If your family is like any other in the world, they are constantly arguing about what temperature to keep the thermostat. THIS will end all that …
The HVAC system that watches you, and checks how hot or cold you are
Last June, scientists from the University of Michigan[1] presented their idea for an HVAC system: it’s a video camera with thermal imaging. The special infrared camera observes people (like in your home or in your office at work) and checks whether they feel hot or cold.
The camera takes an infrared reading of your facial temperature, to get a good idea of whether you’re comfortable or not. This technology, which the scientists called HEAT (Human Embodied Autonomous Thermostat), would in theory be able to check the face temperature of everybody in your house, or everybody in your office, to see who’s too hot, and who’s too cold.
How does this system decide the ideal temperature?
You might be wondering, then what? Sure, this HVAC system sounds really cool and advanced in theory, but what if half the people in your office are too cold, and half of them are too hot? Then how does the HVAC system decide what to do? Who gets to be comfortable, and who has to stay uncomfortable? Well, the answer to that question is a bit less clear, but the scientists did mention that the HVAC system would use complex AI to train itself, to make the whole group the happiest. It makes its decision based on what will suit the most people … So if everyone else is hot and you’re cold, well, “Sorry, Charlie!”
Is this technology invasive?
Another question that people have about the “HEAT” HVAC system, especially in this day and age of privacy concerns and the fear of being constantly surveilled on camera: is this camera watching you all the time? Especially if your employer uses it, you might be wondering about this happening without your knowledge? Or, you might wonder whether this HVAC system plans to use facial recognition. The scientists who first came up with this idea of a thermal imaging HVAC system did not mention anything about facial recognition technology being used. After all, why would it be necessary?
Overall, the privacy questions are difficult to answer, since this concept is still in its infancy, and is not a reality yet. But, we have the feeling that your HVAC system is going to be the least of your privacy concerns in the future world!
Very interesting …
We here at H.A. Sun in Bloomfield Hills are also always staying as innovative as possible with the HVAC models and products we sell!
Right now, we offer reliable and innovative HVAC systems … not an artificial intelligence system that will decide the temperature for you. But maybe that is for the best. After all, if you are too hot or too cold, do you want to have to hear, “That’s what the robot picked, so that’s what you’re getting”?
To learn more about our offers, or if you need HVAC service from us, contact us online or call anytime: (248) 986-1506
