The Greener Grass Concept- the current state

We were inspired by the energy visualization concepts and the lack of well design device timers to create this high tech system to help individuals take control of their energy usage. Current State is a real-time energy use monitoring system and timer for powered devices combined into one. The Current State system is made up of two parts, a mobile application for you cell phone, which allows you to control and monitor electricity use from anywhere, and a series of Plug-Ends that give you control over the products around your house.



How it Works

1. Order the system online, specifying the number of Plug-Ends needed.
2. Install Current State software on your mobile device.
3. Attach Plug-Ends to powered devices around your house.
4. Sync Plug-Ends to software, giving each powered device a descriptive name and confirming its location within your house.
5. Use Current State to remotely monitor your energy usage, control your devices, and set up automatic timers.



The Plug-Ends
The Plug-Ends allow users to turn powered devices on or off remotely. Devices can be turned on and off and the flick of Current State's virtual switches, or set up on timers to turn themselves on and off at specified times.

The Plug-Ends are designed to be simple and energy conscious. They contain no LEDs or screens. All of their controls can be accessed through your mobile device.


Current State Software
The Current State software is designed to help users monitor their energy usage and take steps to control their energy consumption. Here is a closer look at some of the application's features...

Usage and Goals
The Usage screens focus on energy consumption throughout your house. The main screen shows real-time energy rates and your overall usage in killowatt hours and dollars for your current billing period. An overall graphic of your home depicts rooms that are at high, acceptable, or low energy consumption.


Close ups of each room help identify which devices and outlets are causing the most drain. Current State is designed to help educate users and therefore uses a percentage system based on a user's energy goals to judge over consumption. Users can specify energy goals for each room or device. Energy usage is shown as a percentage of that goal, where 100% is the set goal and anything above or below 100% shows excess consumption or efficiency.


Energy efficiency goals can be monitored and changed over time. For extra motivation and a competitive twist, your energy usage and goals are ranked in comparison to other users in your neighborhood and around the country. Participating energy companies can choose to add additional incentives for well set and achieved efficiency goals.



Controls
The Control section of Current State gives users remote control over any powered device in their house with a Plug-End attached to it. Devices can be turned on or off from anywhere within or outside of the home. All devices have an additional Auto setting, which acts as a timer. There are many devices within a house that do not need to be powered up, or even on standby, at all hours of the day. For these types of devices, the Auto timer setting can be used. Users set on and off times for both morning and night time hours to help reduce excess energy usage and increase their home's overall efficiency.