Modbus Base Camp for Devices

If I were to make an appliance/device/meter/controller today, I would make it speak Modbus. You will note I have not defined my domain, market, breadth, nor whether wireless is needed, nor whether it is a consumer or end user application or for the enterprise.

The Modbus assertion is the aggregation of the nuances across the board… all the way from the level of hacking together a small Arduino http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arduino based controller for sensing the kitchen window open - through medium sized embedded Ethernet controllers based on something like Lantronix Xports http://www.lantronix.com/device-networking/embedded-device-servers/xport.html - to the level of large equipment controlling real world industrial and mechanical processes for large enterprises (like entire agencies of sovereign entities).

Note that I have not specified Modbus over RS485 or RS232 or TCP/IP; nor have I specified layered ways of transporting the protocol (like Ethernet, Wireless and Fiber).

One can poke at Modbus saying – no security, no object model, and little structure. Modbus’ beauty is in its simplicity, and in that one's needed features can be overlaid. Two of my favorite overlays are BACnet and XML, but even these can be said to incompletely address concerns about security and standardized device model representations. But again, one can overlay, and for those who do not even understand what a “standard device model representation” might get them, they can have Modbus now, and deal with that issue later, once their understanding deepens.

Dealing with Modbus “now” is what it is all about. One way or another, with a public Modbus profile of implemented functions, and register map, for a device, one can get connected and talk to it. Systematic functional understanding can be overlaid as one learns.

Some have taken up the Modbus banner. Temco controls has done so in fine fashion http://www.temcocontrols.com/ .

Most meters have Modbus interfaces. Here are a few (in no particular order and without effort to be complete):
http://www.electroind.com/shark.html
http://www.eaton.com/meters
http://www.powerlogic.com/productcategory.cfm/c_id/1

Appliances that consume electric/gas/water (washer/dryer) and all things renewable (solar, inverters, wind, nano-hydro) should take up this banner. Appliances do not appear to be going towards HANs fast in any case. But the Sunspec Alliance http://www.sunspec.org/ is notable for placing at least some basis on Modbus (as well as more forward looking XML).

See my recent article in the December issue of Automated Buildings on making a small BACnet device where Modbus as a stepping stone is alluded to http://www.automatedbuildings.com/news/dec12/articles/cimetrics/121122110404cimetrics.html .

Batteries and Energy Storage

Many friends and colleagues are deeply devoted to Lithium battery technologies. There is some great research at my alma mater Dalhousie University.
http://fizz.phys.dal.ca/~dahn/jeffDahn.html

But, though not very exciting, the past, present and potential of Ni-x chemistries and ultracapacitors seem very real
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NiMH_battery
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nickel%E2%80%93hydrogen_battery
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nickel%E2%80%93iron_battery
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nickel%E2%80%93zinc_battery
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NiCad

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_double-layer_capacitor

One must make the mental leap to supporting such with electronics and devices (charge and discharge) tuned to a charge bucket instead of a chemical cell.

And when it comes to equations involving battery mass and volume (transportable), it is hard to beat Lithium systems.

Advanced Thermal Insulation

Aerogel and VIP.

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

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nanogel_(insulation)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vacuum_insulated_panel
VIPs often seen in award winning green designs.

Would like to get a cubic metre of each of these

• Lumira loose, for attic, sill and crawl spaces
• VIP blocks about 30 x 30 x 2 cm, for general surfaces
• Spaceloft blankets about 1cm thick, for insulating behind radiators, around the fridge, freezer and hotwater heater

Insulation for any places highlighted by a survey with a thermographic camera...

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

Thermal cameras have come down in price and moved to retail themselves – note the FLIR/Extech i7.

http://www.flir.com/thermography/apac/au/view/?id=54662

Puzzle: Why not more plain foam (fire risk) between cement (CaO quicklime or MgO magnesia) fireproof panels? There seems to be an emerging supply of thin robust cement boards. But cannot find at local retail board at under 4mm thick (light enough to be manageable).

And it freezes the heart to think of using nails and screws with any advanced insulation system. Plastic/ceramic fasteners are not common place in North America.

http://www.twistfix.co.uk/products/insulation-fixings-products.html

Searching “fixings” here generally gets condiments for a burger or hotdog. Insulation fasteners searches do not uncover much.

LED Lighting Roundup - and Real LED Lamps

Roundup by Greentech’s Doug Widney
http://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/The-Top-Ten-LED-Lighting-Developments-of-2012
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LED_lamp
Not a week goes by without an interesting gem at Greentech.
http://www.greentechmedia.com/

Here are some LED lamps which are within the margins of USB (and by transference 802.3af). Note they have a 120VAC adapter and can be converted (with some wiring work).

IKEA Jansjo white desk work light
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/90214233/

Target Room Essentials 074-14-0009 black desk work light
http://www.target.com/p/room-essentials-led-table-lamp-black/-/A-13557999
Picture on web is not quite a match to what is in store.

Wiring work to retrofit with USB connector and use cable and USB 1A wall adapter like
http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=108&p_id=8857

Puzzle: Why do LED lamps (in the 5W range) not simply use USB power connector format and include a USB wall adapter for region? USB would be cheaper and easier for everyone in supply chain.
http://hardware.slashdot.org/story/12/07/24/028230/usb-30-100w-power-standard-seeks-to-end-proprietary-chargers

Energy 2013 - Big (Unexciting) Things

Big (but unexciting?) energy related things for new year.
Solar and renewable/alternative energy get better all the time.
But perhaps it is about using energy better?

Cherry picking energy related items from
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_emerging_technologies
whilst taking the position/measure that each needs to be available now or soon at local retail. Will follow-up with brief entry on each.

• LED lighting
• Advanced insulation (and thermal surveys)
• Batteries and energy storage

More forward looking and service oriented...

• Energy surveys 
• Longterm or broad analysis (continuous and big data)
• Sensors (motes) everywhere to fire the data engine
• Better behavioural research