Will people use energy more thoughtfully if they’re able to monitor it via a familiar device? That’s what nergy management technology provider Tendril reckon; they’ve borrowed style inspiration from a digital clock for their Vision energy monitor, which can not only show real-time usage but predict future patterns.
That means you could wait to put on the tumble dryer until a low-power period was predicted, or Vision could highlight when cheaper energy rates were active. There’s also an accompanying website which shows more in-depth data together with allowing for “personal energy use plans” to be created; presumably they then educate the meter to make better predictions.
Vision measures around 8 x 6 inches and weighs under two pounds, and Tendril believe that with continuous use you could see 10 to 15-percent reductions in energy bills. All well and good, but it remains to be seen how expensive Vision turns out to be, who it’s offered to – Tendril work with energy companies, rather than selling products direct to consumers – and whether single-purpose devices like these can hold peoples’ attention.