New commercial buildings have 0-10 lighting. Basically it's cat five (internet wires) connected to a computer. Various proximity sensors, switches, thermal... Basically endless possibilities for devices on these systems. Every major city is pushing for these systems in new buildings to "conserve" energy. Next time you're walking down the corridor of a new building and the lighting is dimmed at 20% and as you approach it ramps up to 100% look up at all the little sensors in the ceiling.

Now this is where my expertise ends but I'm fairly certain it would take very little effort to switch these devices with one that does multiple functions... biometric, video, audio...

Imagine someone writes some algorithms and code in the lighting control CPU. You might not have any devices that spy on you in your apartment but because of the corridor you walk every day they can tell if you've gained weight, who comes and goes from your place, listening to your phone conversations. These devices are part of a mesh network (endless devices communicating in sync), soon they'll be integrated with security systems able to tell when you walk your dog from your hotel room and send a picture of them shitting and you not picking it up. "I'm sorry Mr Johnson, but you've acquired a $20 dog waste fee billed to your room".

Yes it's really that scary. When I was a foreman I couldn't get electrician apprentices intelligent enough to look on the print and device boxes to put photo cells and occupancy sensors in the right spot. Imagine how easy it would be install something else without anyone's knowledge.

the Matrix