When people hear about the Internet of Things (IoT) they have different perceptions about it. Some are more willing to adapt to how things will be done in the future while other still like it the old-fashioned way.
IoT is still at its infancy, but it is quickly expanding. Analysts expect that by 2020 everyone and every appliance will be connected to one level or another.
In this article, we are going to look at how IoT will revolutionize how things work at home. It is up to you as a homeowner to determine if you are going to be receptive or you can sit back and continue kicking it the old fashion way.
IoT will change how things work at home. A smart home automates everything from lighting and heating, to ensure a better experience. For instance, simple things like air conditioning repair will be a lot easier by automatic sensors that will tell you exactly what is wrong just by checking your smartphone so your repair technician will not have to guess.
A smart home is very convenient for a homeowner since they are given the ease and comfort of operating systems at home. All one will need is an app installed in a smartphone, tab or laptop. IoT allows homeowners to get a chance to operate home appliances even from the other side of the world.
Over recent years, more companies such as Amazon, Google and Apple (News - Alert) have released their own smart home products. They include:- Amazon Echo, Apple Homekit and Google (News - Alert) Home respectively.
The Top IoT Smart Home Technologies
Here are some various forms of smart home technologies which have integrated the domestic space.
There are many ways which homeowners can control the security of their home. As long as a homeowner has an app, they can control alarms, cameras and lock systems.
Home systems also work to manage energy. It is easier to save energy costs since all you need is to tap a button to put your house to “sleep”. For instance, you can control the lights in a specific room. Moreover, you can still control the thermostat to adjust the temperature or simply turn off the ac till say you are an hour from home.
Smart locks can grant or deny people access to your home, garage or specific parts of your home.
Smart TVs can connect to the internet to get various videos and music. Some can be controlled through voice or gesture control.
- Smart home lighting system.
Brands such as Phillips have introduced smart bulbs such as Hue. They can detect occupants in a room and adjust the light as needed. Moreover, they can regulate themselves according to daylight availability.
A smart thermostat will give you a chance to monitor, regulate and remotely control the temperature at home. Some of these smart thermostats also learn owners behaviour thus modifying settings according to your needs.
A smart security camera gives you the chance to keep tabs of your home while you are away. Moreover, smart security cameras come hand in hand with smart sensors. They can sense the difference between visitors, pets, children and burglars. In case of an emergency, they can notify the authorities.
An automated timer will give you the chance to feed your pets automatically. All your houseplants and lawn can be catered for with automated timers that don’t work if it rained that day.
Benefits of using IoT around the house.
- Internet of Things will give homeowners a piece of mind as they can monitor their homes remotely.
- Smart home appliances such as domotics help to keep tabs on the elderly. Instead of having to move your elderly parents to a nursing home you can have them around your home. A device such as an emergency smart necklace can go a long way to giving you and them peace of mind.
- There are user preferences such as an automatic opening of the garage and controlling the lights.
- Internet of Things improves home efficiency. For instance, when you leaving your home appliances on like the thermostat, it can regulate itself to the right temperature.
The first generation of products that employ the Internet of Things may not be a huge number, but then this is the trend with most new technologies. When smart phones entered the market, they were not very popular, and only a handful of people bought them. With advancing developments and more innovations, cost decreases.
As the technology spreads far and wide, competition also makes an appearance and innovation takes over. A combination of these factors causes the prices to drop, and the demand surges. Anyone can tell that the smartphone market is booming in the present decade – it is nowhere near where it started. More than a billion smartphones were sold in 2014.
Compare it to just a few years back, and the rise is astonishing. Almost everyone around you today has a smartphone. The internet of things is poised for a similar breakthrough. The noise about the Internet of things has been rising in the market. People are beginning to find out about the concept and are questioning its various uses. Thus when such products hit the market at prices that are within reach, the market will be ready for a tremendous explosion.
