Hong Kong); 851-855 MHz (Japan), 921.42 MHz

(Australia/New Zealand/Brasil), 869 MHz (Russia) (Wikipedia 2012)

Z-Wave operates at different bands in different countries, for example in Europe Z-Wave

operates within the 868 MHz band compared to the US which operates in the 908 band but

due to US legislation imposes a transmission power limit compared to the 25 mW limit in

Europe.

Z -Wave contains a built in Power Save mode which can only be active 0.1% of the time

which reduces power consumption considerably. The only way Z-Wave can be useful and

function is to be part of a Z-Wave network. To be part of a network, Z-Wave has a function to

pair with other Z-Wave devices through a sequence of button presses. These devices can

communicate with each other using intermediate nodes which can actively operate around

household obstacles or dead spots around the household, for example, if node A and were

to send a message to node C then the message will deliver at node C even if node A and

node C are not in range with each other assuming that node B can communicate with both A

and C. If the preferred route is node available it will continue to locate other routes until the

message arrives at its destination.

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5.2 Z-Wave Wireless Door Lock with Wireless

Keypad The first and most important component of the Z-Sec system is the

Z-Wave wireless door lock. This lock allows customers to remotely

manage access to their home via web-enabled devices, such as

mobile phones or the Z-Wave Touch Screen Portable Monitor. As

the Z-Sec is used for security purposes it is essential that the door

lock contains features that provide all the necessary requirements

in order for the system to run effectively and securely.

The door lock is made of metal which can be finished in Satin Nickel, Bright Brass or Aged

Bronze.

Product Height: 5.42 inches

Product Width: 3.17 inches

Product Weight: 5.8 pounds

Product Depth: 2.18 inches

Keyring: 5 pin tumbler C keyway with 2 nickel silver keys

The lock comes with universal latches and deadbolts with a fit of 60mm or 7mm back-set,

meaning that the lock can fit on most doors without issue. The lock also comes with

instruction manuals detailing how to add the lock to existing doors.

The package also comes with 3 double A batteries, 1x 9 Volt battery as standard. These

batteries will be used to power the lock and the LED indicators. The battery life of the lock is

an impressive 2 – 3 years.

Instead of users being provided with their own unique door key, the wireless door lock

enables customers to give their friends and family their own unique 4- digit code. Each 4-

digit code can be assigned a name (if the user ever wants to receive notifications when they

are away from home, which is detailed further in future plans) and the system also gives the

user the ability to control the day and time when the code will be active – for example, the

code 4523 can be active between 1pm – 3pm, to allow a home carer to come and go when

he or she pleases during that time frame. The lock itself can store up to 19 private four-digit

codes which use 128 bit AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) for security.

The lock can also be remotely locked or unlocked from any web-browser, for example, the Z-

Wave portable screen. This allows the user to allow entry for someone who does not have a

code assigned to them.

Since the lock has built-in Z-Wave technology it can interact with other Z-wave devices

around the house. The user has the freedom to trigger events when a particular code is

used. For the Z-Sec system, once a recognised code is entered LED lights will trigger within

the household. The user has the freedom to assign what colour is displayed when a

particular unique code is entered from the door handle.

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In summary, the wireless door lock is a suitable product to be included into the system since

it is a very secure device with additional features, which could be used for further

enhancements to the system.

5.3 Homeseer Wireless Outdoor Camera: IPCAM01

In order to achieve successful results in the system, it is essential that

the elderly person can identify who is approaching their door while also

protecting their property. This can be achieved with a security light

containing a built in camera outside the door. While discussing and

researching this peripheral the team managed to find cameras and

lights that would be suitable to be installed into the system however the

aim was to have the camera and light combined. After much research

and discussion, the team found the HomeSeer Wireless Outdoor

Camera, Model IPCAM01, which can be purchased off Z-Wave

Products (UK.) As this product is reasonably priced and has the functionality that matches

the wants for the system then the IPCAM01 camera was considered to be an ideal choice.

As our system is used for security purposes it is essential that the camera contains features

that provide all the necessary requirements in order for the system to run effectively. An

essential issue with the camera is that it will be able to combat different weather conditions.

