There are lots of switches around the average home but in the smart home most of them can become sensors as well as control interfaces. The primary difference between a button and a switch as we define them is that a button is essentially a momentary switch that is on whilst being pressed and off when not being pressed (or vice versa). A switch typically has two stable states, on and off. We also have switches in our smart home that are momentary on-off-on switches.
Switches are great! We love switches in our smart home. They are extremely cheap and reliable. They are intuitive and very easy to operate, so long as they are in reach of everyone that needs to use them. When a zero-touch user experience is not possible a switch makes a great alternative user interface.
The only real challenges with switches are:
We use common models for all the sensors and all the types of sensors connected to our Home Control System. Combined with technology abstraction this means that any sensor added inherits all the capabilities supported by each model and our smart home. Buttons are no exception and every one connected becomes instantly very smart. They can all generate or generate voice announcements if required or trigger an alarm.
Our model for buttons supports really easy configuration to enable them to information into our contextual smart home.
Momentary switches can also be considered as buttons and we use them to control lighting, dimmable lighting, blinds and curtains.
For the best possible reliability and performance, our preference is to use wired switches where ever possible. They require no batteries and also have very low latency. Low latency results in the best possible user experience. When you press a switch, you really want an instant response.
In some instances it is not possible to run wires, so we use wireless Z-Wave buttons and switches.
