Vitaly Rishkulyak of Chernivtsi (Chernovtsy), a city with nearly 250,000 inhabitants, has created his own “smart apartment.” Now, a large part of the work that people used to do themselves is done in his apartment by an artificial intellect named Eve, according to a story on TSN.UA.
Vitaly’s apartment is literally crammed full of electronics. The amateur inventor calls his abode a “smart home” and admits that, although the idea of super-automating his home has attracted him since childhood, he has always been intimidated by the high cost of such a system.
“When I started to get interested in the cost, a three-room apartment could cost up to $150,000 with all the fittings,” Rishkulyak said.
That’s when he decided to create the apartment of his dreams himself, since he has the knowledge of electronic engineering. He made all the microcircuitry in the apartment using his own designs. And now the household appliances have a high level of “intelligence.” The light switch tells the time, the houseplants say when they need water and the bathroom sink knows when to dispense soap without being told.
Vitaly did not forget about safety either. He built his own alarm system, as well as a flood-control system that turns off the water and informs him of the problem, should one arise.
The amateur inventor is a cook by profession. He spent almost eight years creating his smart apartment and about $2,000. But since the apartment exercises tight control over water, heating and electricity use, Vitaly’s utility bills have gone way down.
“I save up to 60% on water alone,” he said.
Vitaly does not plan to turn his inventions into a business enterprise though, because, he says, anyone who is willing to apply sufficient effort and, most importantly of all, who wants it badly enough, can endow their apartment with its own intelligence by themselves.
