Smart Technology makes for a Smart Home

Felista Gor reviews some of the best smart home technology that can make your life and your home safer, easier and swankier

We live in a world where we are ever more connected, thanks to the internet and other related technologies. Not only are we constantly connected to our friends and relatives by social media but even our homes are more integrated with our lives thanks to smart appliances. Smart home appliances such as Wi-Fi enabled devices that connect to a voice command system, Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa for instance, allow an individual to access the appliance remotely and at one’s convenience.

With the proliferation of smart home technology, we decided to go over these ‘miraculous’ home appliances that are a must-have for every home.

1. Smart security devices

One of the most crucial aspects of smart home automation with the Internet of Things (IoT) is security. Traditional ways to secure your home are now outdated and technology has paved the way for smart security devices that offer convenient security solutions. They ensure that homeowners are interconnected with their homes even when they are not around, enabling them to monitor the house quickly and efficiently.  

• Smart cameras: Cameras are quite crucial in home security. Most home security cameras come with a high-quality megapixel camera that offers 360-degree vision, a microSD card slot for additional memory of up to 64 GB, intruder alert, and infrared night vision. The camera is connected to the internet and allows homeowners to access their homes and their environs from anywhere.

• Biometric smart locks: Biometric lock systems are omnipresent. Nowadays, it is almost impossible to find an organization or office building without them. Modern smart houses are also implementing this smart home security feature where entry is restricted with biometric authentication through a fingerprint or facial scan. Biometric smart locks supply an additional level of security making homes safer and more secure.

• Motion sensors: IoT motion sensors are vital devices for your security. A motion sensor detects motion and sends a signal to your security system’s control panel that connects to your smartphone. They enable homeowners to be always alert to potential threats on and around their homes.

2. Smart switches

Another aspect of home automation that has been overlooked over the years is the curtains. Pulling them back allows you to experience natural light while drawing them helps you achieve privacy or reduce internal temperatures.

SwitchBot is a small, wireless device and effective smart home device that can motorize your existing curtains. You do not need to buy new or special curtains. Instead send a proper command, and the device moves your curtains in the desired direction, allowing you to open or close the curtains automatically. You can set intelligent automation and scenes for your curtains, for example, setting them to automatically open or close at specific times.

3. Dishwashing robot

Let us face it, the idea of washing dishes, especially if you must hand wash them, is not very appealing. To top it up, dishwashing is among the most hated household chore globally. However, there is good news. Bay area-based robotics company designed a dishwashing robot called Dishcraft that reduces the time and energy humans spend washing utensils

The robot has inbuilt cameras that make sure dishes are cleaned and dried faster than a typical human. The robot has four main components: a dish drop, a robotic dishwasher, rolling racks, and a sanitizing machine. Humans sort and pre-stack the utensils on a cart and then the robot uses its robotic arm to hand-pick dirty dishes and place them in a washer. The dishes are then cleaned with special scrubbers. Thereafter, the robot rotates and examines the cleanliness of the dishes using computer vision and machine learning algorithms.

4. Smart Air Purifier

One of the best ways to keep your surroundings fresh and clean is through air purifiers. They have been in the market for a while but with the advent of technology, many air purifiers are outfitted with Wi-Fi technology. It draws the smallest of particles and pollutants in the air, then circulates and projects cleaner air throughout the room. For a smart air purifier, you do not have to turn it on and off or constantly check the filters. It is so smart that it does the monitoring and purification on its own. And you can also control and track your purifier right from your phone.

5. Smart Refrigerator

We all have been in a situation where we are at the grocery store, and we cannot remember if we have items at home or if we need more. You are not certain so you grab the extra gallon only to get home and find you already have more than enough. Avoid this problem with a smart refrigerator. The latest smart fridge brand is Samsung Family Hub 2.0. It offers an app that can be installed on your mobile phone thus giving you access and updates on the fridge remotely to address maintenance or troubleshoot issues. You can view the inside of your fridge via built-in cameras in real-time, make energy-saving adjustments to refrigerator temperature, and much more.

Final word

Smart home appliances are not just added features of a smart home – they are essential. They make our homes a little more livable and a lot more automated, thus freeing us up for other sublime activities. In this article, I have sampled just a few appliances. However, the market is full of a variety of devices. Thus, there is a smart home appliance for everyone when it comes to home automation.

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