The IPCAM01 camera contains a hardened exterior shell so that it remains functional even

when the weather becomes unsettled. When researching the products that will be

packaged together in the system it is vital to ensure that the target audience, which in the

scenario is the elderly, can easily be trained and make full use of the hardware. ICAM01

can easily be setup as, since it is wireless, there is not a need to install cabling around the

house as long as the camera is position near the wireless HUB.

The image sensor on the camera is a 1/4“Colour CMOS Sensor and has a display resolution

of 640 X 480 pixels. CMOS stands for Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor and it is

a technology that is used for constructing integrated circuits. CMOS technology is often

used for Microcontrollers and Static Ram. As well as producing a resolution of 640 x 480

VGA (Video Graphics Array) it can also be used at a lower resolution output of 320 x 240

QVGA (Quarter Video Graphics Array.) Since the camera contains wireless technologies,

there are a variety of different protocols that have been installed into the camera. The

Supported protocols that are built into the camera are:

HTTP – Hypertext Transfer Protocol

FTP – File Transfer Protocol

TCP/IP – Transmission Control Protocol/ Internet Protocol

UDP – User Datagram Protocol

SMTP – Simple Mail Transfer Protocol

DHCP – Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol

PPPoE – Point-to-Point over Ethernet

DDNS – Dynamic Domain Name Server

UpnP – Universal Plug and Play

GPRS – General Packet Radio Service

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The protocols allow the camera to perform a large amount of functions and one of which is

viewing a live stream from the camera on a Laptop or Personal Computer can viewed using

any supporting browser. This feature will come in useful for members of the elderly person’s

family. An example of the supporting browsers is:

Internet Explorer (5.0, 6.0, 7.0, 8.0, 9.0)

Mozilla Firefox

Any other standard web browsers.

The camera also contains software which can be installed if the user’s

computer contains a Windows 2000 or above Operating System.

In order for the IPCAM01 to function it comes bundled with a DC 5V/ 2.0A

(EU or US adapter) and consumes a maximum of 5 Watts of power. Also

packaged with the ICAM01 camera is a Wi-Fi Antenna so that the product

can make use of its wireless features and a Network Cable which allows

the option to wire the camera into the HUB without the need to set up the wireless functions.

In conclusion, for above reasons the group decided that this camera would be the perfect fit

into the system as it supports Z-Wave technology and contains a large amount of wireless

technologies which allows for easy communication between the HUB and the camera.

5.4 Hub As the system has quite a fair amount of devices, figuring out a way of connecting them

altogether is crucial to the system working. After much consideration, the best option is

going to be the use of wireless hub. However the hub in question uses a special type of

wireless connection called Z-Wave. Before giving the specification on the hub being used, it

is important to discover what a hub is and how it works in connecting devices to form a

wireless network.

A hub is a device that connects multiple devices to form a network. Although it acts at the

centre of the network providing all of the communication paths between the devices that

have been connected to it, the hub does not manage any of the data traffic that passes

through it. The hub functions without even knowing that data is being passed between

devices that are connected through it. As a result of this, packets of data that are being sent

between the devices that are connected could collide with each other and could potentially

render the network useless.

Below are two examples of such hubs that contain the wireless technology known as

Z-Wave. The one on the right is an all-in-one home gateway system, which can connect to

various household objects with various forms of wireless technology, which includes Zigbee,

KNX and Bluetooth. In short this is just an advanced version of Wi-Fi hub. Specifications for

this model include:

Connected via a WAN at speeds of 10/100 or 1000 Mb

NAT router with a built in Firewall

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Connected via a LAN at speeds of 10/100 or 1000 Mb

It conforms to the IEEE 802.11n standard for Wi-Fi with speeds of 300 Mb

2 POTS (Plain Old Telephone Service) for analogue telephones

It is a VoIP (Voice Over IP) client

Comes with one USB connection.

The other hub system is a Z-Wave web enabled controller that can be used for home

security systems. It is built into a Wi-Fi access point and it can be used to control anything

that utilises Z-Wave, including security cameras that are either wired or wireless.

Specifications for this model include:

A LAN Port 1 with speeds of 10/100 Mb

Sensor with Z-wave Sigma Module with an internal antenna

Wired interface includes 2 USB ports that could be used to expand the network.

