What is Ambient?

We’re non-mad scientists.

No, we don’t have an evil laugh. But we do have a compulsion to investigate and innovate – specifically, better ways to communicate information. Here’s what our chosen subject sounds like in a research paper from the labs of MIT: “The use of physical fixtures and objects to display temporal information within an architectural space in a subtle and aesthetically pleasing way.” Here’s what it sounds like when the average non-scientist uses it at home: “Oooooh, cool…”

Read on to see what we’ve been working on lately

Energy Devices

The Ambient Stock OrbEnergy Orb

The Energy Orb displays real-time price of energy in a simple, elegant way. Which is probably why several leading utilities are supplying them to their customers. But whether you’re in San Francisco or Baltimore, the latest data is always available for broadcast to the Orbs over Ambient’s network.

Energy Orbs are a proven solution for utilities seeking to reduce the demand for electricity by providing consumers visual representations of demand response program pricing. As Jeff Smith of PG&E put it, “The orb is an exemplary tool of conservation ... and a really fun way to encourage customers to conserve energy.”

For a glimpse of actual results, just check out these reports

Energy JouleThe Ambient Home Joule

As Demand Response becomes the norm, utilities can encourage consumers to shift demand –and save money at the same time – by providing them an Energy Joule.

The Energy Joule allows utilities to easily notify consumers about current pricing and demand levels. The By glancing at the Joule at any time of the day, consumers can tell if/how they should be changing their behavior:

If it is red, it indicates high pricing and encourages consumers to shift discretionary use of electricity. Yellow indicates above average pricing and encourages reduction in demand, and green indicates average pricing.

In addition to the colored backlight, the Joule has a screen with two fill bars that show (1) the real time price per kW – the higher the bar; the more expensive the price and (2) the amount of energy being used in the home right now – the higher the bar, the greater
the consumption.

The screen is also capable of displaying the daily weather forecast for a local region.
This provides an “evergreen” quality to the device, making it valuable to the consumer even when electricity usage isn’t at the top of their minds. (like during non-peak
usage seasons.)

Consumer Devices

Cirrus and 7-DayThe Cirrus 7-Day Forecaster

The 7-Day Forecaster continuously displays forecast data for 150 U.S. locations from AccuWeather.com — no PC or internet connection required. Simply plug it in, and voila: You’ll always know what to expect from the elements. Track daily high and low temperature, precipitation, wind speed and direction, UV index, pollen, and air quality alerts. These 7-Day models even feature alerts for pollen and air quality.

The 7-Day ForecasterChoose the sleek Cirrus model or the original 7-Day design. The 7-Day has a color-changing backlight, while the Cirrus has a more subtle glow wheel to indicate
temperature at a glance.

For a complete list of the cities displayed on this device, please refer to our list of
forecast locations.

Flurry and Mist

Weather information, brought right to your bedside. These ingenious devices eliminate the complexity of alarm clocks, replacing fiddling and frustration with intuitive access to clock and alarm functions, plus a 2-day weather forecast from AccuWeather.com.

Mist has all of the features of our Flurry Alarm Clock, plus an FM radio with RDS (Radio Data System), and Ambient's InTouchTM Messaging Service.

The first thing you'll notice about these alarm clocks is the very large, easy-to-read time display. (Yes, it's dimmable.) We selected an amber backlight to make the display easy to read in the dark, without searing those little numbers into your retinas —                 Flurry Alarm Clockamber doesn't cause momentary blindness like white or blue displays can.

Like many of our products, the Flurry and Mist include a forecast from AccuWeather.com. We've provided a 2-day weather snapshot, so you’ll always know what to expect for the day ahead. The forecast is automatically updated Mist Radio Alarm throughout the day so it’s immediately available whenever you need it. No need to wait for an update at the top of the hour on the radio or TV, or even for a webpage to load.

It’s everything you need in the morning – minus coffee – and all you have to do is open your eyes.

Sports Devices

If only you could watch every game of the season…

Ambient’s suite of sports devices allow you to follow the action even when you can’t watch the game. Great for following teams outside your local area or following the home team when turning on the TV isn’t an option. The Ambient ScoreCast Devices update wirelessly with the box score information you need, as well as the schedule and standings for all the teams in the league.

