For years now, people have been fascinated by the idea of home automation. Whether we were first exposed to the idea through Dexter’s Lab or Stark Mansion’s JARVIS or HAL 9000, we’ve all had thoughts about what life could be like if we were able to install home automation systems in real life.
The technology has actually existed for many years – although 1975’s X10 wasn’t a patch on JARVIS, It’s hard to think of it as anything other than a prototype of smart home technologies we actually have today.
Are you ready to interact with your house ?
What is home automation?
The simple definition is that home automation is installing electronic components to control things such as lighting, heating, security, and (in one memorable case) cat food. Historically, home automation has been as simple as switching the air conditioner on or off based on feedback from temperature sensing remotes, or as elaborate as Bill Gates’ home, which boasts 52 miles of fibre-optic cable and is automated to the max.
Usually a smart home system consists of a hub or gateway which the user can interact with, and which is connected to the various functions the smart home system controls. In many cases this may be something like an app installed on the user’s phone which allows them to control their smart home’s functions.
How can home automation be good for us?
Automation now makes part of our everyday life
Home automation is one of the features of modern living that has not been explored as much as others, like equal rights and fast cars, but in the long run it can be one of the most impactful, and affects an enormous demographic – from Bill Gates, who probably has a robot nanny to bring his slippers, to disabled people who will can find getting through their daily lives enough of a challenge without adding in the million little things an automated home allows them to avoid.
In the future, home automation will allow us to spend less of our time on nitty-gritty time-wasting tasks, and more time getting on with our lives.
Connected Plus Show: the conference of home automation and smart home technologies
If you are interested in learning more about home automation and how it can change your life, you may want to attend the Connected Plus Show conference at the Arcadian Loft in Toronto on October 12-13 2016. The conference boasts 70 speakers, experts in the field of intelligent homes and home automation, as well as a number of exhibitors who will illustrate the uses of home automation machines.
