Company Spotlight
Zensys
While remote, automated control of home appliances has always been an idea whose time has not quite arrived, the newest generations of wireless mesh technologies could make this long-awaited innovation widely affordable at last. And Zensys, a New Jersey company that sells radio-based mesh networking hardware that allows devices to be controlled remotely, is betting that consumers are finally ready to pay for "smart homes."

The list of chores that can be automated is potentially limitless, and gets longer as houses get bigger and more complex. The basics are controls of lighting, security systems, watering, air-conditioning, and heating, but automation also can be extended to include pool management, child-safety controls, curtains, and appliances.