Saving Energy Via Webcam-Based Meter Reading?

squoozer writes "Like many people, I am trying to cut down on the amount of energy my family and I use in order to save both the environment and my pay packet. Since I want to do this in as scientific a way as possible, I'm taking meter readings every day and recording them in a spreadsheet (OOo Calc naturally). Currently, in the UK at least, neither gas nor electricity meters can be hooked up to any sort of device that can query the meter for its current reading. Rather than climb down into the cellar every day to read the meters, it would be great if I could simply position a webcam in front of each meter and have the value logged automatically each day. The problem is that while I am a software developer (Java mostly) I have no experience in image processing (dials from the electricity meter) and don't really know where to start with this project." Does anyone have any advice for analyzing the visual data this reader would be gathering?

Current reading?

[Hatta]

My meter reads in kilowatt hours, not amperes.

Simple solution

[halcyon1234]

Post the images as CAPTCHAs that protect porn pictures. You'll have the values typed in for you in no time.

Re:what's your goal?

[greg_barton]

Of course, in order to do that, you'll expend a whole lot more energy than you'd take to read the meters (via the webcam shots) yourself.

You are hereby ordered to report to the home office and turn in your geek card.

One small problem

[YrWrstNtmr]

Since you are talking about a webcam, that currently means USB. Your spouse will likely throw a fit about yet another set of wires trailing around the house. So unless you intend to splash out for a fully wireless (and expensive, in cost and 24x7 power) camera setup, my suggestion is to abandon this idea completely.

For the sake of your family sanity.

Re:Simple solution

[Anonymous Coward]

I'll volunteer to transcribe them for you. .. exactly what kind of images were they? Resolution?

Re:Current reading?

[Billhead]

Don't you mean to arm bears?