Thanks to recent technological innovations, the home automation market has undergone major changes in just the last few years and there is a growing trend to make homes “smart”. A home automation system is a technological solution that enables you to control a range of household features such as lighting and security as well as a multitude of appliances and devices.
Engineers are working with automation technology to deliver innovative solutions to make our lives easier by providing improved convenience, security, comfort, and energy efficiency. Until recently, home automation had been largely limited to affluent or extremely technical people, but is now being driven into the mass market through rapid advancements in technology, simpler solutions, and a reduction in cost.
It works by hooking up devices to a remotely controllable network which is then able to turn any appliance on/off, as well as open doors, windows, and blinds. You can control everything from heating, air conditioning, and security cameras to lighting, music and home theatre systems.
Insteon, a leading company developing smart components for home automation produces over 200 products featuring their patented Insteon technology and have partnered with companies including Apple, Microsoft and Google to deliver home automation functionality to customers.
Founder and CEO, Joe Dada explains that the Insteon technology operates on a dual-mesh network, meaning that signals travel through power lines as well as radio frequency communications and so has enormous range and is far more reliable than systems that operate using Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, for example.
The Insteon system allows you to select multiple devices to create specific scenes that can be activated and deactivated with the touch of a finger using their hand held remote control or your own smart device (phone, tablet or watch).
Insteon have also developed sensor technology that can detect things such as leaks, which when placed next to the potential leakage area (e.g washing machine), sends you an instant message via your smartphone or watch at the first sign of detection. Dada points out that you don’t need an expert to fit these systems; they are simple and easy enough for anyone to install themselves.
So this is the current technology, but what can we expect to see in the future of home automation systems? Well, voice controlled automation is hot on the scene, with Insteon working with Microsoft and Apple to incorporate Cortana and Siri into the technology. Simplicity and reliability are key to a positive user experience in home automation and so automation in response to voice commands still needs some work before this technology can be introduced onto the market.
Inspired by Tony Stark’s operating system J.A.R.V.I.S, artificial intelligence startup AiroCorp is taking home automation to the next level by developing the world’s very first artificial intelligence operating system called FiOS. The personal assistant integrated into this fully centralised technology learns about the user’s’ habits, surroundings and usage patterns, and thus adapts itself according to the needs of the user.
Automated systems are also being developed in the industrial manufacturing industry. TE Connectivity Ltd have developed the technology for a “smart” factory which is all about providing intelligence at the edge and allowing machines to collect data for making insight and analysis, explains VP & CTO, Rob Shaddock.
The company developed contactless connectivity as a complete solution for rotating machines, eliminating the stress on cables and making the process a whole lot more reliable.
It’s exciting to see this amazing technology that is bringing intelligent automation systems to a growing number of homes and factories. There’s no doubt that these rapidly growing markets will attract new entrants and we will continue to see these types of technological innovations becoming more widespread.
Article Submitted By Community Writer
