March 1, 2007
Automation is one of the hottest areas of digital home technology. According to Dallas research firm Parks Associates, the U.S. market for ome-control hardware and software will almost double < to $6 billion < by 2012.

But here's another number: According to a survey by the Z-Wave Alliance, 72 percent of Americans want to monitor their homes when they're not there. While many automation products offer an Internet-based control feature, there are several companies whose sole purpose is to give homeowners piece of mind, whether they want full-blown automation or not. For builders and installers, the opportunities range from differentiation, to up-sell, to ongoing service contracts.

Bill Diamond, president of Xanboo in New York, says 80 percent of people who use remote monitoring products based on Xanboo technology buy more add-ons for their homes (www.xanboo.com). The company is working with security installers, as well as service providers such as AT&T and BellSouth, to get its products into homes. Here's how it works:

A series of wireless sensors (water, temperature, power, motion) and wireless or wired cameras connect through an in-house controller to the Internet at large. For a monthly fee, usually $10 to $15, the homeowner can receive alerts, pictures, or live video feeds via an Internet-connected PC, cell phone, or personal digital assistant. Xanboo starter kits from AT&T, BellSouth, or Motorola go for about $100, and a handy, $200 gateway eliminates the need for an in-house PC connection.