Integration of the Multi Agent System Paradigm and ZigBee Smart Home Area Network

The field of domestic electricity usage management and optimization is one of the most influential nowadays, and in many countries around the world it has started to be part of governmental concerns. The idea that, by using technology, not only can we reduce our energy consumption but also contribute to our neighborhood or city's energy generation effort is very appealing. However, the solution needs to be commercially sustainable by making use of components that are cheap, easy to integrate and operate. Moreover, the implementation of what is now commonly called Home Energy Management Systems (HEMS), requires a complete integration of wireless network technologies on one hand, and communication and control mechanisms on the other hand. In this paper, we present our approach for the integration of the two technologies introduced above, ZigBee for the wireless networking part and a combination of Java-based technologies for the communication and control.