With the rapid rise of the Internet of Things (IoT), there has been a subsequent increase in the progress of home automation and related smart home technologies. What was previously an extremely expensive proposition or even just a fantasy, is now a very affordable exercise for many homeowners and technology enthusiasts. The main reason for this is the development of specific consumer devices that are able to utilise the home’s wired and wireless internet connections as well as improvements in other communications technologies such as Bluetooth and Near Field Communication.
The world’s largest consumer electronics players such as Apple, Samsung and Google have all recognised the importance of home automation and have made concerted attempts to get amongst the developments. For example, Google purchased Nest for an estimated $3.5 billion to gain an entry into the space. Samsung acquired SmartThings and Apple has released its HomeKit platform, meaning that competition and innovation is heating up in this space.
Just as the large consumer technology players have entered the industry, consumer appliance manufacturers have been integrating internet connectivity into some of their products. Fridges and other large appliances can now connect to the internet, just like Smart Televisions and even small items such as light bulbs can be controlled via smartphones over a home wireless network.
The benefits of a smart home, or automated home, are obvious. Convenience (controlling temperature from your phone), security (opening or locking your doors with your phone) and efficiency (lights that turn off when no motion is detected) are all factors that will continue to ensure that home automation is here to stay. All of these elements should work together to create a productive home that makes life easier for its occupants, and the capabilities will only be bound by the imagination.
The dominating question now relates to what home automation will look like in the future. Much of this may revolve around data, with our lights knowing what time we turn them off for bed, our washing machines knowing when we wash and our thermostats knowing to what exact temperature we like our homes to be cooled or heated at any given time of year. Each manufacturer or provider of home automation devices can in theory collect all of this data and use it to create an ultimate solution – perhaps the quintessential home of the future.
Previously only reserved for the most exclusive large budget luxury homes, these technological features will become more accessible, more integrated and more economical to purchase as the home automation industry develops over time and scales into the consumer market. Perhaps all of the automation possibilities will reach a point where one single device is required to control our homes. This may eventually be a communications centre of its own, dealing with all of the peripheral devices and ensuring they are operating as they should and when they should.
This future would involve trusting a computer to manage our households and all of our habits and data. Security of data is therefore an area that will need to grow with this sector (particularly as everything will be run over a home wireless network) and the consumer will ultimately always be in charge, programming their personal needs and ensuring that any automation enhances their lifestyle. As technologies improve, more and more homes will become automated and our habits and behaviours are likely to change in line with this. Before long, this will simply be the norm, and the days of closing our own curtains at night will be forgotten.