KNXsim: Simulator Tool for KNX Home Automation Training by Means of Group Addresses

The growth of home automation makes it necessary to train qualified personnel in the knowledge and use of the most important standards, among which KNX is the leader in Europe. The programming of home automation services with KNX is based on the concept of group addresses, which allow defining the behavior of the domotic devices for a previously defined facility. This training is complex and usually requires a physical domotic facility where the previously programmed design can be tested, which makes the learning process difficult for the students. In this article we show the development and characteristics of a multi-platform simulator that recreates the real operation of an automated facility for any programming scheme defined by the student, validating it by means of a virtual installation that includes different devices usually involved in home automation. This simulator has allowed the generation of a wide range of cases of use in the training of the most usual domotic services.