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Smart buildings are no longer just homes or offices, where in each room with the help of panels used to manage individual parameters of the environment, we can regulate, for example, lighting or temperature. Innovative solutions are also used in public spaces – these include. places where different variants of interactive user navigation are introduced, e.g., petitioners in offices.
All smart systems are built in a similar way – at their heart is a control panel, to which other smart devices are connected, among others. Sensors, alarm systems, outlets, locks and even… food and drink feeders for pets. We can manage individual areas using panels or a smartphone app, for example. In this article we present selected solutions from Unisystem’s offer, which can be successfully applied in smart buildings.
Displays for smart appliances
Not every smart device mentioned is fitted with a display – you won’t always find them, among other things. in the sensors, although this is not the rule. Similarly, in the case of, for example, thermostatic heads – if there are screens in them, they are usually small in size, e.g. with diagonals not exceeding 1.5 inches, which do not require backlighting. The most common are reflective displays. The readability of the content presented on them is conditioned by access to a light source – the light they emit illuminates the screen by reflecting off the mirror behind it. These are not standard solutions – each requires customization, making them made to order. The production of such modules is handled by one of our suppliers, Winstar.
LCD-TFT displays are increasingly being installed in the smart appliances around us. They are found not only in panels, but also in, for example, devices that present data collected by sensors, among others. weather stations. It can be said that these are relatively “undemanding” applications – optimal readability of the content will be obtained at brightness levels as low as approx. 200-300 cd/m2. An area worth noting, however, is the method of control – they are usually touch-operated equipment, so we recommend using modules with a touch panel.
In the table we present examples of LCD-TFT display models from Winstar available from Unisystem, which can be used in the discussed applications:
| application | model | diagonal | resolution | active area | clarity | angles of observation | external dimensions | touch panel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| devices for presenting data, e.g. weather stations | WF35XTYACDNN0# | 3.5″ | 320×240 | 70.1 × 52.6 mm | 500 cd/m2 | full | 76.8 x 63.8 x 3.3 mm | no* |
| id. | WF40ETWAA6MNN0# | 4.0″ | 480×480 | 71.9 x 70.2 mm | 500 cd/m2 | full | 78.8 x 82.9 x 4.8 mm | no* |
| id. | WF50DTYA3MNG10# | 5.0″ | 720×1280 | 62.1 x 110.4 mm | 250 cd/m2 | full | 73.3 x 127.6 x 3.4 mm | yes, capacitive |
| panels | WF50ETWAGDNN0# | 5.0″ | 800×480 | 108.0 ×64.8 mm | 500 cd/m2 | full | 121.0 × 77.4 × 3.0 mm. | no* |
| id. | WF70A8TYAHLNG0# | 7.0″ | 1024×600 | 154.2 x 85.9 mm | 450 cd/m2 | full | 169.9 x 103.4 x 7.2 mm | yes, capacitive |
| id. | WF101GTYAPLNN0# | 10.1″ | 1280×800 | 216.9 x 135.6 mm | 350 cd/m2 | full | 229.3 x 148.9 x 2.5 mm | no* |
* One of the services Unisystem offers is the possibility of combining LCD-TFT displays with touch sensors and protective glass, as well as additional coatings such as anti-glare (AG) or anti-reflective (AR) – contact us for a quote.
Design: personalized HMI
On the market we can easily purchase a ready-to-install HMI panel, which we can implement, for example, at home. However, it should be borne in mind that such products have certain limitations, among others. lack of matching modules, such as a camera. The solution created at Unisystem is completely personalized – designed and manufactured according to customer requirements.
Interestingly, the described HMI panel was originally assembled in China – undoubtedly a cost-optimizing situation, but fraught with a fair number of problems related to, among other things. with logistics, including the sensitive area of complaints. The client, after a series of disappointments, decided to move production to Europe – which is how the project came to Unisystem. Our goal was to develop a module that would not only work efficiently, but also look aesthetically pleasing – as a result of a comprehensive analysis, we made several improvements in the electronics area, and also redesigned the housing.
This is a solution that is not only applicable to individual households. It can also be successfully implemented in, for example, apartment complexes serving as part of a common communication system between tenants. It is already being used in this way, among others. On one of Switzerland’s housing estates.
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Project: Incrediscope
As part of the Incrediscope project, we are developing a novel system for building navigation. Its basis consists of e-paper displays linked within a single network, on which directions for moving through a given space are presented. The messages are individually tailored to each person who registers with the network – the only condition is access to a smartphone with Bluetooth. Users are assigned unique numbers, which in the system is a kind of identifier – based on it, the next steps are recommended, for example. “Turn right” or “turn left.” Everything is done in a flash – according to the design, it should take the user no more than seven seconds to orient himself in the space. After that, he should have already spotted the right clue and be heading to the next point.
It is worth mentioning that the implementation of the system is not a complicated process – these are place&play solutions. The key, however, is the placement of individual e-paper displays – they should be located at strategic points, such as at the intersection of traffic routes.
We are implementing the Incrediscope project in cooperation with Visionect. Part of the funding for the development of the prototype system came from the Eureka program run by the National Center for Research and Development.
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Usually in the context of smart buildings, among other things, it is emphasized. convenience for users, such as the ability to adjust the temperature by entering the appropriate values on the panel, without having to set the parameters of individual devices. It is worth noting that smart buildings are energy-efficient buildings. By investing in heating management systems, for example, we can remotely control the operation of individual appliances, among other things. heaters – from the smartphone app, we can turn them off when we leave for work and turn them on before returning home. This will not only benefit our wallet, but also the environment.