Wattson Power Monitoring Device

Posted by John Goulden Categories: Accessories, Design, Smart Home

Curious as to how much power you use throughout your home?  Do family members traipse through the house, flipping on light switches and leaving a blazing trail of wasted energy in their wake?  If so, maybe the Wattson can help educate them as to the tangible change in power usage when electrical items are left on (or off as the case may be).  Wattson delivers the information in numerical and non-verbal modes, and can also be connected to your computer for charting energy usage over time and sharing the data with a community of Wattson users.

The numerical display shows you exactly how much power your home is using at that very moment, and can display the result as an annual monetary cost, or in watts.  This mode can help demonstrate what the real impact is of high-wattage bulbs instead of energy saving fluorescents, or how much power (and money) your SLI-equipped gaming rig really consumes.  The non-verbal method uses colored lights and patterns to display the changing status of power consumption, and is useful for children and as a “quick glance” status indicator.

The Wattson device itself is wireless, and receives information from a sensor that is installed near the electrical panel in your home.  The sensor is said to be easy to install, “with no need for any expert knowledge or assistance”, although the company does offer installation services.

Built to order, the £350 (~ $610 USD) device requires 8 weeks prior to shipping and is currently available only in the UK.

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