A smart home uses internet-connected devices to enable the remote monitoring and management of appliances and systems, such as lighting and heating. Smart home technology, also often referred to as home automation, provides homeowners security, comfort, and convenience by allowing them to control smart devices via their voice (such as Google Assistant) or a smartphone app.
As part of the Internet of Things (IoT), smart home systems and devices often operate together. For instance, if you come home at night, your lights turn on automatically for you. Leveraging information from each device and analyzing it with artificial intelligence (AI) in real-time lets these machines make choices for us on how we like things done. It’s all about saving us time!
The Internet of Things (IoT) means sensors, cameras, or software installed on devices, which can be controlled remotely over the Internet. In an increasingly interconnected world, smart devices are slowly becoming a bigger part of our everyday lives, at home and work.
It’s a rapidly growing market, projected to be worth $267 billion by 2020, according to IDC. A large part of the IoT’s popularity comes from the numerous benefits it brings to our lives. However, there are some dangers people should be aware of. The most dangerous ones are about the security of the devices.
With the adoption of any new technology comes doubts about its effectiveness and, oftentimes, its security and reliability. However, smart devices can add great value to your daily life, helping you automate tasks and increase your productivity, making the risks worth it for some users.
As it stands now, here are some of the main benefits:
Benefits:
- Convenience: One of the main reasons people choose to make the switch to IoT is the increased convenience it affords. The flexibility to control your air conditioner from afar, for instance, allows you to monitor conditions in your home from anywhere in the world. It gives you the ability to see what is happening in your home in real-time. You can see who is there and what they are doing, turn off lights and adjust the temperature.
- Security: As we increasingly connect our lives through home automation, we become more dependent on our smart devices. A smart, connected home is one of the most efficient ways of safeguarding your property against intruders. With the right security features and smart devices at your disposal like window and door sensors, smart cameras and locks, video doorbells, etc., you can have complete control over your home 24/7, no matter how far away you may be.
- Customization: While smart devices are increasingly common, they are not created in the same vein as most consumer products. These devices will have various features that can be programmed to do a specific sequence of tasks based on triggers from sensors, touchscreen inputs from users or other connected devices, and instructions given by the user via their smartphone.
- Interconnectivity: Home automation products, like smart lighting and security systems, can increase your comfort and productivity. Connecting your home can help you increase your productivity and peace of mind. Wi-Fi-connected devices allow you to control the environment around you no matter where you are in your smart home.
Besides the benefits, as we adopt more and more devices into the Internet of Things (IoT), privacy comes into question. Security is always a great concern for anyone connected to the web, especially since many of these smart devices are installed in your home!
From connected appliances to security systems, you can bet there will be at least some level of connectivity logged or stored. The only problem is that this information is not necessarily protected by very strong passwords just due to the sheer number of IoT devices that are being used today.
There’s also another concern in privacy, which is not necessarily data security-related – but if the manufacturer goes out of business, it leaves consumers with a lot of annoying questions about whether or not they still own their IoT device. Price is one concern when it comes to purchasing smart devices for your home or business.
To reduce the chances of a cyber attack, homeowners should ensure that their smart devices have the latest up-to-date software installed and make sure the device has not been tampered with physically, and limit who can have physical access to it.
Homeowners should also consider where they purchase their automation systems from. Because sometimes people will purchase smarter versions of gadgets and equipment from the second-hand market and they might have been tampered with.
To conclude, it will not be wrong to say that the home automation systems can not only make our homes more comfortable but also offer an extra layer of security by helping manage different aspects around one’s house including electricity for instance!
Despite security concerns and some of the drawbacks, the future looks bright for IoT. In the words of businessman Chuck Robbins, “The opportunity we have is to build a secure, intelligent platform that solves some of the world’s greatest problems at scale.
That’s what’s possible with hundreds of billions of connections and the capabilities that we can deliver together.”
About Vibe Smart Homes:
Vibe Smart Homes is an end-to-end solutions provider for home automation services. With the advent of ingenious technologies and an aim to provide smart homes at your comfort and convenience. Vibe Home Automation offers a whole range of home automation solutions in convergence with the Internet of Things (IoT) that allows seamless connectivity of automation devices via the internet involving zero hassle.
Vibe Home Automation solutions are aesthetically and technologically advanced systems that let you control your devices at the touch of a button.With smart home automation products and services being the emerging trend, Vibe Home Automation services are designed and manufactured in India to conserve both energy and human effort.
The products come with a plethora of benefits on a shoestring budget and features such as the retrofitting technology, which works easily with existing wiring setup. With customizable services and user-friendly experience, Vibe Home Automation offers perfect automation choices with state-of-the-art interactive and super responsive mobile applications that focus on high performance and seamless connectivity.
Contact us for any query or more information.