Now, operate home appliances via SMS

A 'low cost device' for operating electrical home appliances through short message service via cell phones has been developed at the Zakir Hussain College of Engineering and Technology in Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh.

The device will allow users to operate electrical appliances at their home from anywhere in the world at any time at a very low cost, a college spokesman said.

Existing technologies for home automation presently require internet, bluetooth and wi-fi systems which are comparatively expensive, he said.

The device was developed by Abdullah Azhar and Kamal Gupta, both final year B.Tech students of Department of Electronics.

The device won the second prize at the international exhibition of 'Electrical and Industrial Electronics' held in Mumbai recently.