Almost every device that can be connected to a power outlet can be connected to the Plug, but not all of them. The Plugs conversion resolution constrains the devices power signature to a mid range. The specific details of the data stored by the Plug are as follows:

  • - 10 second sampling of voltage and current
  • - 8 bit resolution
  • - 8 KHz sample rate

Devices that produce heat usually consume more power than the amount permitted by the Plug resolution, and their power signature could not be properly measured. Even some powerful lamps, like quartz and halogen lights, were not mild enough to be measured.

Based on observations illustrated by the following graphs, we decided to label the data based on the three major device groups that seemed to be well separated by the shape properties of their voltage-current waveforms.