Changing the
Way Houses Operate
Smart Home Technology
In the near future, people will be living just as the Jetsons did,
but with one major change. All chores will be done without having
a robot maid. Smart home technology will allow all sorts of electronics
and appliances to be able to communicate with each other and perform
a variety of tasks. Whenever someone wants to have a snack, but
does not feel like making something, why not have the refrigerator
suggest something based on what it has inside of it. Not only that,
it would communicate with the microwave to prepare the cooking power
and time for that particular dish. Smart home technology can and
will be used in many electronics and appliances in the near future,
and is a form of technology that will prove to make life easier
in ways, and more entertaining.
Smart home technology is the technology used to make all electronic
devices around a house act "smart" or more automated.
Nearly all major appliances in the future will take advantage of
this technology through home networks and the Internet. Smart home
technology is a way for ordinary electronics and appliances to communicate
with each other, consumers, and even manufacturers. Many consider
a smart home to be one that is networked. Others feel it is a home
that has appliances that will allow the consumer to do little to
no work, but a smart home really is all of that combined, and more.
Not only will all consumer products be networked, but they will
also make life easier on people. Smart home technology is currently
being developed and implemented for all rooms in the house, in particular
the kitchen and the living room.
Many of today's products are becoming "smart." Kitchen
refrigerators, microwaves, and stoves are utilizing this technology.
Even washers and dryers have the technology today to be more automated
to fit people's needs. Products in the bathroom will even start
to use smart home technology. Electric razors, toilets, and showers
will have some sort of automation built in. Smart home technology
is still in its early stages but will soon make a tremendous impact
on everyone's lives.
Smart home technology may be innovative, but it just uses existing
technology. A smart device is an ordinary appliance with a sophisticated
computer installed to give it more functionality. But it is what
these new functions bring that makes it so significant. Smart homes
will become more of a reality as broadband internet becomes more
widespread in homes. Cable broadband is not the only technology
that will be used to have devices in the home communicate with each
other. Other technologies such as DSL, Bluetooth, and wireless will
also be used (Barthold). These technologies provide a way to have
a home networked for devices to communicate with each other and
to have them connected to the Internet. These different communication
technologies, whether they are hard wired or wireless, provide the
foundation on which a smart home will operate.
The ability for devices to communicate with each other will provide
new functionality to just about every device in a home. The ability
to connect to the Internet also brings more functionality. Devices
will be able to request service when needed to nearby certified
repairers. Since these devices will be using currently implemented
technology, companies can very easily make smart home technologies.
The most heard about smart technologies are that of the kitchen.
Nearly all appliances in the future will be "smart." Devices
such as refrigerators, microwaves, coffee makers, and dishwashers
will have the technology. LG Electronics has developed the Internet
Refrigerator. LG is a leader in innovative technology, both computer
and electronic. The Internet Refrigerator utilizes the technology
to help make many tasks much easier. The refrigerator is Internet
enabled and allows for users to communicate with it via the Internet,
cell phone, PDA. The refrigerator is able to download recipes and
then display them on its LCD screen. The refrigerator also takes
an automatic inventory of items inside of it, alerting the consumer
to what is there, how long it has been there, and when an item is
running low. Because many people use the refrigerator to leave notes
to themselves and others, the Internet refrigerator has the capability
to store appointments and occasions to help organize one's life.
LG Electronics is not the only company making such a product (LG
Electronics). Other companies such as Samsung, General Electric,
and Whirlpool all have similar refrigerators available. Some models
have the ability to track inventory and even order new groceries
when they are needed (Barthold).
The next generation microwaves are also smart. Microwaves can communicate
with smart refrigerators and suggest recipes based on what items
are in the refrigerator. The microwave can even be set to start
at certain times while away from home, so when one arrives home,
a hot meal is waiting for him or her. In addition to the microwave,
ovens and stoves will operate in the same way. They will suggest
recipes based on the food items available in the home. Cooking will
become more precise with no room for human error as the device automatically
sets itself to the right temperature and time. Coffee makers already
have smart technology. Consumers can currently set a schedule for
the coffee maker to start brewing. In the future, coffee makers
will even be able to learn how each individual likes his or her
coffee, use the correct amount of coffee and water, and brew to
each individual's exact liking.
Stepping away from the kitchen, the living room is another part
of the home that can greatly benefit from smart home technologies.
Devices like televisions and stereos will utilize this technology
to further ease and improve the entertainment experience.
As higher resolution televisions become more popular in people's
homes, more interactive content will become available. Instead of
consumers having a television and a desktop PC, soon all PC functions
will move over to the television. PC-like Internet capability will
become possible on a home television set. The ability to buy products
on the television with just a push of the button on the remote control
is a big opportunity for businesses to take advantage of smart home
technology. The ability of companies to give the user the option
to buy a particular product immediately after viewing the commercial
is a way to increase sales tremendously. This leads to interactive
TV, which is becoming more popular with major cable and satellite
companies. The ability to shop, gamble, and interact with the television
becomes available because of smart home technologies. Watching television
is no longer going to be as limited as it is today. The ability
to watch sports at any angle the consumer wants is something that
will be seen in the future. Another possibility of interactive television
is the ability to actually play with contestants on a game show.
There are many different ways that interactive television will change
the way people watch TV, allowing people to become part of the world
that they see on TV.
A quite commonly overlooked product of the living room is the air
conditioner. LG Electronics makes an Internet Air Conditioner that
has self-adjusting settings. Users can connect to the air conditioner
with any Internet capable device such as a PC, PDA, or cell phone
and schedule a start or shutdown time. The air conditioner can even
self adjust to keep the house or room cool depending on the amount
of people in the home. The air conditioner also has downloadable
programs that run different air circulation patterns with a variety
of settings to make the cooling process even more efficient (LG
Electronics).
Other products that are coming in the near future are smart showerheads
and toilets. Showers will be able to store individual profiles for
each user and will adjust water temperature and pressure settings
based on that individuals' preference. No longer will people have
to fidget with the temperature setting trying to get it right for
a comfortable shower. Toilets will have self-clean capabilities
and will be able to adjust flush settings depending on the amount
of matter in them. Toilets may even be able to notify users when
the toilet paper stock is low and order some more for them. An important
feature that is available on virtually all smart home technology
products is a self-diagnostic system. All these devices will be
able to notify consumers when there is a malfunction or when some
type of service is needed. Many of these devices will also be able
to put in a work order automatically. Servicemen will be able to
then come and repair the device without a hassle to the consumer.
Devices that take all the guesswork out of using them and keep themselves
up and running properly is truly innovating. No more overcooking
the chicken, no more dirty dishes when they have already been washed,
and no more wet clothes out of the dryer. Life with smart devices
is going to change the way a home operates.
With Smart Homes people's lives will become more efficient as more
household tasks become automated. Imagine not having to write a
grocery list ever again since all the groceries will be ordered
automatically. All that would need to happen is for someone to pick
up the groceries. Food will be ready to eat when people get home.
The extra time saved would mean more time to for entertainment,
oneself, or loved ones. Consumers will soon realize that smart home
technology will be something that one cannot live without. The personal
computer in its early stages took many years before people really
started using it and today, it becomes very difficult to find any
person without one. Smart home technology is not unlike the PC,
and soon will be something that everyone has.
Cited
Barthold, Jim. "Cable rule ready to the roost." Telephony.
LG
Internet Products
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