Internet of Things (IoT) Revolution for Smart Living

The Internet of Things (IoT) is set to completely transform the way we live. Smart homes are filled with devices which are wirelessly integrated; remotely accessible; responsive to voice-enabled commands or a simple push of button are becoming a reality. With the phenomenal growth of the internet of things (IoT), this level of home automation has become a reality.

Smart home technology provides homeowners security, comfort, convenience and energy efficiency by allowing them to control smart devices. A part of the Internet of Things (IoT) ecosystem, smart home systems and devices often perform in sync with each other.

The global smart home market is expected to reach a value of more than 40 billion U.S. dollars by 2020. The U.S. has the highest smart home penetration rate, followed by Japan and Germany.

While the system empowering smart homes has already been in use for decades in its basic form, it has witnessed tremendous evolution. One such example would be to detect sensors that detected opening or breaking of doors and windows.

A smart home goes one step further than security alarm, in which several other actions can be performed such as blocking garage doors or viewing surveillance footage via the Internet.

How does Home Automation Work?

Smart home is not just about conflicting or different smart devices and appliances. It is all about ones that work together to create network that can be controlled remotely. Devices are controlled by a smart home hub, usually a hardware device that acts as a nucleus of the smart home system and can process data and communicate wirelessly.

But different hubs support different connectivity protocols, so it's important to look for a hub that supports all or maximum devices you use. Bluetooth LE, Wi-Fi, Z-Wave, and ZigBee are all popular ways to connect, so you want a hub that supports as many of these standards as possible. Support for IFTTT (If This Then That) is also useful, as it adds even more ways to configure and trigger your connected device

Events can be timed or triggered in smart homes. For instance, switching off lights in your bedroom at 10.00 p.m. On the other hand, triggered events depend on actions such as the smart lock unlocks and the smart lights go on as the owner’s smartphones reaches main door.

The owner of the smart home system can control actions through an app, allowing monitoring to automate, manage, schedule and control tasks and actions based on conditional statements that are triggered based on changes.

IoT Industries

Several industries will benefit from the IoT Solutions.

• Manufacturing

• Retail

• Utilities

• Healthcare

• Infrastructure

• Agriculture

• Logistics

• Oil and Gas

• Connected Home

Drivers of Home Automation Growth

Security

Home security has emerged as the key driver in smart home adoption. Consumers want enhanced features with home security monitoring that conventional systems do not provide. Instant updates, high-quality video and ease of installation make smart security more popular.

Efficiency

Home automation also helps consumers improve efficiency. Smart home technology understands user behavior and makes sure the house is at perfect temperature by the time you arrive home from work. With home automation, several natural resources such as energy and water can be used more efficiently and in cost-effective manner, resulting in overall savings.

Enhanced Functionality

Smart homes can help fine tune and find better apps as well as channels to locate your favorite programming. For instance, entertainment automation can help seamless management of movies and music to entertain guests. Smart entertainment can help control all remote based devices from single mobile application interface, eliminating the need of multiple remotes and making your life easier.

Smart Home Applications

• Smart TVs allows users to access content through applications connect to the Internet.

• Smart lighting systems to detect and regulate lighting based on daylight availability.

• Smart thermostats allowing users to schedule, monitor and remotely control home temperatures.

• Smart locks to detect when residents are near and unlock the doors for them.

• Smart motion sensors to identify suspicious behavior or intrusion.

• Smart coffee makers and smart refrigerators.

Albert Smith is Digital Marketing Manager at Hidden Brains, a leading web & mobile app development company specializing in mobile & web apps.