SportsCast : Baseball Centerfield : Baseball

Fridge

The Weather and Information Center Refrigerator by LG Electronics allows Ambient to provide information you want right where you want it. No need to remember to check the LG Information Center weather – now it’s right in front of you anytime you grab a snack.

The Fridge receives weather for 5 cities in your region automatically and allows you to customize the information right down to your ZIP code, using information from accuweather.com. Will it be a day to cozy up with a warm bowl of chili or cool down with some gazpacho? Never wonder again.

Utility Deployment

No need to ask around. We've saved you the trouble.  

The Ambient Energy Orb is currently in use at utilities including: Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E), Southern California Edison (SCE) and Baltimore Gas and Electric (BGE) with a next-generation set of devices to follow in 2012. Utility project data verifies that the Energy Orb reduces energy consumption by approximately 25%. A study from the most recent “BGE Smart Energy Pricing Pilot,” published by The Brattle Group, reveals that homes utilizing Ambient’s Energy Orbs showed a 23-27% reduction in demand during peak events.

By outfitting consumers with an easy-to-use enterprise or in-home tool like the Energy Orb for smart energy consumption, utility companies will see power consumption spread more evenly through each day and an increase in overall customer satisfaction. Below are some companies we are working with to ease the strain on the grid and the strengthen the relationship between utilities and customers.

1    IDP: In Southern California from August to September 2004, the Orb was used in the Information Display Pilot (part of the larger California Statewide Pricing Pilot) designed to see what effect information “treatments” might have in the residential and commercial sectors.

2    PriceLight: In Central and Southern Illinois, the Orb was renamed the “PriceLight” by the Center for Neighborhood Technology (CNT) in their Power Smart Pricing Program for residential customers of Ameren Illinois Utilities from May 2007 to October 2008.  

3    SEP: BG&E’s Smart Energy Pricing Pilot, used pricing, Orbs, and Orbs with AC controls.

Sample Study Results

From start to finish, a sample case  

Ambient Energy Orbs have been deployed by over a dozen utilities in both residential and commercial demand response projects worldwide. The Energy Orb works works in conjunction with the real time energy tracking data of utilities, providing customers with feedback they can use to reduce their energy consumption and relieve strain on the grid.

Here is an example of how some of our utility partners are employing Ambient’s technology:

How Ambient Devices Work

Ambient Devices create tangible interfaces between consumers and their digital information through wireless, sell-contained products.

The platform behind the service is called the Ambient Information Network™. It features a data delivery infrastructure and wireless network based on patented processes developed at Ambient and MIT Media Lab.

Because the network aggregates, scrubs, packetizes, transmits, and decodes data automatically, Ambient devices maintain a "polite" interface, one where content is visible and technologies are transparent.

With the Ambient platform, home wireless displays are as easy to use as reading a clock. Here’s one example of how an Ambient utility partner employed our technology to translate grid data into meaningful ambient content:

Raw pricing data   The real-time price of energy is determined by utilities, based on current supply and demand conditions. Multiple pricing programs in effect? That’s fine with us; all we need is a data feed for each pricing program.  Event notifications or special circumstances can also be broadcast.	The Ambient Platform   We convert and format the data, based on your customers' profiles, for optimal ambient rendering. Simple web interfaces allow the utility program manager to easily control device behavior. Then the information is compressed and sent wirelessly, constantly, to all Ambient-powered devices.	Customer signaling   By the time it reaches your customers, the information is simple, elegant and easy to act on.

Glanceable Information

All the information you need, with just a glance

The chart below is an indication of rising and falling energy prices over the course of a day. Fortunately someone who may not even be paying attention can understand the same information in real-time. All it takes is a carefully designed, effectively crafted Ambient Interface.

Energy Price Signaling

The Ambient Energy Orb provides the necessary data at a glance that allows consumers to determine if it is the appropriate time to consume energy and save money. By combining Energy Orb signaling with time of use pricing, consumers can shift their usage to off-peak hours, resulting in relief for the grid and their energy bills.