Smart homes are a concept that has long been featured in science fiction, but only in our age began to conquer reality. The essence of a smart home is that by automating a large number of functions, household obligations are eased, and the owner is provided with an unheard – of level of comfort.
What a smart home does
Smart homes can not only turn on and off lights on command, or close and open Windows. Among the properties of smart homes, you can find functions related to the following areas:
external and internal lighting, including site lighting;
use of special power sources, regulation of energy consumption, prioritization between devices;
full climate control, including heating of specific building elements, temperature control that can be set independently;
a set of functions related to plumbing, heating, and water filtration;
identify and manage emergencies independently, such as gas or water leaks, short circuits, or fires;
security and monitoring systems;
assistance with forming a budget plan for housing and utilities payments;
Internet speed control and traffic distribution, family hard drive or server;
and much, much more.
The number of functions that a smart home can provide is limited only by the owner’s requirements and budget. If desired, you can even build in sports equipment, washing machines, coffee makers and refrigerators.
How does a smart home provide all these features
An unheard-of level of control is growing out of the Internet of things. The Internet of things is a concept that is based on computerization of household items and providing communication between them. A smart home is essentially the pinnacle of this concept: combining all the important elements of home comfort for the owner into one system that is easy to manage.
This is provided through a network of specialized compact computers, each of which is connected via the Internet or a local network to the main computer. Smartphones, tablets, smartwatches, PCs, laptops, and other devices are also connected to the computer. The owner, interacting with his personal device, commands the house to do something. The command is sent to the Central computer, which processes it and divides it into separate tasks for each specific subject.
The owner can also set up pre-prepared commands for certain situations, and the house will execute these commands if it detects the described situation. For example, if the host can’t stand the summer heat, the Central computer will monitor the temperature. When the temperature rises above the pre-set level, the house will turn on the air conditioners, open the Windows, and remind the person that there is ice cream in the freezer. Any person can handle setting up a smart home in our time, starting with a child and ending with a seasoned it specialist. The system can also be protected with a password or divided into access levels.