It was the American architect Louis Sullivan who in 1896 coined the phrase: "form follows function." In the same way that the function of a structure determines what it's shape will be, so too does demand from end users who shape technology, which shapes the trends that affect an entire industry.

The automation channel, already no stranger to change, has undergone a tremendous transformation in the past year, and promises to continue to evolve in the directions in which it's been heading. These directions are based on technological innovation that, in turn, has been driven in large part by end user demand. The so-called "decision drivers" that motivate clients to opt for an automation system are shifting, and integration dealers need to stay on top of that shift in wants and needs in order to be prepared to best-serve their clients.

Scott Bond, Marketing Manager for Positive Marketing, which distributes Colorado vNet in Canada, asserts that automation is changing more rapidly than ever. In his view, even the term "Control System" has always been a shifting definition with regard to what that actually entails.

"Two years ago, iPads weren't even a known device," he notes. "Now, if you aren't compatible, your brand is shunned." As a result, everyone is scrambling to make it happen, and ensure that their systems take iPad and other mobile devices into account. According to Bond, functions like security may have been primary decision drivers before, but now digital content, whether from iPods, music servers and Web streaming based devices, lighting control, IP cameras, climate control, blinds, and fireplaces are all integrate-able, and all becoming important.

Price points have also changed, according to Bond. In the past, it was generally true that a control system would always come with a stratospheric price tag attached. But companies like Control4, and Colorado vNet have come out with control systems that are much more economical than what many still associate with legacy control vendors like Crestron. "Please don't get me wrong," Bond pleads, "I'm not taking a jab at Creston at all. I know that they have their place because you can make them dance, sing, or do anything, but the client pays for it. With Colorado vNet they have pre-configured templates and modules that can be scaled to fit the customer's needs and wants, but also keep the costs down in comparison."

According to Joe Andrulis, Vice President of Marketing for AMX, the consensus within not only AMX but also among most of the automation channel vendors, is that the three major trends that are driving change in the automation segment are unified control, energy management ("and all things green," he states) and integration with mobile devices as interfaces, whether iPad or Android, and so forth.

Scott Bond, Marketing Manager, Positive Marketing: "Two years ago, iPads weren't even a known device. Now, if you aren't compatible, your brand is shunned."

While most of the media attention of the past year has been on the iPad, Crestron says it remains committed to maintaining a broad-minded, inclusive approach to integrating with mobile devices. Crestron seeks as many alternative control interfaces as possible, the rationale being that the company wants the client to be able to control his Crestron home by any means he wishes, which is why the company's products work with an app for the Android 2.2 OS. The app will work on a multitude of Android devices, most notably the Samsung TAB tablet. One of the main advantages of the TAB is that it provides true multitasking abilities and offers widget support, things that the iPad doesn't. In addition, the 7" form factor offers a smaller alternative to a larger tablet like the iPad.

Simple Unified Control

What does ‘Unified Control' mean? Andrulis explains that Unified Control uses that capability to integrate independent control systems into a seamless whole, and to be accessible everywhere.

"Think IT, AV, HVAC, lighting, projectors, shades, security systems, et cetera," he says, "all controlled and managed from one point of contact." Unified Control is a strategy for integrating the control and monitoring of previously disparate building systems to enhance operations, reduce expenses, improve energy efficiency, and a variety of other benefits.

Underlying and supporting AMX's Unified Control agenda is its Resource Management Suite (RMS). Developed originally for commercial applications, RMS is a room management, scheduling and equipment monitoring software package. According to Andrulis, for end users, RMS provides access to support staff through an interactive help desk interface, ensuring that meetings, classes and other events take place without a hitch. Integrators benefit from RMS by providing remote support to system administrators.

Functions that RMS offers integrators include proactively maintaining equipment, real-time access to professional help desk and monitoring, and instant Web-based reports on equipment status, programmable ability to schedule rooms and pre-configure equipment, such as projectors and lighting control. That means that the system is capable of performing equipment and system checks on an ongoing basis, and providing integrators and their clients with error notifications.

