Smart Outlets (EFCI)

[123]

http://www.ted.com/talks/john_la_grou_plug..._outlets_1.html

Very clever.

 

[znelbok]

http://www.ted.com/talks/john_la_grou_plug..._outlets_1.html

Very clever.

Yes and no - You cant use the outlet without the magic plug (if it is the one I saw the other day) and they are not backward compatible with standard plugs.

Conceptually I think that they are on the right direction.

Mick

 

[gatchel]

You could have simple 2 prong to 3 prong adapter style plugs that can be made to handle different appliances that plug in-line with the appliance and the outlet with the "chip" in it. Obviously they would have 3 prongs on both ends...

I think its a great idea. Am I going to beta test it? Probably not.

 

[TXFlatLander]

I agree probably won't be a beta tester but definitely a step in the right direction.

I wonder if it has any way to poll and see if a transmit chip has failed. If the transmitter fails at the outlet or plug, then you are back to square one. Maybe one day if I have time and I am bored, I will read through some of their patents.

 

[sic0048]

That is a great concept and seems like it would work very well. Of course you have to have the buy in of basically every manufacture in the world to make something like that work. Or perhaps you push to have it part of the UL certification because that would make everyone add the capacity to their devices. But I'm not sure of the likelyhood of that happening.