Smart homes are becoming more popular than ever before and it isn’t hard to see why. Allowing us to control things such as heating, lighting and energy at the simple touch of a button or voice command, smart homes make our lives much easier.
The question is, what types of technology go into the typical smart home today? What types of technology should homeowners invest in to realize the benefits of the IoT? Here is an overview of the history of smart homes and the new technology that homeowners should be aware of.
How it started
Smart homes may seem like they’re a pretty new invention, but the first smart home technology was actually introduced back in 1975. The communication protocol for home automation, the X10, was launched and it relied upon radio frequency (RF) to work.
The X10 sent bursts of digitalized information using 120kHz RF to the homes wiring system. The signals controlled how the devices worked and when they worked. While at the time this technology was extremely impressive, it wasn’t always fully reliable. The smart home technology used today on the other hand, typically incorporates wireless signals and electric wiring signals.
AI Assistants
Today, there are three main AI assistants which work with smart home technology. They include Apple’s Siri, Amazon’s Alexa and Google’s Assistant. Amazon lead the way in the smart home market with the Echo and built in Alexa assistant. The devices aren’t overly expensive, and the assistant feature has more than 10,000 different skills.
However, if you’re looking for the smartest AI assistant, it’s the Google device you’ll want to invest in. It’s considered one of the smartest on the market as it links to Google search, meaning you can ask it practically anything. In terms of smart home features on the other hand, Amazon’s Echo device is the one you’ll want to go with.
Smart home starter kits
You need two things in order to set up a smart home. One is an AI assistant, and the other is smart home equipment. So, as well as investing in an Amazon Echo or similar device, you’ll also need to invest in the right equipment such as smart lighting and smart thermostats from a company such as RS.
It is possible to pick up smart home starter kits too. These can save you money depending upon what type of smart home technology you’re looking to incorporate.
Most popular smart home devices
As of 2015, smart home technology was still fairly new in American homes. Just 17% of American homes had wireless speaker systems such as Amazon Echo, and 11% had smart thermostats.
Other popular smart home devices include smart home security, domestic robots such as automatic vacuum cleaners, and smart smoke detectors. Compared to 2015, they are much more prevalent now due to a decrease in costs.
Overall, smart homes are becoming more popular and they’re constantly adding new impressive control features. The above is just some of the technology behind smart homes today.
Technology Brings Big Changes to Smart Homes
The IoT is making a massive impact on households around the world. A number of new devices are reaching the market, which are bringing fantastic new features to these homes. What will be next on the horizon for smart home owners? Only time will tell.