Visual programming of an interactive smart home application using LabVIEW

This paper presents the modeling, functionality and implementation of a modern interactive smart home system, which supports several automations for comfortable and secure living, including an energy management subsystem which cooperates with a rooftop photovoltaic installation. The smart home application was developed in the LabVIEW graphical programming environment, being a challenging task since LabVIEW is primarily targeting data collection and analysis as well as complex measurements and trials in laboratory and industrial environments. However, a lot of attractive capabilities it provides for interfacing and control, processing of sensor input, visual (also known as dataflow or diagrammatic) programming and handy visualization promise a much wider adoption and application field. Consequently, it can be applied efficiently and effortlessly in modern home automation and smart home applications.