Our lives are getting smarter and more technology-driven with each passing day. People can take pictures of their food and show them to people around the world, doctors can prescribe medications remotely and people are using Facebook Messenger to transfer money to one another. Now, our own homes are becoming smarter by using the Internet of Things to connect nearly everything we touch – but don’t look around for Skynet just yet. There are apps and devices that serve practical purposes and will genuinely help you save money and improve your home. Here are just a couple:
Climate control
Smart thermostat controls allow homeowners to save energy by creating heating and cooling schedules, but some also come with apps that allow users to change their home thermostats remotely from their phones. According to Forbes, the market for smart thermostats is expected to reach $600 million by 2018. When people can schedule heating and cooling cycles, energy consumption can be reduced by up to 30 percent, generating cost savings and instilling peace of mind in homeowners.
Home security
This is another area where the IoT comes into play. Devices like Google‘s Nest Cam and Branto are creating a buzz in the home security industry. According to Wired, Google, which acquired both smart-home technology company Nest and Dropcam in 2014, is now offering a security camera system that sends video surveillance of what’s happening in your home to your smartphone or tablet from a small camera that sits on a stand. For $10 per month, you can use the Nest Aware system to save up to 30 days of video and save or share clips. Branto, on the other hand, is a sphere that allows for 360 degrees of surveillance, according to Chip Chick.
What the future holds
Stacey Higginbotham, a home-technology expert who has invested in these kinds of technology for her own home, told Forbes the future is looking a lot like The Jetsons and will include easier ways of incorporating this kind of technology in our daily lives.
“What people have learned after having these devices in the home for a couple of years is that most people want simplicity,” she says.
For more breaking tech news, be sure to visit our Emerging Technology page. If you want to learn more about the devices and technology trends that make smart homes possible, visit our page dedicated to Electronics and Devices.