After much consideration the best wireless hub that can be utilised with the innovation is

based on the one on the right. Reasons for this decision include:

The cost of the hub is markedly lower than the one on the left and the connection

speeds are the same

It also follows the standard of Wi-Fi that is common to all devices that use Wi-Fi

It has built in security, so is less prone to becoming hacked by criminals

It is able to connect to all existing devices that use all forms of wireless

communication that it uses plus 3rd party products including mobile phones and touch

screens

It can be used in place of the end users existing internet router.

To sum up all of the reasons mentioned above will enable the customer to save money and

be able to enjoy their living without the need of an expensive security system that would

include setting it up. The portable nature of this device enables the user to place it anywhere

in their home.

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5.5 Z-Wave Touch Screen Portable Monitor

The second component of the system to be discussed

is the Z-Wave Touch Screen Portable Monitor. This

piece of cost-effective technology provides full-

featured high resolution colour 3.6inch LED touch

screen monitor. The monitor also features a

widescreen view LCD display with exceptional

brightness and high contrast. The device also includes

an elegant touch screen from Interactive Electronic

Systems.

The operating connection uses wireless Z-Wave

compatibility protocol technology with a one-to-one connection, sending live feed to the Hub

Station. The purpose is to allow resident to identify who is at the door when the monitor

receives the live video stream transmitted from the camera at the front door.

List of the product specification:

Touch LCD Sensitive Screen Display:

Active matrix - a method of switching individual elements of a flat panel display

3.6 inch diagonal with 320 by 234 resolutions - provides images that are clear enough to identify callers on screen

Wide viewing angle

- provides an adequate field of display

LED backlight (SW controlled)

- allows monitor to be thinner, lighter and to save on space and packaging

Processor - 400MHZ/ 800MMACs High Performance Processor

Memory - 16 Mbyte RAM, up to 16 Mbyte Flash (retains the user’s settings if the device is

switched off or powered down)

Graphic Engine - 24 Bit RGB , 16,384,000 colours

Video - Digital Video for true Picture in Picture via the Video server system using

standard CAT 5 cable (no Coax cable is required). - Video image is scalable. - Frame rate is dependent on image size.

Audio

- Optional Beeper or Speaker - Optional Microphone - WAV file capability (8K to 48K sampling rate) - 8 Watt output power to internal 8 Ohm speaker

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Configuration Software:

Light Sensor Hard Buttons

- Backup to touch screen control

Infrared receiver and decoder

- Allows connection to other wireless devices Software controlled Tri- Colour LED

- Automatic Picture Transmission (APT) Interface Options

- Ethernet (POE) - USB - RS 485 - RS 232 - CAN - Other proprietary links can be designed into the unit

Additional hardware options can be incorporated as required 10 – 28 VDC input voltage

- Power supply Power consumption approximately 150 ma using 12VDC power supply

- Economic, efficient and safe to operate (environmentally friendly)

The Z-Wave Monitor is a user friendly Graphical User

Interface (GUI) touch sensitive display monitor. The IES

Z-Wave Compatible Touch Screen Controller provides a full

control grouping with a configuration of built in programmes.

This allows compatibility with Z-Wave technology. The user

can label the hotkey buttons on the monitor touch screen and

this will permit operations to be faster, smoother and more

flexible. To operate efficiently, the device is required to be

connected to the Leviton Serial Interface (purchased

separately) and an RJ45 Ethernet Cable, connecting to the PC

and back. This connection, however, is not required for this particular purpose if the user has

programmed the monitor with the IES Interactive Electronic Systems Configuration Software.

The programming software includes set up, manage and delete. The program also permits

users to edit groups, scenes and individual IES Interactive Electronic Systems devices. The

system also provides a safe feature in case of power outages or power cuts and means that

the user does not need to worry about the system failing as it has an internal back-up battery

built in (Z-Wave Products n.d.)

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5.6 LED Lights An LED (light-emitting diode) is used as an indicator lamp as well

as providing light and is often used in many devices.

While discussing which products to use as part of our system after

much deliberation it was concluded that a set of LED lights will be

beneficial not only to the system but to the elderly person. After

much research and discussion the team established that an

internet retailer called MenKind, which specialises in selling

original gifts and gadgets sold a LED light dome which would be a

suitable match for the system.

