Today, most people are very much familiar with the concept of appliances and devices becoming “smart”. A smart home belongs to the family of the Internet of Things. These smart devices have the ability to connect in one way or another to the internet, hence making them “smart”.
The development of a smart device or object can range from your watch, car, to things that are being used in a home. Let’s look at what we mean by a “Smart Home,” and the future of smart homes.
What’s a Smart Home?
To elaborate further, smart homes are home setups in which devices and appliances can be controlled remotely no matter where you are, by the use of a smartphone or any other networked device.
A smart home’s devices are interconnected via the internet, which in return allows you to control functions like the temperature of your homes, security camera, and lighting, among others. A smart home is typically also known as Home Automation.
In other words, the technology in your home allows you to control and manage it remotely. There are multiple smart applications in smart homes. In most cases, these applications are connected to one another and can be accessed via a central point.
For instance, a central point could be your smartphone, tablet, laptop, or any other smart device. These smart applications are utilized when there’s a need for executing tasks in the house. You can install a smart thermostat and control its temperature from your smartphone, and the same goes for smart lighting.
One of the most interesting things about smart home appliances is that it gives you the opportunity to include self-monitoring. Homeowners can be warned if the smart home device motion detectors sense something unusual.
This feature is amazing for those who travel often and want to keep an eye on their house when they’re away. In fact, with the introduction of smart lights, you can also keep your porch lights on, to keep potential burglars away from your property.
These are just some of the many examples of what smart home technology is able to do. Of course, the technology is still evolving and will only get better, because ultimately it’s there to make our lives more convenient.
Advancements in the Smart Home Technology
Technology in itself is evolving at an exceptional rate, and that makes smart home technology no exception. Below are some smart home devices that are already in use.
Smart Lighting
Smart lighting may look like traditional lighting to you, but they’re very much different and interesting to use. It has in fact revolutionized the way of illuminating a home. Smart lighting enables you to switch on/off or dim them through its app.
It also has the ability to detect the presence of an individual in the room, and will automatically dim or switch off the light, the moment the occupant leaves. This makes it convenient as we have the tendency to forget to switch the lights off once in a while.
There’s a wide range of applications in smart lighting technology. For example, some smart lights have pressure sensors that will turn off the lights if someone is lying in bed after a specific time.
And if you were to get up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom, your smart lights will turn on and will turn off once you’re asleep in bed. Smart lights are smart in a way that they’ll remember your configuration and work accordingly with it.
Smart Locks
Smart locks have not only changed the way one locks the door but also how it’s managed. There are a number of smart locks that have the feature of facial recognition that would identify the visitor.
And if it’s connected to a virtual assistant, it can announce the visitor. This is extremely useful for people who have kids at home, and need to let a babysitter in, or for those who’re away from home, and in case of a water leak, the smart lock can let the repairmen in.
Smart locks tend to keep intruders away as they know they can be recorded and it may also have an alarm system that would alert you if this ever happens. All in all, smart lock technology is a great way to have a more secured home.
Smart Home Security Cameras
Often, when we leave for a long vacation, we ask our neighbors to keep a lookout for our house, or if there’s a package coming in and you’re away. Smart cameras have shifted our neighbor’s responsibility to themselves.
Smart cameras can monitor the house for you, and alert you if there’s an unusual person on your porch, to further allow you to connect with the authorities. This feature is amazing when you have elderly or kids residing at home.
Certain smart cameras have the feature that allows you to zoom into the individual who was at your doorstep or porch, which helps you identify them better. It also deters burglars away from your property, keeping you and your loved ones safe.
The Future of Smart Home
Above mentioned smart home technologies are just some of the many options out there. FirstEnergy Ohio has a number of smart home devices available and has descriptive information on how each one of them works.
Smart homes have enabled us to distribute our time better and also made our home more energy-efficient. Do you know what your needs are and which smart home technology will be most appreciated in your house?
