Smart Homes
The Future of Home Automation
Picture this in your mind’s eye – Turning off lights with a simple voice command, accessing your front porch camera via your phone, annoying your boiled egg of a brother by secretly switching channels without touching the TV remote, making midnight trips to a refrigerator that actually monitors what you eat, using a dryer that warns you when the lint build up is too high, an AC that switches on and off once a person enters or leaves the room, or just glancing into a mirror (straight up from the evil queen’s own wall) that doesn’t stoke your vanity but answers questions, provides weather reports and displays notifications right across its surface!
Sounds like something from a utopian future? Or probably just an ad for alien living quarters? Neither actually. It’s the home of the future, set in the now! There’s the Samsung smart fridge, the Amazon Echo working as the CPU for all your home gadgets, Nest’s Learning Thermostat that automatically adjusts your home’s temperature through embedded sensors, Kohler verdersa and Amazon Alexa’s smart mirror that really does seem magical or the Canary smart security system that lets users review security footage from their app, even at night, as it includes a night-vision camera.
When it comes to home automation, it is perfectly obvious that there’s been an invasion of sorts. Smart technology has now become a firm part of our homes. Which is never a bad thing. Bring it on we say!
When we talk of a smart home, we refer to a house that embraces “intelligent” technology that simplifies and automates day-to-day activities from turning on the lights, locking the door, lowering the shades, to the adjustment of the thermostat settings. A device is “smart” as long as it’s up to snuff, and capable of discharging its functions autonomously. Take a smart thermostat for an example. It automatically adjusts the heat to a lower temperature when there’s no movement inside the house. That’s what makes it autonomous.
Speaking of which, just take Nest. A smart thermostat and home control device, Nest has become one of the most widely recognized smart home applications today. An interconnected system of devices managed via a mobile app, it allows users to monitor their home IoT devices. Having been around for 8 years, the company has begun selling other devices such as cameras, doorbells, lights, and alarm systems, all controlled with the tap of a screen.
All this is proof of the growing acceptance of smart technology for our homes (proven by the number of “Smart home India” searches across the web this year!) and the tremendous impact it has on the future (Not to mention the serious clapback at those who dismissed smart home tech as just another half-baked vision born of lazy, no good minds) It is impossible to deny the charms of a fully powered smart home and it’s not just because they’re highly innovative and the ultimate comfort, but also because they allow better access control, security, and energy efficiency; helping you keep the bills down.
So, why smart homes?
- They transform the way we live.
- They bring in the big bucks for tech companies and startup entrepreneurs.
- They are designed to make everything easier.
- They add buzz to what are otherwise mundane day-to-day tasks.
- With further improvement, they will be able to solve our connectivity problems.
- The number of applications we use will only continue to rise,.
- Energy costs will come down.
- Home automation also happens to be one of the largest market drivers around the world today.
But if you still have doubts when it comes to trusting your living space with that amount of technology, then have no fear. For in this post, we’ve outlined all the advantages of smart home technology that truly makes it the future of home automation!
The advantages of Smart Homes
1. Self-sufficient – Smart home technology makes maximum use of its many capabilities. Eg. Water harvesting systems, wind or solar power etc help one become more self-reliant.
2. Cost-effective – Smart appliances may seemingly cost a bomb but they save loads on energy in the long run. Less expensive in an indirect way. E.g. A Thermostat control can save up to 30% on your energy bill. Smart homes even add to your home’s resale value with every piece of tech that’s been added to it. Long story short, they make a killer investment!
3. Energy efficient – Smart home tech is all about being green. Designed to be eco-friendly, appliances utilize a minimum amount of energy. Sensor detectors, cooking, and intelligent heating systems allow very little waste. E.g Stove tops will burn autonomously only when they sense the presence of a pan. Even the right boiling temperature can be automated! There’s also the shower faucets that provide a complete shower experience while making use of minimum water.
4. In Control – Smart tech lets you run specific appliances via your mobile app regardless of where you happen to be. E.g. The Nest learning thermostat that’s remotely accessible from a smartphone (over the Internet) and turns on the heat while you’re driving, and are a few hours away from reaching home.
5. Provide a better quality of life – Smart homes are a boon for people with disabilities, the elderly, or the children. Because smart homes are operable via voice commands, they become easier to handle. E..g. Switching off the water taps or the lights when they are not in use. They could even be personalized according to the individual. This way the home is in order, and you’ve got some much needed time on your hands!
6. No restrictions – Smart home apps are designed for almost every feature inside your homes – from refilling your pet cat’s food dish, to opening the doors, turning off taps, light switches, and operating home stereos. You even get to order your monthly groceries through the app!
In short, smart homes not only help save money but also make our lives infinitely more comfortable and secure. Like we’ve mentioned earlier, the market for smart homes is just going to grow over the next few years. This comes as no surprise, given the increased focus on comfort and energy savings. All in all, the smart home is a fascinating space, and it has arrived with a bang!