The package will include two LED domes. However if the customer wishes to purchase more

lights then a maximum of two additional LED lights can be included in the system.

The light domes are made up of frosted glass on a resin base. They are also small and

discreet only measuring 130x130x130mm therefore they would not look out of place in the

elderly person’s home. Although the domes are quite small they have extremely powerful

LED lights inside the dome which will alert the elderly person when the light activates.

The LED domes display up to sixteen different colours and with the use of a remote control

the LED domes will have the ability to change colour. Each of the LED domes will include

four illumination programs installed as well as containing three different brightness levels

which can be adjusted to suit the needs of the user.

As well as keeping the system discrete it was also vital to the team’s project plan that the

system also remain low powered and energy efficient. The contents of the LED light package

are as follows:

LED dome lights

Remote control

AC adaptor

The LED dome lights run off a low supply of power much like every LED light product on the

market today. LED lights run off a low voltage between 30-60 milliwatts (mW) of electrical

power. The main advantage of LED based lightning is that it has a high source of luminous

efficacy. Luminous efficacy is a measure of how well a light source produces visible light

(Wikipedia 2012)

Since this is a system that is designed to run for long periods of time it is crucial that the

users do not need to replace the LED lights frequently. This is why LED lights have been

selected to be part of the system as LED lights run on low power and produce low

temperatures. The typical lifetime of an LED light is around 25,000 – 100,000 hours.

However depending on current and heat settings the lifetime can be shortened.

In summary the MenKind LED domes lights are a suitable product to be included into the

system as LED dome lights have a long life expectancy and has the dimensions suitable to

keep the system discrete yet effective.

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5.7 Z-Wave HomePro lamp dimmer plug (ZDP210) However, despite the LED lights matching the criteria needed to produce a successful

system, the lights do not contain any Z-Wave technology. In order for this issue to be

resolved the LED dome lights will be packaged along with Z-Wave HomePro lamp dimmer

plugs.

This main function of this plug is to provide the user the ability to plug

in devices that do not contain Z-Wave technology using the Z-Wave

controller. This plug will communicate with the hub in order for the

lights to respond to the hub effectively when someone enters their

four digit code.

This plug not only powers the LED lights however it can also power

incandescent lights which can power up to 300W. If the power

exceeds the plug’s recommended rating then the software fuse will

automatically switch off the power going to the plug. Once the power

drops below 300 W then the plug will once again become functional

and all the power will go back to its original state. This plug in also contains hardware as a

method of protecting itself against strong power currents.

The power rating on this plug is 230V, 50 Hz. Power ratings are provided in order to keep

the device protected but also to keep any users safe from harm.

The range for the dimmer plug is up to 30 metres between the wireless controller and the

HomePro plug-in lamp module or appliance module. Therefore it is suitable for the system.

The signal frequency of the Z-Wave plug in is 868.42MHz.

There is one button on the front of the plug which controls the following:

Switching on and off

Dimming

Configuring the module to operate from the wireless controller

To conclude the Z-Wave plug in will provide connectivity between the LED lights and other

components of the system. The plugs can also deliver a useful purpose outside of the

security system.

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6. Financial Viability One of the main advantages of the product is that it will not incur large development costs as

the product uses components which are readily available. There is no additional software

required which can be very costly to develop.

6.1 Component Costs The team have identified suitable components from various suppliers as follows:

Table 1: Retail Component Costs

Wireless Keypad door handle £154.70

Security camera £59.33

Wireless Hub £121.18

Small portable monitor £270.68

LED light domes (x2) £39.98

Lamp dimmer plugs (x2) £89.38

Total Component Cost £735.25

All of these prices were obtained from internet retailers based on the purchase of a single

product. In addition the prices include the retailers’ and their wholesalers’ profits together

with their handling costs. If the team purchased the components direct in bulk direct from

manufacturers the cost of purchasing the components would reduce considerably for

example to 50%.

6.2 Production Costs This would involve setting up each system and making sure that all the components were

working properly and linking to each other. Each system would then require to be packaged.

It is anticipated that the whole process would take an hour to complete.

