Lavalamp

A typical Lavalamp set up consists of a host PC, a transceiver unit, connected via RS232, and a number of 'nodes', each connected through a radio link to the transceiver. Each node is typically 'powered by' a single PIC chip. A number of 'sensors' are attached to the node, which are either true sensors (in that they sense something from the outside world - for example, a button, or a light sensor) or actuators (which affect the outside world in some way - for example, a light, or a motor). Additionally, sensors may use both input and output (for example, a power socket could have a push-button to toggle on/off status, and an LED to indicate it).

Sensors are, in essence, a logical grouping of a self-contained peripheral, configured at compile-time.

As an example, a four-way power multiplug could have a single node, with eight sensors. Sensors would be four 'toggle' push-buttons, to enable or disable an individual power socket, and four LEDs, to indicate the status of that socket.