by Jeff Kleist at January 26, 2012 3:33 pm
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SCI-Arc and Caltech have designed the Compact Hyper-Insulated Prototype (CHIP) Solar house in a successful bid to win the Department of Energy’s Solar Decathalon. Featuring 45 solar panels on the roof, the domicile can generate up to three times its energy requirements, enough power to charge two electric cars on top of keeping everything running.
Currently on display at the California Science Center, one of CHIP’s secret weapons in power savings is the Xbox Kinect, which is integrated into the home automation system. Those who prefer manual control can use gestures to turn off lights, or raise and lower shades. Less engaged individuals are tracked by the Kinect camera, and the system cuts the juice to areas that are not occupied, or takes other smart measures to ensure efficiency.
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