The history of the smart home — where did it all start?
For decades, science fiction has been exploring the idea of home automation. Celebrated pen masters such as ray Bradbury envisioned a future in which homes were interactive and seemingly self-governing. In Bradbury’s cautionary tale, “there Will be gentle rain,” he describes an automated house that functions even after humans have died out.
Although the idea of home automation has been around for some time, modern smart homes have only been around for a short time. In this time frame, the focus is on hardware; this refers to real-world inventions leading to the “smart homes” that we know today and can expect in the near future.
When did the first smart homes appear?
1901-1920-Invention of household appliances. Despite the fact that home appliances are not what we would call “smart”, at the beginning of the twentieth century, they became an incredible achievement. These achievements can be considered open since the first vacuum cleaner with a mechanical drive in 1901. A more practical electric vacuum cleaner was invented in 1907. Within two decades, refrigerators were invented, as well as clothes dryers, washing machines, irons, toasters, and more. It was a fantastic time for everyone who worked as a maid in a very well-off family.
1966-1967 – ECHO IV and the kitchen computer. Although it was never sold commercially, the ECHO IV was the first smart device. This smart device could calculate lists of what to buy, monitor the temperature in the house, and turn appliances on and off. A kitchen computer developed a year later could store recipes.
1991-Gerontology. This industry combines science and technology and makes life easier for the elderly. In the 1990s, there was a lot of new research and technology in this sector. Remember: Life Alert is one of the examples of gerontology.
1998-early 2000s-the first Smart Home. Smart homes, or home automation, began to become increasingly popular in the early 2000s. As such, various technologies began to appear. Smart homes have suddenly become a more affordable option, and therefore a viable technology for consumers. Household technologies, home networks and other gadgets began to appear on sale.
Today’s smart homes are more focused on safety and a greener life. They are resistant to external influences and help ensure that our homes do not waste extra energy. In addition, they warn us about breaking into the house (whether we are at home or not).
Current trends in home automation include remote control from a smartphone, automatic lighting, automatic thermostat adjustment, scheduling devices, notifications, and remote video surveillance.
The future of home automation. CNN predicts that the smart home of the future will be a bit like what we saw in the animated series “the Jetsons”.