Why would we even consider hiring a company to plug in my devices? Why not just hire a teenager who understands technology? You may be asking yourself, what is the point of having home automation? Why would I want to automate my house? Isn’t that just a little bit ridiculous? What things can I automate in my home anyway?
Technology is evolving so quickly that these days it’s actually easier to hire a professional company to automate your devices than it is to find someone to manage them. A professional home automation company will have access to current technology, proven products, and knowledgeable staff.
With smart home devices, you can remotely monitor your home appliances and ensure that all devices are safely switched off. One of the most significant advantages of home automation is that it keeps your abode safe and prevents accidental fires, water leaks, gas leaks, and other disasters.
Types of Home Automation
Three main types of home automation systems:
- Power line-based home automation (X10, which uses the electrical/power line cables already fitted)
- Wired or BUS cable home automation (wired ‘BUS’ systems which utilize data cables with programmed control via a central computer)
- Wireless home automation (RF ‘radio frequency’ which uses wireless technology)
It’s not easy for a homeowner to learn how to automate the home themselves. It takes time and patience to search for what is available in automation, what can be done with it, and the most cost-effective way of going about doing it.
Hiring an experienced company brings home automation to the forefront of technology. They will have their own technical staff to help you figure out what is possible with your home’s layout, electrical systems, and remote-control options.
As well they should! Professional companies are not going to install anything until they know exactly what it will do, how it works, and whether or not it will work with other devices that are already installed.
History of Home Automation
Let’s go back a few years to briefly discuss the history of home automation and how this all got started.
In the 1990s, the home automation industry was in its infancy, and early adopters of this new technology were greeted with a high price tag. But today, we’ve come a long way, and costs have significantly decreased. But, unfortunately, we don’t know any difference: we expect our devices to be “smart. “
In 1966, Westinghouse engineer Jim Sutherland created the ECHO IV, the first actual home automation device, controlling temperature and appliances, and allowing for inputting and later retrieval of shopping lists, recipes, and other family memos.
Sutherland’s “brain” of his home automation system was the IBM 1401 (a computer as it is commonly known today – as well as arguably one of the most influential pieces of technology ever created).
In 1967, Modicon began selling an automated controller aimed at industrial applications. Hand-held remote controls could be used to tell the system what to do from a distance.
The first remote control in the industry was used with this controller in 1969. Modicon continued developing and selling more advanced controllers, but it wasn’t until the early 1970s that the technology took off with commercial products like time-of-day clocks.
By 2000, home automation was still primarily just for show or the very wealthy, who could afford it. After that, the costs were too high, and the technology wasn’t advanced enough (or small enough).
In 2010, we started seeing a larger market for this technology because of personal computers, smartphones, and tablets. For example, Apple’s iCloud has made storing important information like photos or contact lists accessible from all of your devices.
Smartphones were the tipping point because they could do things that previously required a bulky computer system but were now available to all.
What is an example of smart home automation?
There are many things that you can automate in your home, but the main three categories are lighting, entertainment, and security.
- Lighting controls allow you to automatically turn lights on and off if motion is detected or through a schedule. This helps save energy costs by turning off lights when you don’t need them.
You can even have your lights flash when someone rings the doorbell or if you receive a phone call! It’s all possible through wireless automation.
- Automated entertainment devices include TVs, stereos and surround-sound systems, and programmable thermostats to control temperature, humidity levels, and ventilation. It would help if you also considered automated blinds, screens, or shutters so that you can easily control how much sunlight is allowed into your home.
- Finally, there are security measures like monitored fire and carbon monoxide alarms that will send an alert to your smartphone if something is wrong at home after you’ve left (and vice versa). This way, you’re always in touch with what’s going on at your house, even when you’re not there!
The latest smart devices can be controlled via voice commands. Nobody likes to walk around carrying an extra device or fiddling with their smartphone to control another device that’s plugged into the wall. We’ve expected that technology should adapt to our needs, instead of the other way around. If you want to control your lights, all you should have to do is say ‘turn on the lights and voila!
How Do Home Automation Systems Work?
Home automation systems are computers. They may not look like the type you use every day, but their function is still the same – receiving input, processing that information, and taking action accordingly.
Home automation is a network of hardware, communication, and electronic interfaces that integrate everyday devices via the Internet. Each device has sensors and is connected through WiFi, so you can manage them from your smartphone or tablet whether you’re at home or miles away.
A home automation system (or HAV as it’s known in industry jargon) works by performing tasks for you that you usually would do manually. For example, you can set up a rule to turn on your lights at 5 pm every day. Or another rule where the TV turns off when you go to bed. You can even program it so that your home’s temperature will automatically switch from energy-saving mode while you’re out during the day and back into comfort mode once you return home.
Different devices are installed in various locations throughout the house to accommodate function, connectivity, and aesthetics. A communication interface connects them – either wired or wireless, depending on cost/ease of use. The interface is then connected to an electronic hub which allows you to communicate with all devices from your smartphone or tablet via WiFi.
Why Do We Need Home Automation?
In conclusion, home automation is a valuable advantage because it simplifies your tech life and helps it to be more efficient. Automation systems allow you to control your home from anywhere, anytime, making things simple by performing repetitive tasks so you can focus on more important matters.