Imagine having a wireless router that can interact with household equipment. Well, Nokia's Home Control Center is just that. It can control heating, home security cameras and even draw the curtains.

The wireless box is based on an open source Linux-based platform, and includes a number of wireless technologies, allowing users ro connect remotely via a PC or smartphone. It reportedly comes bundled with 6 gigabytes of srorage and can srore video from security cameras. It can be customised extensively and can even control the temperature of a room, even when the house is empty.

The product was demonstrated at Nokia World in Barcelona. The company hopes ro make it available in the market by the end of2009. If it succeeds, then it will be a major step towards the development of smart devices that interact with others in a house-a concept that is not new, but which has met with little commercial success.