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The goal of "Honey, I'm Home!" is to accurately and non-intrusively communicate to interested co-habitants the commuting status of homebound members. Coming home at the end of a workday is often a hectic and tiring time. It's a transition from work to domestic life, often accompanied by fatigue and hunger. Phone calls to announce leaving are intrusive, and email is a nuisance to monitor.

"Honey, I'm Home!" is a simple and effective way to broadcast arrival information. It gives members already home a tangible interface for predicting arrival time.

• Tangible Display Unit: A cutout figure of a person running moves in front of a skyline cutout. A stepper motor in the display controls the rate at which the figure traverses the skyline. The Display Unit runs off batteries and is wirelessly activated. When transit begins, lights on top of the Hancock and Prudential buildings start flashing. Multiple display units can easily be deployed, giving commute status anywhere in a home.
• Laboratory exit monitor: Keypads are installed at the three Media Lab exits and loading dock. HIH users enter their ID code into this keypad when exiting the lab. The keypad is attached to a MIT web server that changes the status of a flag indicating the commuter has left. (Variant: Instead of a keypad, we could use a tag reader)
• Home Internet Software Receiver: A small program periodically monitors the MIT URL outlined above to check for a change in status. The software maintains a database of transit times, and uses these to predict arrival time. Transit time is correlated with such factors as weather (gotten from the Internet), time of day, day of week, and amount of sunlight. When the server indicates the commuter has left, the software receiver alerts the wireless transmitter along with arrival prediction
• Wireless Transmitter: Attaches to serial port. Sends out signal to start progress, along with anticipated travel time.

• Phone / pager interface: For those without DSL, Cable, or fulltime internet connections
• Wireless Confirmation: Display unit returns confirmation signal indicating it had received message and has started cutout
• Transit monitoring: Intermediate sensors update transit information
• Message Pad: Laboratory Exit Monitor has display with short pager-like messages / reminders. Messages are sent via special email address or web interface. Typical messages would be: "Remember to pick up milk", or "Don't forget your mittens".

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