Tokyo (JCNN) – Sanyo Electric (TSE: 6764) announced on January 7 that it has developed a technology to control Net appliances which can be connected to cellphones and the Internet. Called DarWIN, the new technology can control white goods, such as refrigerators and washing machines, audio visual equipment, and security devices on a single controller. It also allows software to be downloaded to upgrade the controller functions, enabling users to add Net appliances to DarWIN-based devices.
Implemented on a home server and a remote controller with a touch panel, DarWIN supports ECHONET, a communications standard for white goods, as well as Universal Plug and Play (UpnP), an AV device communications system. The touch panel displays the layout of a house, and the user can turn on and off home electric appliances from the panel. Also embedded is a voice recognition system, which can accept instructions to switch on and off the appliances.
Sanyo plans to market IT homes based on the technology by year-end.