We are living in a digital age, surrounded by ones and zero flying through the air, bringing us our daily dose of digital data and this amazing transformation brings with it many fantastic benefits, not least the smart home. We have smartphones and soon we will have smart cities and as far as your home is concerned, here is a glimpse of the state-of-the-art smart home.
How smart is a smart home?
How about every single device, gadget and appliance being able to talk to the central control? The Internet of Things (IoT) is a global digital highway strictly for devices to talk to each other and AI will manage huge networks.
Here are a few of the benefits a smart homeowner can enjoy:
- Climate control – Using a mobile app, you can control your home climate control system and when the house is unoccupied, the HVAC system is controlled automatically. If you left your home in Canada empty during the winter, the heating can be remotely set to come on at specific temperatures to prevent pipe freezing.
- Remote surveillance – Set up a web connection and you can view your Sydney home’s exterior while you are partying in Darwin. Should an intruder be detected, the system would automatically call the local police, with AI-generated voice information passed on to the authorities.
- Preparing meals – You could be in the office around lunchtime and you fancy roasting that nice joint of lamb for the evening meal; simply call your home management centre and hey presto! Your meal will be ready as your electric gates open to welcome you.
- Managing energy – The smart home would be solar powered, with excess energy sold to the National Grid. You can access the system remotely and see how much charge your batteries have and even switch from battery to solar panel use.
- Home security – We don’t think thieves are going to like smart homes, anyone thinking of stealing your OLED TV, would have zero chance of getting in, let alone leave with a 65-inch TV. Facial recognition would be in play and family members would be given access, unknown persons can be scanned and the national database can detect their ID.
- Home maintenance – Imagine your HVAC system reminding you that a service is due! The control centre can call the service engineer on your behalf and book the service. When the engineers turn up, the system recognises them and allows access. If a waterpipe bursts, the leak would be detected and the homeowner informed.
Those who remember the analogue days will appreciate just how far we have progressed in less than a century and if you fancy making your home ‘smart’, you can start by only buying devices that can connect to a smart grid and as new tech emerges, you can incorporate smart technology into your living space.