The ‘smart
home’ is the new ‘internet of things’, or objects that can serve you better by
communicating with each other or directly with you through apps on your smart
phone or device. In the ideal version of the wired future, all of our
appliances and gadgets talk to each other seamlessly.
What could
living in a smart home look like? Picture something like this:
- The lights in your bedroom slowly illuminate to quietly awaken you in the morning, replacing the typical blaring alarm. The aroma of fresh brewing coffee drifts in and stirs your senses. Once the lights are all the way up, the heating system kicks on, just in time to warm up your room so you’re not shocked once you crawl out from underneath the covers.
- When you step into the shower, it turns on automatically and remembers your preferred temperature and water pressure. And it will shut off right when you’re finished as it knows how long you take to bathe.
- Once you’ve driven out of your garage, your home alarm system arms itself. And it will only unlock automatically when it “sees” and recognizes someone else from your family approaching through programmed in biometrics.
Do smart
homes really work this way right now? Not exactly…while you may find some of
these smart features in certain homes, we haven’t reached the point where every
feature intuitively knows what you want and when you wanted. However, each year
we’re getting closer and closer toward that shiny, idealized ‘Jetson’ future.
Here are some
trends in the smart home arena, many of which in addition to giving you peace
of mind, comfort and ease, may also help you save money:
Smart
Thermostats
Programmable
thermostats that are synchronized with the clock have been around for decades.
However, they’re often difficult to set and aren’t necessarily efficient; they
simply turn on or off as programmed, whether or not you are there.
With the
newer models, smart thermostats can be programmed to adjust the temperature
when they sense you are present. And once you leave, they can kick back to
standby mode so that you’re saving energy and money. Nest does
all of this, and it also allows you to check your usage from your cell phone so
that you can adjust the temperature remotely and save even more.
Smart
Smoke Detectors
Having a
working, effective smoke detector could save your life. But unfortunately, many
of us still have those battery-run smoke detectors that make that annoying,
piercing beep when their batteries are running low on power. And instead of
replacing batteries right away, it’s often easier to pull them out and disable
the detector (while risking our lives).
Many of the
new smart smoke detectors, like the Birdi,
monitor smoke, carbon dioxide, as well as air quality. With this new sensor
technology, they know the difference between a real fire and burnt toast.
Smart Home
Security Systems
Home
monitoring has become much more sophisticated in recent years. With the
old-style security systems, you had to call in contractors to wire your home
with monitoring sensors.
With new
smart technology, you can simply place a few smart devices in your home to
monitor movement and sense whether doors and windows are closed or opened. Some
systems include audio and video monitoring, as well as sirens to scare off
intruders. You get real-time feedback on security breaches through an app. And,
because you’re alerted as soon as the system senses an intruder, it’s more
likely that they will be caught.
Canary is
one popular all-in-one audio-video security system, complete with sirens and
night vision.
Smart
Locks
Go beyond the
standard key locks, which can often be compromised by burglars. The new smart
lock systems give you more control over those who can gain access to your home.
Some systems,
like the Kwikset Kevo, include encrypted
virtual keys that you can program for access for a limited amount of time—for
example, allowing guests over for a weekend, a contractor or cleaning service
in during a specific window of time.
Other door
locking systems include biometric technology. The Ola smart lock allows
you to program your lock to recognize your family member’s fingerprints. Other
systems use facial recognition to greet you and unlock your door.
The new August
smart lock integrates with Apple’s technology so you
can ask Siri to open your door for you.
Smart
lighting systems and light bulbs
A well-lit
home feels warm and welcoming, and good lighting can instantly increase the
value of your home.
However,
annual lighting costs can account for up to 12 percent of your overall electric
bill, or more than $200 per year according to Energy Star. You can easily
reduce this expense by using smart lighting technology to add efficiency.
The Philips Hue wifi-enabled lights
make it easy to add to your home without installing specialized equipment.
Smart lighting dimmers and sensors can give you more control over how much
energy you use and allow you to turn them on and off through your smart phone.
New smart
light bulbs can give you control over the warmth or coolness levels of your
lighting. With the Lifx LED light bulbs,
for example, you can program your light bulbs to turn on or off when you want,
to slowly wake you up with increasing illumination, or to change from daytime
work lighting to entertainment-friendly lighting levels for parties.
Smart
Appliances
Programmable
slow cookers and coffee makers are the quaint, old-fashioned versions of these
home conveniences. Newer, smart appliances give you more control over how your
food is kept and prepared, and make it easier for you to complete routine
household chores.
·
Newer coffee makers, like the Smarter
coffee machine, let you ‘order’ your coffee exactly to
your liking, adjusting everything from bean grind to temperature to strength to
time that it’s ready to drink.
·
Smart refrigeration technology can
help you store your food at just the right temperature, adjusting the
thermostat during peak usage times. For example, the LG
THINQ fridge can alert you via smart phone app if a door is
accidentally left open. Perfect for me right now as my son keeps leaving a door
open!
·
Smart ovens can ensure that your
food is cooked to the right level of done-ness, and alert you when your meal is
ready to eat. June, a new counter oven invented by
former Google, Apple, Go-Pro and Path employees will give you even more
control—it will contain cameras, thermometers, and other technology to ‘learn’
what you like to eat and make menu suggestions. This sounds like a dream!
·
Smart washers and dryers have
customizable controls so that you can safely wash any type of fabric. Some
units include controls to increase drying time to save energy. And soon,
connected appliances from GE, Oster, Samsung, and other makers, will be able to
re-order soap and fabric softener directly from Amazon, so you won’t even have to
think about running to the store at the last minute.
Have you
tested any of these technologies in your home? Did we miss any of your favorite
home technologies? Let us know in the comments!