Table 2: Production Costs Breakdown per unit:

Components £370.00

Testing £25.00

Packaging £5.00

Total Production Cost £400.00

This is based on the fact that a 50% saving can be made on the component prices by

purchasing components in bulk direct from the manufacturers.

6.3 Development Costs Although there is no significant initial development costs the team would want to improve on

the features of the product as detailed under the ‘Future Plans for Innovation’ section and

would suggest adding a figure of 10% of Production Costs to fund these improvements.

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6.4 Retail Price Large retailers like Amazon work on a gross profit margin of at least 20% which will vary

according to the type of products which they sell. Amazon have recently announced an

average gross profit margin of 24% therefore to make the product attractive to companies

like Amazon we should allow for a retailer gross profit of 30%. Bearing this in mind and also

the fact that we need to allow for a profit margin of 10% for investors the recommended retail

price for the product is £629.00 (total telecom n.d.)

Table 3: Retail Price Breakdown per unit

Production Cost £400.00

Development Cost £40.00

Profit £44.00

Retailer Profit £145.00

Retail Price £629.00

6.5 Running Costs The only real running cost is electricity to power the components which are not heavy users

of electricity. The product is therefore not expensive to run which will appeal to customers.

6.6 Set up Costs Since this is a large technical system it is unlikely that customers will know how to set up each individual component. Included in the costs of the system the customer will also get a detailed description of how the system functions. On completion the customer will receive an inventory sheet detailing the set up and the date of the next system inspection along with other important information. The table below displays the charges. Table 4: Installation

Engineer Cost £50.00

Engineer Callout Charge £10.00

System Set Up Cost £60.00

Additional Warranty (optional) per year £30.00

Price excluding warranty £120.00

Price including warranty £150.00

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6.7 Projected Sales and Profits The team think that there will be considerable interest in our product in view of the increasing

number of elderly people in the UK. In particular the team think that elderly peoples’ families

will purchase the product as people will be interested in a product which provides increased

security for their elderly and vulnerable relatives.

Table 5: Projected Sales and Profits

7. Future Plans for Innovation At the start of the innovation process each member of the team all had interesting ideas that

made the project unique and ambitious for the market today. However after more in depth

research and discussion, the team realised that in order to make our plans a reality, the

team needed very expensive resources and products that was not packaged in a way that

suited the team’s needs. In order to make the system a reality the team had to package a

number of technologies together which would have been very expensive as the group would

need to find a third party company, possibly overseas, to help match this system to the

team’s initial idea. The aim for the system is to make it simple and, most importantly,

affordable for the customer. To do this the team needed to cut back on ideas to make the

product simple as ideas were too ambitious and did not seem realistic for the first product on

the market. Once established on the market the team could then start to reintroduce some of

the initial complicated ideas as more funding should hopefully be available for research and

development.

The idea currently is that every member of the elderly person’s family, or a close friend, will

be issued with a unique code that alerts the elderly person that there is someone close to

them at the door. To advance on this idea, instead of using a code to alert the elderly

person, the relative or friend can instead use a mobile phone application which can be

downloaded straight to the friends or relatives smartphone. Near Field Communication

(NFC) is a developing wireless technology for smart phones that allows them to

communicate with other technologies within a few inches. Once this wireless technology has

become more developed and a standard, it can be integrated into our system to replace the

code idea, since most people in society today usually do not forget to take their phones with

them when they go out. The team thinks that this idea will become as issuing new codes and

visitors forgetting codes could become a hassle so using smartphones could be considered

a more reliable function.

Currently the wireless hub is used to stream a live feed to a portable device and ‘ping’ the

wireless LED domes when someone inputs their unique code. A possible future idea is a

web based service that allows family members who have purchased the system for their

Number of units sold 10,000

Turnover £4,840,000

Production Cost £4,000,000

Profit before Developments Costs £840,000

Development Costs £400,000

Total Profit £440,000

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elderly parents to view time stamps and images through a website. When someone enters

their code a timestamp is transmitted from the reader to the wireless hub, which is then

uploaded to a web server. An image is also taken of the person once they have entered the

data, which also uploads to a server. The system also has the ability to send e-mails and

SMS notifications to other wireless devices such as mobile phones. A future upgrade to the

system would be to add this feature as part of a subscription to family members and users

who are linked to the system.

