NEC turns your home into a carbon-tracking game controller

Are you bored with keeping tabs of your carbon emissions? NEC and BIGLOBE have developed a system that not only performs this odious task, but makes it "fun" to do so -- if you're generous as to what constitutes "fun." A WiFi-enabled device is attached to your circuit breaker, where it keeps track of your power consumption and later transmits it to your home computer via ZigBee. The data is then sent to a website, where you can use it to play games against other green households in such thrilling arenas as Carbon Diet (users score "eco-points" with which they can purchase virtual soil, water, flowers and grass) and Carbon Ball, in which Dung Beetles compete to see who can travel the farthest, with distance being determined by -- you guessed it -- how well the user reduces power consumption. But that ain't all -- the system also keeps tabs on daily and hourly energy consumption, your rank in comparison with other households, and more. A three-month trial service is underway in the homes of 100 NEC employees, after which the companies will analyze the data and develop a business model for unloading this bad boy on local governments and the private sector. One more pic after the break.

[Via Pink Tentacle]

[The WC @ Apr 3rd 2009 3:37PM]

"Purchase virtual soil, water, flowers and grass?" I fail to see how this helps the environment any.

[mataapala @ Apr 3rd 2009 4:22PM]

dito...
it's sometimes ridiculous how hard companys try to "look green", yet it's only to position themself in the good part of the market.

[pofc @ Apr 3rd 2009 3:39PM]

Sigh...

[DooM @ Apr 3rd 2009 3:47PM]

Finally people will be able to cheat at saving the environment.

[poppadot @ Apr 3rd 2009 5:29PM]

If a guy cheats on his greenhouse gasses in the forest...

wait, wouldn't I need to CARE about my emissions to want to cheat first?

[Jay Voorhees @ Apr 3rd 2009 3:54PM]

So they want you to track the impact of your power consumption by...consuming more power and playing games to celebrate your power saving abilities.

Interesting idea but if you were able to imput other things like automobile usage and airplane rides it would be both more accurate and perhaps more life changing when people finally realize in a quantitative way how much of an impact they're making on the environment during every day activities.

[Rocketboy @ Apr 3rd 2009 4:17PM]

Wow, I get the chance to feel better about myself by playing as a freakin DUNG BEETLE? Egads.

[Venom16 @ Apr 3rd 2009 4:37PM]

What the hell do you idiots get from mocking this attempt to allow easier tracking of carbon emissions?
Sure, its probably a profit scheme, and I can totally agree the whole 'dung beetle' concept is a bit of a stretch, but at least its something.
The sheer fact that you guys go online to criticize the process, not the purpose, shows just how arrogant and cynical we are in our approach to global warming.

Most people don't know how they stand on their carbon footprint. The more tech-savy, e.g, probably you and I, can go online, input the data, and take actual measures to fix it. Like the installation of solar panels, greener machinery, and the like. This is is a simple method for allowing other less savy people to have a clearer understand of how it works, while using the underlying premise of 'competition encourages action'. The most important part in this article?

"A WiFi-enabled device is attached to your circuit breaker, where it keeps track of your power consumption and later transmits it to your home computer..."

Hell, I'd buy this just for something like that. Sure, you can yell out a hundred alternatives, but its a step forward, not back. Yes, its to make a profit of the green 'craze'. Not that brilliant of a discovery, considering their a private firm...but at least its something to combat global warming.

I worry that one day, bigots like you will ensure the destruction of our race, by deciding to remain arrogant until the bitter end.
For fucks sake, clean up your mess.
Or at least don't go online to complain about other people trying to do it for you.

[The WC @ Apr 3rd 2009 6:09PM]

First, people are far less willing to listen to you if you call them "arrogant bigots." (Pot calling Kettle black, I know)

Second, I would be in agreement with you, but if the Earth's average temperature raises just a few degrees Celsius more, our goose is literally cooked. And Oil production reached it's peak in 2006. I'd say we're well past the stage of prevention.

I've got my solar panels, water filtration system, seeds, and firestarter all ready to go when we run out of electricity. And Conservatives may laugh at me, but I'd rather be prepared for an emergency that never comes than to be caught with my pants down.

[Venom16 @ Apr 3rd 2009 6:14PM]

Point well taken. Perhaps not the best method of 'delivery to the masses'...Still, I can't be expected to be rational in the middle of my little vent session, haha.

I agree with your statement, but the very fact that our goose isn't cooked is testament enough either to our sheer luck or the work of those rare people in the world who are trying to do something about it. Ostracizing those people with petty name-calling or calls of profiteering helps no one. I just wished to point that out.

I think I may need to get me that water filtration system, sounds pretty smart. Thanks, :P.

[The WC @ Apr 3rd 2009 11:30PM]

Well, if you're interested, check out page 102 and 103 of "When Technology Fails." I'm reading through it right now, but don't recommend that everyone buy it at once. 400 pages of emergency instructions can make a self-fulfilling prophesy : people buy 400 page book on preparing for global warming, publishers ask more trees to be cut down to make more books, global warming happens, etc.

I recommend the AquaRain 400. It's got field-serviceable ceramic filters (you can clean them on your own - no replacing!) processes 24 to 30 gallons a day, and is relatively inexpensive at $260.

[LongshotX @ Apr 3rd 2009 4:45PM]

Even shit can be green sometimes.

[Mycroft @ Apr 3rd 2009 4:51PM]

I would suggest spending some of your carbon educating yourself.

Of course, it will require an open mind...

http://www.cato.org/special/climatechange/

[Nastro @ Apr 3rd 2009 5:20PM]

An open mind in todays age requires intellect.....much of which is lacking in todays world filled with our "Liberal" intellectuals with art degree's.

[schapman434 @ Apr 3rd 2009 4:58PM]

Lame! I spend my spare time figuring out how to supersize my carbon footprint.

[Mark @ Apr 3rd 2009 5:25PM]

Joke that took two days to translate? The read link has an April 1, 2009 date on it.

[Nastro @ Apr 3rd 2009 5:18PM]

Anyone who takes this carbon BS seriosuly deserve to be fleeced by the charlatan Al gore.....sigh in the age of near unlimited information Americans remain and are becoming the dumbest sheeps in the flock.

[derekwf @ Apr 3rd 2009 7:27PM]

This reminds me. I need to go toss some tires on the fire.

[Vijay @ Apr 4th 2009 6:01PM]

so, where's the hardware & specs? and when can I buy one? and does it break power down to the whole panel as most meters do, or can I break the usage down to separate circuits? I don't think I've seen a power meter that can report on per-circuit power consumption. There's a difference between "my house used 5kW" and "20% of my utilization is going to a single appliance or circuit."

[Vijay @ Apr 4th 2009 1:08PM]

so, where's the hardware & specs? and when can I buy one? and does it break power down to the whole panel as most meters do, or can I break the usage down to separate circuits? I don't think I've seen a power meter that can report on per-circuit power consumption. There's a difference between "my house used 5kW" and "20% of my utilization is going to a single appliance or circuit."

[kuade @ Apr 4th 2009 8:43PM]

EPIC FAIL

[Brian @ Apr 5th 2009 7:49AM]

Am I the only person getting tired of hearing about 'carbon footprints' and the like? It's not enough that people pay for their goods and services, but now they are getting hamstrung with some obscure moral obligation to be 'green.'