Someday your floor could be the only security sensor you need for the home, if IBM moves ahead with a patent granted on March 20, “Securing premises using surfaced-based computing technology.”

The patent describes a multitouch floor that can determine who is in the house, and what they’re doing. The floor senses the shapes, weight and number of feet on the ground so it can distinguish between parents, kids, infants, pets … and unauthorized visitors.

From the patent:
The system takes different actions based upon identifying which object is in a particular location. For example, if the system senses that a small child is in an “off-limits” location, such as a swimming pool or hot tub area, the child’s caregiver can immediately be notified to prevent the child from getting hurt. Similarly, if the system senses that the family dog has entered an area that is off-limits, such as a living room or bedroom, actions can be taken accordingly. If the owner is home, the owner can be notified with an alert in order to remove the dog from the off-limits location. If no one is home, a high-pitched dog alarm can be sounded in order to have the dog retreat from the off-limits location.

Smart Floors and Eldercare

The smart floors also could determine the position and movement of the home’s occupants, which has tremendous implications for home health technology, aging in place and telemedicine. If a resident falls and does not get up in a certain amount of time, the floor – like any other security sensor – could send a message to the home alarm, home automation or PERS (personal emergency response system) device to alert a family member or monitoring station.

One problem with traditional PERS pendants and wearable fall-detection devices is that users take them off at night or before showering, and fail to put them on again.

We go inside Fortress Seating for a behind-the-scenes look at how home theater seats are made.

I’ve always wondered about home theater seating: What makes it so different from regular everyday seating? How are they built? What types of materials are used?

I recently stopped by Fortress Seating in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. for an look at the art of designing, constructing and customizing home theaterseats. Every seat at the 25,000-square-foot Fortress warehouse is built from scratch. Integrators send in their specs and the Fortress team creates one-of-a-kind seating.

Gabi Wolper, vice president of sales, walked me through the entire chair-building process. There’s a lot that can affect the quality of a home theater seat. For example, Fortress uses solid wood and metal-to-metal connections to make the seats durable.

This tougher-than-nails approach is part of the company’s lineage. In the 1930s, Fortress built only metal desks and filing cabinets. It wasn’t until 1970 that it added office furniture to its lineup, and later seats for healthcare industry.

As a parent of a special needs child, I understand the challenges that come in trying to understand their world. From communicating to keeping a watchful eye, home automation technology is helping families care and provide for kids with special needs in more ways than ever before.ch 16, 2012. Now, who thinks Apple is still working on a TV?

With the help of a home automation Control 4 system, one family better communicates and cares for their son with Autism. As shown in the video below, home automation systems offer so much more than just lighting and climate control.

We give our thanks to Control 4 for providing such great products to help families unlock, understand and offer better quality of life for our children.

Amid the excitement over the New iPad was the barely mentioned Apple TV.
No this isn’t the iTV or Apple smart TV many thought was coming. It’s just an updated version of the earlier Apple TV, but it comes with some welcome updates.

The most important upgrade for home theater fans is the new support for 1080p video. You can get 1080p video from iTunes and other services and enjoy them in all their pixels on a 1080p display.

Apple TV is also integrated with iTunes in the Cloud. Any content you have in iCloud can be played over your Apple TV. With AirPlay users can stream from another iDevice to their Apple TV.

Photos: Apple’s Innovations Throughout the Years