Stay In Control

Fully programmable, GSM Commander is capable of managing everything from opening and closing gates remotely to monitoring energy consumption. It performs its automation magic either by SMS or the cloud. And, according to its creators Polygon Technologies, it is easily programmed using its own Smart Setup Software, which is based on a point and click interface.

What you can use it to control:

•  Access Activate automated gates or doors via a simple dropped call from a cellphone. If there’s a gate position sensor, the home owner can be alerted if the gate has been forced or left open.
• Timed switching Turn things on and off via SMS or automatically on a set date or time. For instance, switch off your geyser to save electricity, or your lights to make it look like someone’s at home.
• Heating and cooling. Floor heating can be automatically turned on or off based on outside temperature; conventional air-conditioners can be made “smart” in the same way.
• Irrigation. In addition to turning on irrigation automatically as part of a daily programme, activating Rain mode via SMS will stop the system from irrigating during showers.
• Pool management. If you’ve got a solar-heated pool, you can program the GSM Commander to pump hot water into your pool only if the roof temperature is above your chosen threshold.
• Energy monitoring. If you are using too much electricity according to preset criteria, the GSM Commander will alert you via SMS or automatically turn off high-power loads (or both). You can also track water consumption.

An additional function of the GSM Commander system can be used in conjunction with your existing alarm system at home, or can replace it entirely. It allows you to arm or disarm your home alarm via SMS, automatically if needed. Programming the unit to provide automation functionality combined with the alarm could, say, open and close access points, allowing a set time between actions, turn on specific lights, air-con and TV. If you do actually have a burglar, detailed SMS alerts can be sent in real time via SMS (“Burglar has just entered your house via the main bedroom window on DATE at TIME”). As intruders move through the building, updated SMSs will be sent should you choose to have this functionality enabled. Loading neighbours onto the system means that they get the alerts as well and there’s an optional pepper gas dispensing add-on. In addition to its SMS communications, there’s a Web-based platform called AirDrive (airdrive.co.za) where you can view the live status of everything you are controlling, from lights to energy consumption, incident logs and control systems and appliances, and reprogram the device itself.

To find out more: johnf@gsmcommander.com

www.popularmechanics.co.za _ FEBRUARY 2017