VCU engineering partners with invensys to develop smart appliance controls

By Marcia Meredith

RICHMOND, Va. – Smart dishwashers that detect the cleanliness of pans or plates could decide to use more or less soap and water. Or appliance operator interfaces as simple as pressing "go." These are among the ways that a research venture between Virginia Commonwealth University’s School of Engineering and Invensys Controls could create the home of the future. VCU and the appliance control manufacturer are partnering to create the next generation of control systems for household devices.

The two-year project is supported by a $158,000 National Science Foundation grant for academic-industry alliances in design, manufacturing and innovation. Invensys Controls has added another $172,000 to the project, designed to develop adaptable, intelligent appliance controllers.

"There are lots of possibilities out there," said Rosalyn Hobson, Ph.D., VCU assistant professor of electrical engineering. "We’re looking at how to turn those possibilities into realities."

The research-and-development project builds on the school’s affiliation with regional industry, as well as the faculty’s commitment to addressing the manufacturing questions facing its partners.

"Ultimately, our partnership will give homeowners peace of mind that their home is safe –– no matter where they are. Using an interface that’s as simple as an ATM, homeowners will be able to monitor and adjust appliances, air conditioning, lighting or irrigation from an office computer, a laptop or even a cell phone. And the appliances will be intelligent to enable the reduction of energy consumption, detergent usage and water, for example," said Tim Matt, Invensys Controls vice president for advanced technology development.

These so-called smart appliances adapt to conditions without intervention by humans. The VCU-Invensys venture seeks to create a generic control module for use in what the industry calls "large white appliances:" dishwashers, refrigerators, washers, dryers and ovens.

"If I have a system, I need to have something that goes back to the ‘brain’ saying that it is doing or not doing what I have asked it to do," Hobson said. "Humans know that systems are working because they receive feedback. We need to design appliance systems that give that same level of feedback."

Added Robert H. Klenke, Ph.D., VCU associate professor of electrical engineering, "We’re looking at ways to make appliances more efficient in their current mode of operation."

The VCU-Invensys project also is designed to create a development environment for the customization of generic appliance controllers. Klenke works with embedded systems, in which designers must determine whether smart control systems should be introduced into a device’s fundamental construction or via a separate software program.

During the next year, the VCU project team – which will include both undergraduate and graduate engineering students – will survey existing technology to determine how it can be integrated with Invensys projects.