Have you locked the door on your way out only to go back in and check whether your stovetops and faucets are quietly sleeping? Perhaps, we have all done that at some point.
With 101 jobs in hand to do every day, homeowners are rushing from pillar to post. In the midst of all this chaos, there pops up the worry about home security — not just from unwanted intrusions but also from slight mistakes of their own doing.
It makes sense, therefore, to take advantage of the emerging technologies and invest in a smart home. The home will be secured from all possible mishaps, and homeowners will have full control to monitor at all times. Voice or remote-controlled command over a smart device will result in homes reacting instantly.
Typical to any new technology, the initial idea of the smart home was considered quirky at best. It was something more out of a fantastic sci-fi thriller than real life but was still an intriguing one.
Now it has become a full-blown consumer trend with startups and giant tech companies vying with each other for a pie of the smart home product market. Connected seamlessly to smartphones, tablets and other mobile devices, homes today are more secure than they have ever been before.
All electronic devices, appliances, thermostats, lighting and home security systems can communicate with a remote device in hand, and they can be monitored and commanded to change or secure themselves at with the help of advanced technologies. Sales figures show a growth projection of around $9.5 billion by 2015, a figure that can easily rise to $44 billion by 2017.
How are homeowners reacting to this new trend?
Most don't even blink at the cost, or the recurring ones that come with it. The safety and security of loved ones and the home is important for today's homeowners.
As a family man in Oklahoma pointed out, this technology can be a boon not just for preventing people based crimes but also against natural disasters. During a tornado last spring, Peter Getz's smart home updated his family every second about the status and exact location of the storm that raged all around. They have set up a complete home automation system, but they say that it is a small price to pay for the safety and comfort that they get in return.
What are the top smart home products for 2014? Here is a quick look:
- Skydrop Sprinkler Controller: Wi-Fi enabled watering system
- Petnet: Automated pet feeder
- Canary: Home security system that needs no installation and has no fees. Just a sensor connected to a home Wi-Fi network.
- Sense Mother: A base station with motion cookies that have small wearable sensors to track activity and behaviors of homeowners.
- Belkin WeMo: Additional layer of intelligence to everyday devices allowing better control, tighter security and more energy efficiency.
Why have smart homes become so popular?
Crime makes homeowners insecure, which means they are constantly looking for more advanced security options. Increasing distance and isolation in social lives have directly coincided with a mad rush in professional lives, all of which combine to leave little time for homes.
Smart homes are really home security concepts taken to the next level and are no longer considered a luxury meant only for the wealthy. Now smart homes can take worries and transform them to peace with features like turning lights off, adjusting the thermostat, motion detecting and recording through cameras, alerting homeowners to smoke and intrusions. And, as we have seen, even dangerous weather.
