the tracking of mere energy usage

Part of what makes the smart grid “smart” is its ability to know a lot about the energy-consuming devices in our homes.

In addition to reaching into homes to regulate devices, information about usage and activities could be extracted from homes.

Home energy consumption patterns could be gathered and analyzed on a room-by-room and device-by-device basis to determine which devices are used and at what time of day.

What else will smart appliances “tell” others?