A smart device is an electronic device capable of connecting to other devices, gathering information about its environment, analyzing the input, adapting and changing its behavior based on the analysis, and performing at least some actions and functions autonomously.
As artificial intelligence technologies advance, smart devices are making their way into more and more homes. Smart devices can help people manage their households, protect their homes, automate tedious tasks, and overall, make things more accessible around the house.
There are all types of smart devices available for homes now, with new ones coming to the market all the time. No matter what you’re looking to automate, there’s probably a smart device that can help you do it, saving you time and sometimes money in the process.
Here are five ways smart devices can help you improve your home.
Security
Safety is one of the most common reasons that people install smart devices in their homes. Most people are familiar with video doorbells that allow a homeowner to see who’s at the door and even talk with them via a smartphone and a speaker in the device.
Many other smart devices can be incorporated into home security systems to keep your family and property protected. From movement sensors that send alerts to your phone to video cameras and smart locks and smoke detectors, you can feel more secure knowing smart devices actively protect your home. You can feel at ease being able to check in on what’s happening in your home whenever you like from your smartphone, whether you’re at home or not.
Some smart devices can be plugged into any available outlet when it comes to installation, but others need to be hardwired directly into your home’s electrical system. For those types of installations, it’s vital to have an experienced electrician perform the installation rather than attempting to DIY it.
Convenience
Anyone with a smartphone is probably familiar with the concept of an automated assistant. Familiar names such as Siri and Alexa can help you efficiently manage things around the house with simple voice commands. While some systems are device-specific, such as Siri in iOS systems.
However, like Google’s Nest system, some systems can have multiple types of devices all installed and networked to work together throughout your home. If you like, you can set it up to be accessible in all areas of your home, so no matter where you are, you can call out to your automated assistant to play music, set calendar reminders, add items to your grocery list make calls, and more.
Energy Efficiency
Another significant benefit to smart devices is that they can help you improve your home’s energy efficiency and save money on energy costs. A smart thermostat, for example, can learn your schedule and adjust the temperatures in your house accordingly to save energy costs when no one is home.
So, you won’t be spending money to heat and cool your home when no one is there, but you’ll still be able to enjoy comfortable temperatures when you’re at home. Other smart devices can also help with energy efficiency.
Automation
Automation is a great benefit to installing smart devices in your home. You can purchase smart devices to automate a variety of household tasks. Robot vacuums, automatic coffee makers, and even automated lawn mowing systems can help add convenience to your life and save you time on regular tasks. As technology advances, we can also expect even more smart devices to become available to help with things like laundry, cooking, cleaning, and more.
Remote Control
Smart devices enable you to set up many items in your life to be controlled remotely, like lights, doors, and power outlets. That way, if you forget to turn out the lights or unplug an appliance, you can turn it off with your smartphone from a distance. If your door locks are controlled with a smart lock, you’ll have the option to let people in, even when you aren’t home. In essence, smart devices give the option of being in two places at once since you can control items in your home while physically being elsewhere.
Smart devices have become an essential part of many homes in recent years and will undoubtedly continue to grow in popularity as the technology becomes more advanced.
Do you have any smart devices in your home? What one thing would you most like to automate with a smart device?
