Smart home technology was once all about big screens and flashy sound systems, but today
itโs about increased comfort.
Recent research shows that one in four Australian homes is now considered a โsmart homeโ,
with Australians adopting all kinds of innovations for added convenience. The good news is
that some of the most popular home automation solutions are small and easy to use, making
day-to- day tasks more straight-forward, so you can spend more time on things that really
matter.
Smart home tech is clearly an โin thingโ, so what are the big trends this year?
5 smart new home tech trends to put on your radar
1. All-in- one solutions
Nowadays most home appliances you buy in the shops are IoT (Internet of Things) driven. This basically means theyโre smart devices that connect to your home WIFI network, making them capable of โtalkingโ to us and other devices. This functionality is worth taking advantage of! After all, why have ten remotes when you can have one? With an all-in- one like solution like Push Controls you can bring all of your smart devices into the one simple interface that can be operated from the palm of your hand via an app on your smartphone or tablet. Now thatโs handy!
2. Voice activation
If youโve ever dreamed of living like The Jetsons then installing voice activation technology will be like all your Christmasโs have come at once! Using an integrated solution like Push paired with intelligent voice activation technology like Amazonโs Alexa, you can do pretty much anything in your home with a simple voice command. From โlights onโ to โplay musicโ, you can program Alexa to respond to a series of pre-set instructions. Think about the next time you arrive home, wouldnโt it be nice to simply say โIโm homeโ to have security deactivate, blinds rise, lights on and your favourite music starts playing?
3. Remote access
Your bags are packed and youโre on the way to the airport. Is the house locked? One of my favourite things about todayโs smart home tech is that it allows you to control your home, whether youโre at home or on-the- go. Automation takes the stress out of ensuring your home is secure, by allowing you to control cameras, locks and intercom systems directly from your smartphone even if youโre thousands of kilometres away! Remote access is also great for climate control – during a hot Aussie Summer thereโs nothing better than being able to turn the air-conditioning on when leaving work so the house is nice and cool when arriving home.
4.Geo-fencing
If you like the idea of remote access, then youโll love geofencing. Put simply, this tech feature will trigger devices based on your location, such as open your garage door, disarm your security and even message family members when you arrive home safely. Similar actions can be triggered when leaving your home too; once youโre a a pre-set distance away from your home the system can turn off all your connected devices and appliances so youโre not wasting energy. The best part is you can customise any of these settings to suit you – itโs convenience at its best and easily the hottest new smart home trend.
5. Energy consumption
Ever find yourself with bill shock after cranking the heater all winter? One of the latest
innovations in the smart home space is the ability to monitor your home energy
consumption, which makes it easier than ever to reduce your carbon footprint. An energy monitoring system shares real-time information about how much energy youโre using and where. It also acts like your very own home energy coach by alerting you when youโve reached or exceeded your monthly energy targets!
By Bec Sparky, Clipsal Brand Ambassador and Qualified Electrician