RMS's reporting capabilities create instant Web-based reports, or export log data for customized reports. Those reports can include help requests, room usage, lamp hours, system and device usage, and source usage. Additionally, programmable automation based on system conditions can turn on a fan based on the temperature threshold in equipment rack, turn on a security light or audible alarm if the device is moved, raise and lower motorized shades based on ambient lighting, and turn lights on or off based on the occupancy of a room.

Especially important for large commercial and institutional clients, RMS can track any asset such as tables/chairs, flip charts, and mobile A/V carts in real time using Anterus RFID tracking. Twenty-seven different reports provide the client with more options and greater flexibility for tracking assets, rooms and people: up to 1,000 meeting rooms and 10,000 assets.

Colorado vNet offers two sizes of screen, the 4.7" touch panel TS1-4/50 and the 7" touch panel TS1-7/70, both of which offer the same intuitive layout and "cookie crumb" layered system of pages to get even a total technophobe back to a previous screens. That allows users to access control application modules for climate control, security, IP cameras, and weather, as well as modules for tying in the likes of the fireplaces and shades. Also shown here is the iPad incarnation.

From an interface perspective, AMX's extended touch panel functionality permits users to reserve a room or extend a meeting from an AMX Modero touch panel located in or outside the meeting room, as an alternative to logging on to a PC and accessing the scheduling system that way.

In addition to scheduling via touch panel, RMS also allows simplified room scheduling from Microsoft Outlook in a single step process that can be done from software on a single server rather than loading a special client on each user's PC. As Andrulis elaborates, "Scheduling, meeting invitations, recurrences, selection of digital signage elements, and selection of automation macros is all handled through the new AMX form in Microsoft Exchange for seamless scheduling."

Most important of all is for all of that to allow the end user to accomplish these things simply.

"Simplicity on the front end is the key to a great control system," insists Bond. "The user interface needs to be clean, and intuitive." He further points out that control systems are purchased by the aging baby boomers and young dot-comers alike, so a stock user interface has to be useable for both groups (again, unless they are willing to pay for more customized programming).

Going after that segment, Colorado vNet offers two screen sizes: the 4.7" touch panel TS1-4/50 and the 7" touch panel TS1-7/70, both of which offer the same intuitive layout and "cookie crumb" layered system of pages to get even a total technophobe back to a previous screens. That allows users to access control application modules for climate control, security, IP cameras, and weather, as well as modules for tying in the likes of the fireplaces and shades.

"Combine these with Colorado vNet Lighting Control offerings and iPad integration in the coming months" notes Bond, "and it shows that Colorado vNet (intends to deliver on its) ‘Life Simplified' tag line."

Central to Crestron's view of simplified unified control is its new Core3 OS, which is a complete redesign of its control system. Cloud based, and IPV6 ready, it gives the control processors more power, speed, memory and security. Only one controller is needed to run even the largest projects now, rather than master controllers and sub zone controllers.

Savant's take on the trend of unified control is its TrueControl Application. Taking advantage of the unique features of both the iPad and Savant's ROSIE control, TrueControl delivers interactive features with immersive control, including user-defined backgrounds, categories, and favourite channels. Additionally, it delivers integration with everything from iTunes multimedia content, to other popular music services, and even security cameras.

Of special interest to control programmers, the end-user customization of TrueControl provides a toolbox for easy user customizations, such as user-changeable backgrounds, user-defined categories and channel favourites. A changeable background can be any image in the iPad's photos application, Flickr, Facebook or the Internet, which is selected, positioned and set as the Savant iPad user interface (UI) background.

Other features include the ability to access environmental controls (lighting, climate, security etc.) for the entire residence or facility from any room. Push-to-Talk (PTT) Intercom communication is also supported in TrueControl. As well, the use of popovers and popups provide quick access to additional information or control options.

The Interactive Navigation Touch Screens allow users to touch or swipe actual images of a room in their home to turn on/off or dim the lights, while providing two-way feedback. The ‘cool' factor of having a client touching an actual image of the lighting fixtures in a dealer's showroom on the iPad UI, and having the lights dim up and down on the iPad user interface while simultaneously in the room itself, is the kind of thing that gets clients talking.

