Concept
Gusty is a robotic vent designed to reduce energy consumption by autonomously
identifying inhabitants in a room and direct airflow towards them.
Rather than inefficiently cool or heat an entire home, Gusty only cools the
user's vicinity, thus reducing energy usage.
Present in every room Gusty will recognize when no user is around and close
it's vents, and with no inhabitants in the house it will signal the thermostat
to turn off.
Motivation
In the United States the air conditioner accounts for an average 42.2% of total residential energy use, topping all other appliances in the household.
Most attempts at reducing energy consumption in the household have been a patchwork of marginal efficiency gains whether it involves installing improved insulation,
energy efficient windows, or fluorescent light bulbs.
Instead of falling back on modern low-tech solutions, we will use embedded technologies to make strides in energy conservation and indoor comfort.