When most people think of home automation, they think of the luxury surveillance systems and hi-tech gadgets we see in the homes of the rich and famous, or the talking toasters, self-cleaning floors and robo-maids that grace our children’s sci-fi cartoons.
In reality, it is a technology that has been around for decades and is now being driven by consumer demand for convenience, security and energy efficiency – delivering an overall sense of ‘peace of mind’ that comes from allowing home owners to be everywhere at once.
Due to advancements in wireless sensors, increasingly available in day-to-day home appliances, home automation is gaining momentum and is poised for mainstream adoption as increased demand and competition from vendors drives down deployment costs.
A New Ecosystem
Global service providers are waking up to the promise of this lucrative market but are confronted with the challenges of developing and deploying software management platforms far removed from traditional telcos.
Home automation systems require dedicated control centres to provide real-time visibility and control over device communications. Users demand dedicated reports that offer insight into how a device is functioning and need to be able to access this information safely and securely.
By forming strategic partnerships with connected-device platform providers, service providers can equip their OEM partners with the tools and business model that takes into account the nuances of home automation systems – including automation, monitoring, remote diagnostics, billing and provisioning.
Going Mobile
Home automation system providers are finding creative ways to improve household communications. Capitalising on the proliferation of smartphone users, companies have been quick to launch dedicated remote-management applications. Emerging applications allow users to access and operate home systems remotely, from any wireless device, anywhere in the world.
From a remote keypad, users can now check the status, arm or disarm a security system, manage multiple homes or businesses, control out buildings and turn lighting on or off to make a home looked lived in.
Checking-up and Checking-in
The real-value of home automation is being able to specify which events you want to know about and when they occur.
We’re witnessing a rise in real-time updates and video viewing that offer users a fuller-picture of what is going on at home. Whether it’s a child sick at home, checking up on the family pet, keeping an eye on the family jewels or monitoring an elderly relative, new solutions can safeguard the property and people that matter most.
Monitoring systems are getting smarter, with companies such as Honeywell’s AlarmNet service and Alarm.com delivering round-the-clock logs of all events, including motion detectors, alarms activated and deactivated, power failures and when a door or cabinet is opened or closed. In-built floor sensors can even detect water leaks to avoid the insatiable costs that can arise from home flooding.
Home automation is heralding a rise in energy efficiency. With winter heating bills accounting for a large portion of a home’s overall energy use, and artificial lighting coming a close second, by adjusting these settings remotely home owners will immediately reap the benefits to reduced bills and improved energy efficiency ratings.
Even the most conscious home owner cannot predict what hour they will return home, or if they are called away on a business trip, and even with the best intentions, we often return home to find lights left on. Turning down a thermostat during the day, adjusting when on the way home, and automating light functions can ensure we don’t waste resources during the day when no-one is home.
Moving outside the home
Due to the small form factor of home automation devices, we are increasingly seeing users utilise these services outside the home.
Users can harness the benefits of discrete motion detection devices and real-time updates to track any unusual movements of their bike, boat or vehicle. On-board GPS systems can alert owners via text message if their property is lost or stolen, or alert a parent if a child is driving irresponsibly or beyond agreed boundaries.
Through secure, online web portals users can create automatics alerts and monitor their possessions in real-time.