Savant has also just rolled out a new feature called Guest Access, which allows users to set up a single iPad with optional authentication credentials. The end-user's iPad devices can then simply join the network and attach to the Savant System using Savant TrueControl. This allows dealers to configure a set of iPads for use in various scenarios. For instance, the client may want to provide a guest room-only interface and allow their friends' iPads to readily connect to it. With Guest Access, guests simply install Savant TrueControl and enter the username and password provided by the homeowner.

Central to Crestron's view of simplified unified control is its new Core3 OS, which is a complete redesign of its control system. Cloud based, and IPV6 ready, it gives the company's control processors more power, speed, memory and security. Only one controller is needed to run even the largest projects now, rather than master controllers and sub zone controllers. It's also the foundation for the company's new GUI framework. It can run hundreds of flash objects at the same time, and can consolidate all those objects into a single object for programming simplicity. This cuts down on programming time and streamlines programming, testing and debugging.

Joe Andrulis, Vice President, Marketing, AMX: "The Apple iPad announcement has brought considerable attention to the subject of Apple and our ability to integrate AMX with Apple products. The iPad is another great example of a user interface that complements our user interface lines like Modero, Metreau, Mio, Mio R-Series remotes, and Novara ControlPads."

Interfaces, and adaptors for incorporating iPads into in wall and desktop docks feature prominently in Crestron's new strategy. The one that's generating the most buzz is the iPanel: a handheld adaptor, with it's own docking station that turns an iPad into a Crestron touch panel with buttons on the sides. As strange as that sounds when you first say it out loud, there are plenty of user applications where hard buttons on a handheld touch panel make a lot of sense. Fortunately the shell of the iPanel is a sleek form factor that doesn't cludge up the lines of the iPad.

Does this mean that Crestron's large line of touch panels of various sizes (and more important, high prices) is a thing of the past? Not necessarily. Jeff Singer, Crestron's Marketing Communications Director, says they're seeing a number of different evolutions in the touch panel category.

"All of our touch panels are now moving towards operating on an exclusive Windows embedded platform that can support a number of functions." This includes Web browsing, streaming media, A/V, VOIP, and extensive use of plug-ins, widgets and Flash. It's Crestron's view that Flash and Ethernet capability offer users a better video browsing experience than the iPad can deliver (Adobe's Flash is neither supported by the iPhone nor the iPad; and Apple has even suggested that future MacBooks may come without the software already installed). In addition, Singer points out that Crestron's smaller touch panels are configured to accept power over Ethernet. "Which is very helpful in terms of installation," he explains.

Further explaining the advantages that dedicated touch panels have, Singer points out that by communicating directly with the network, Crestron's panels are able to do a number of different things that are facilitated by not having to punt through a control processor. "They can extract information via widgets directly form the Internet," Singer elaborates, "Weather, stocks, sports, et cetera." Plus, he continues, "with the power of Flash, programmers don't have to draw by hand or program their own graphics and animations. Buttons and sliders are widely available and easy to customize."

The reason for that is that Flash objects are vector files, and can be scaled easily. "In the past, programmers or GUI designers needed to redraw images manually and scale them to each size touch panel." In addition, it's easy to program indicated active/inactive states on buttons. "They used to be two different objects, but now changed states can be a single image file. That significantly reduces size of files, and makes change orders extremely easy." The bottom line for all this, according to Singer, is that dealers can actually keep their profit margins on programming through increased efficiency.

iPad interfaces, and adaptors for incorporating iPads into in wall and desktop docks, feature prominently in Crestron's new strategy. The one that's generating the most buzz is the iPanel: a handheld adaptor with its own docking station that turns an iPad into a Crestron touch panel with buttons on the sides. As strange as that sounds when you first say that out loud, there are plenty of user applications where hard buttons on a handheld touch panel make a lot of sense. Fortunately the shell of the iPanel is a sleek form factor that doesn't cludge up the lines of the iPad.

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