This allows family members to keep track of who attempts to enter the house and also gives

them a visual identity to the person attempting to enter. After a long discussion, this feature

will be an optional standard to the system as this feature may make the elderly person

uncomfortable knowing that their family members know who is coming to the door and when.

Continuing from the idea of adding a subscription idea from the previous paragraph our team

has decided that adding a small subscription fee to this feature would increase our revenue

slightly and also cover the costs of storing the data on the servers and the email and SMS

notification service.

At the moment, the idea is that every person who has purchased the system will be provided

with a small portable monitor that shows a live feed of who is at the door. Since some people

might prefer to have a physical object in place rather than having something that is portable

in the house, the team came up with a few ideas that could be used as potential future

product for displaying the live feed. At the start of the project, the initial idea was that the

feed was to be shown on a small screen, no bigger than a digital photo frame. The team

liked the idea of the photo frame as it was both small and would blend in with the furniture in

any room. However after much research and discussion, it was concluded that having a

photo frame to begin with was both unrealistic and cost too much to develop as it would

need to be fitted with wireless technologies for it to function. Another idea was to send the

live feed to a television set when the elderly is sitting in their living rooms but this idea was

proved to be too expensive. Once the system has been released and the our place in the

market has been established then a small component with built in wireless may be an

optional extra if the user wants the feed to be displayed in this manner. The component can

be attached to the television through USB (or another form of attachment) so that a new

television with wireless and Z-Wave built in is not necessary.

As the system currently stands, the system is constantly running throughout the day and all

night without ever powering down. Since a product like this will consume a lot of power, our

future aim is to make the system more environmentally friendly and also allows the elderly

person to save money on their electrical bill. The system will power down when it has been

inactive for a certain amount of time. When someone inputs their code, the camera and

wireless hub will return from sleep mode and alert the elderly person that someone has

arrived. These will also an optional feature built within the software of the wireless hub.

25

8. Quality Control

9. References

1. Community Care (2011) Expert guide to elderly people. [Online] Available:

http://www.communitycare.co.uk/Articles/18/08/2011/104087/elderly-people.htm

[Accessed: 1 March 2012].

2. The Telegraph (2011) Almost half of elderly people live alone. [Online] Available:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/elderhealth/8970490/Almost-half-of-elderly-people-

live-alone.html

[Accessed: 1 March 2012]

3. Elder Home Care Help (2012) ADT Security Systems The ADT Pulse. [Online]

Available: http://www.elder-home-care-help.com/adt-security-systems.html

[Accessed: 16 March 2012]

4. ADT Always There (n.d.) How It Works. [Online] Available: http://www.adt.com/home-

security/solutions/adt-pulse/how-it-works

[Accessed: 16 March 2012]

5. Wikipedia (2012) Z-Wave. [Online] Available: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Z-Wave

[Accessed: 26 March 2012]

Task Number Task Author(s) Date of completion

1 Introduction Billy Kelly, Martin Logan, Sean Reilly &

Andrew Skivington

01.03.12

2 Market Research Billy Kelly, Martin Logan, Sean Reilly &

Andrew Skivington

16.03.12

3 Benefits Anthony Devlin 26.03.12

4 Challenges Anthony Devlin 29.03.12

5 Technical Specification Anthony Devlin, Billy Kelly,

Martin Logan, Sean Reilly &

Andrew Skivington

18.04.12

6 Financial Viability Martin Logan 23.04.12

7 Future Plans for Innovation Billy Kelly & Sean Reilly

25.04.12

26

6. Z-Wave Products (n.d.) Zwave Compatible In-wall Touch Screen . [Online] Available:

http://www.zwaveproducts.com/Zwave-Controllers/Zwave-Wall-Consoles/Zwave-

Compatible-In-wall-Touch-Screen.html

[Accessed: 13 April 2012]

7. Wikipedia (2012) Luminous efficacy. [Online] Available:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luminous_efficacy

[Accessed: 17 April 2012]

8. Total telecom (n.d.) Amazon shares surge on growth prospects, margin

improvement. [Online] Available: http://www.totaltele.com/view.aspx?ID=473099

[Accessed: 22 April 2012]