X10 (industry standard)

X10 is a protocol for communication among electronic devices used for home automation (domotics). It primarily uses power line wiring for signaling and control, where the signals involve brief radio frequency bursts representing digital information. A wireless radio based protocol transport is also defined.

X10 was developed in 1975 by Pico Electronics of Glenrothes, Scotland, in order to allow remote control of home devices and appliances. It was the first general purpose domotic network technology and remains the most widely available.

Although a number of higher bandwidth alternatives exist, X10 remains popular in the home environment with millions of units in use worldwide, and inexpensive availability of new components.

History

In 1970, a group of engineers started a company in Glenrothes, Scotland called Pico Electronics. The company revolutionized the calculator industry by developing the first single chip calculator. When calculator IC prices started to fall, Pico refocused on commercial products rather than plain ICs.