OpenMotics: OpenMotics improves home automation

OpenMotics is an open source home automation hardware and software system that offers features like switching lights and outputs, multi-zone heating and cooling, power measurements, and automated actions. The system encompases both open source software and hardware. For interoperability with other systems, the OpenMotics Gateway provides an API through which various actions can be executed.The project first started 10 years ago with basic hardware modules for switches and outputs. Since then the number of modules has increased to create an extensible full-featured home automation system. The modules include a Gateway module that is the heart of the system which drives all other modules. An Input module for reading the status of the switches. An Output module that toggles lights, outlets or other devices. And others like a Dim Control module, a Sensor module and a Power module for measuring the power consumed by each appliance in your home. Two years ago we decided to open source the software running on the Gateway module, all firmware running on the other modules and the schematics and PCBs (printed circuit boards) for all modules. The choice to open source the project was very conscious—at OpenMotics we believe there are three fundamental problems with the existing commercial home automation offerings. Cont'd...