With the rise in Internet of Things (IoT), cloud computing and technological advancements in today's world, we can see that people are relying so much on technology. So much so that it is brought into the comfort of their homes, calling it a Smart Home.
So what exactly is a Smart Home?
It seems that nothing is impossible when it comes to technology. Smart homes utilize computer, communication, image display as well as controlling technology that is connected through a various networks around the house.
I'm sure some of you have Google Home for your home entertainment, smart home tablet that controls your home or even a smart fridge that was invented by Samsung. Cool isn't!
Let's take a look at some benefits of Smart Home appliances!
Benefit 1: Extreme Convenience
Imagine rushing off to work because you woke up a little later and you realized that you have forgotten to turn off your lights and water heater in your house. You can't be possibly rush back home again just to turn them off. With having home automation, you can conveniently turn them off with the use of your smartphone or tablet through a "Smart Home app" as long as you are connected to the internet!
Benefit 2: Energy Efficiency
Having an automation system in your home, eliminate the power of consumption of unattended appliances (Li et al. 2018). One example will be having the precise control of your preferred room temperature or having the lights automatically turn on and off when you enter or leave the room. This will lead to a reduced bill, that saves you the money on paying for wasted electricity and energy.
Benefit 3: Safety precautions
Safety and security is something a smart home can deliver. Having a security system such as security cameras, allows the owners of the home to monitor and keep an eye on any suspicious activities taking place around or in their home. In case of any emergencies, smart cameras can capture the incidents that happened and alert you right away!
Overall....
Technology in smart homes do have its advantages, but there seems to be a problem of compromising confidential information and abuse of personal data of the users (Batalla, Vasilakos & Gajewski 2017). In addition, owning smart home appliance can be very costly, in terms of installing and maintaining them. This shows that there are definitely pros and cons that home owners may need to consider in having a Smart Home.
References:
Batalla, J.M., Vasilakos, A & Gajewski, M 2017, 'Secure Smart Homes: Opportunities and Challenges', ACM Computing Surveys, vol. 50, no. 5, pp. 1-32.
Li, M., Gu, B., Chen, W., He, Y., Wu, Y. & Zhang, Y. 2018, 'Smart Home: Architecture, Technologies and Systems', Procedia Computer Science, vol. 131, pp. 393-400.