Home-Tech Training CampThanks to an infusion of cash, Duke University breaks ground on a new high-tech research home.

The Home Depot has donated approximately $2 million to help build a smart digital home at Duke University's Pratt School of Engineering.

Barry Myers, a senior associate dean at the Pratt School, says the university's goal is to build a home where students can test, evaluate, and study a variety of new-home technologies. Projects will focus on security and home monitoring, communications, energy efficiency, sustainability, entertainment, and health applications. Myers says the Home Depot money is for building and materials.

Construction on the new home started late last year. Officials say about 10 students will live in the smart home, and another 100 students from the engineering school's four departments will be involved in smart home projects.

Although projects will start this fall, the home won't be ready for students to live in until January 2008.

According to Myers, students will still receive a traditional engineering degree, but there will be special training opportunities in which students can take courses, do summer internships, and conduct research at the house.

John Board, faculty advisor for the smart home, says all the wiring in the house will run off two central utility columns, as opposed to behind the walls, so it will be easy for students to add or remove wiring.

“We expect that the controls will be [Internet Protocol]-driven, and the networks will be both wired and wireless,” Board says, adding, “Whatever we install won't stay very long, and we expect to revisit the control architecture once or twice a year.” (www.pratt.duke.edu)