Ambient Orb power-usage hack reduces energy consumption by 40%

We've seen some interesting uses for Ambient Devices' various "thin data" products, but Mark Martinez, a Southern California Edison power station manager, has probably hit upon the most interesting application we've seen: by reprogramming the device to reflect energy usage and costs, customers in his 120-person test program managed to reduce their energy consumption by 40 percent. Martinez chalks the results up to the "sentinel effect," saying that ""It's nonintrusive. It has a relatively benign effect. But when you suddenly see your ball flashing red, you notice." Ambient Devices actually sells a similar product called the EnergyJoule, and we've seen some other monitoring attempts before, but we think we like Martinez's hack better -- it brings a little mod flair to living green. Hopefully he'll let us know how he did it soon.

[Via Inhabitat]

[strider_mt2k @ Aug 27th 2007 11:11PM]

Rumor is they're just going after anyone who tries to leave.

Waitaminute...

[Billy Fiul @ Aug 28th 2007 2:10AM]

A rat's ass, I could care less for... and ending a sentence with a preposition, I shall not do.

[strider_mt2k @ Aug 28th 2007 7:31AM]

What is this, the National Grammar Rodeo?

-and I'm not allowed to make the same Prisoner reference twice?

Spare me your barbs. :\

[Arbert @ Aug 27th 2007 11:20PM]

Zygote: the interactive party ball.

[Samsam @ Aug 28th 2007 12:19AM]

Wow, a use for my orb that I couldn't simply get by opening up a web browser, or turning on the TV, or checking my phone, or simply looking outside.

I must get it!

[jbcaro @ Aug 28th 2007 12:19AM]

Balls flashing RED!!!

That can't be a good thing.

[ryan @ Aug 28th 2007 1:16AM]

these light-up spheres are just so neat!
/sarcasm

but seriously, this may be the best use I've seen yet.

[Khamel @ Aug 28th 2007 1:21AM]

preposterous claim. i went on vacation for 3 weeks and my energy bill didn't even go down 40%. Unless you are leaving lights on all the time or running the AC/heat full blast when you aren't home, theres not much you can do to lower your electrical usage by 40%, let alone as a result of a glowing ball of light. get a cfl, turn off the lights and suck it up. $50/month is nothing. imagine living without.

[JohnTitor @ Aug 28th 2007 1:31AM]

Wow, I'd love to get one to monitor the Homeland Security levels (yes they can do that), it's orange now right?

[Special_K @ Aug 28th 2007 2:07AM]

I believe this is called the Energy Orb, and is actually made by Ambient devices; it's not a hack. Check it out: http://www.ambientdevices.com/products/energyorb.html

[Krono6 @ Aug 28th 2007 3:18AM]

I believe you didn't read the fucking description.
It's a hack of the Ambient Orb, not the special version.
From the official website: The Energy Orb is a special version of the product being used by many utilities to show the load on the grid, manage their demand and avoid brownouts.
http://www.ambientdevices.com/cat/products.html

[strider_mt2k @ Aug 28th 2007 7:44AM]

Orbo cares NOT for your puny Earth...uh...things.

(I really didn't come prepared for this one.)

[Brian @ Aug 28th 2007 2:38AM]

Let's see a video of it flashing red!

[rafael.ct @ Aug 28th 2007 6:39AM]

Well.. this was in wired paper version some time ago, that one with Martha Stewart on the cover.

What this device does is to glow red when the energy cost is high, like at 20h when everyone is sucking energy from the grid. At these times energy is more expensive.

What people do with the aid of the orb is to slightly change theirs schedules so they consume more energy only when its cheaper. That's how they got 40% off, not by consuming 40% less.

[indiepants @ Aug 28th 2007 12:09PM]

Actually, I can't tell if this is the Energy Orb or not. According to the article, this hack displays current usage (cool). The Energy Orb just displays energy cost (meh).

[Ben Shoemate @ Aug 31st 2007 12:30AM]

I did some research and here is how it could be do ne (most markets outside of new york don't give you real-time access to your energy usage - but these devices, which plug into your fuse box where the power enters your house do - http://www.powermeterstore.com/index.php?cPath=628). Combine that with a ambient device orb or a DIY orb (http://infosthetics.com/archives/2005/05/diy_ambient_orb.html) - and you've got a business model...make it wireless, efficient, accurate, and safe and I give you ~$250 for one.