And who can permit you to leave your home, assuresd that everything is under control, that your house as well as your appliances are under constant surveillance? Who can even turn your lights or machines on and off to make people believe that you're home?

Your computerised house, of course-thanks toa new concept called the "intelligent home".

All these diverse functions are interconnected and controlled by a central computer, turning your "home, sweet home" into a futuristic entity capable of doing almost anything without human intervention.

Sinister? Yes but convenient too.Televisions, dishwashers, ovens, telephones, lawn sprinklers, burglar and fire alarms, and electronic pet door are self-operated. Your television or stereo can automatically turn on your favourite, pre-programmed preferences when you arrive home in the evening.

In the intelligent home, everything can be controlled by telephone, which the house answers in a pleasant, computerised voice. In other words, you can een call to ask the hoouse to turn on the oven, or the stereo, or the dishwasher!

"The last time such a profound change took place in the home was when electricvity appeared," says Egil Juliussen, chairman of Intellisys, a home-automation company. Juliussen' own Dallas home, reputed to be the most intelligent on earth, uses 12 computers and eight miles (12.9 kilometres) of electrical wiring.

But not every home has room for 12 computers. That's why automation companies are concentrating their effots on what they call the "plug and play" market-moderately-priced ($300) remote-control units that can be used to operate a variety of appliances, one at a time.

 Adapted from Speakeasy (1987)