Hack Lets Apple's Siri Adjust Your Thermostat: Is Your Whole House Next?

Last week, we told you about a hack into Apple's Siri that allows the program to function on devices other than the iPhone 4S. Now, a web developer has turned this hack into something that will allow Siri to control his thermostat, leaving many wondering what else could Siri be hacked to control.

First, let's forget the fact that there are programmable thermostats. Now, you can image how this could be useful when dropping the temperature in your house before leaving for work, and then letting Siri warm it up for you before you come home.

The Telegraph reports that Pete Lamonica spent five days using the information released by Applidium to get the personal assistant to function in sync with his thermostat:

Lamonica said that the main reason he developed this Siri proxy was to increase the number of objects Siri can handle. Currently the technology is limited to sending text messages and searching the web, while in America it can also handle maps and directions.

Here's Lamonia showing how this hack works on a Wi-Fi thermostat:

Wired takes the thought of thermostat control one step further, inferring Siri could eventually run your whole house:

NPD analyst Ross Rubin expects Apple to expand Siri on a more limited basis, scenario by scenario, possibly partnering with specific companies to implement new features, such as Siri’s current integration with Yelp.

[...]

Indeed, using one’s voice for remote control is a natural fit for living room applications — and we’ll be seeing more of it in coming years, says Display Search analyst Paul Gagnon.

“There’s been pretty strong resistance to adopting traditional PC-like interfaces,” Gagnon says of the connected TV movement, which has had a rocky time making the jump into consumer households. “Up until now, the technology hadn’t progressed enough to let you use non-traditional ways, like gesture recognition and voice control, but now it’s a conceivable option.”

Next, Lamonica reportedly wants to make Siri work with his thermostat without a direct action request. For example, he would rather be able to say "I'm cold" than "Siri, raise my house temperature to 72 degrees."