Smart homes are becoming increasingly popular due to the convenience and security they offer. For example, the lights automatically dim when you want to watch a movie or the house automatically plays your favorite music when you just want to relax at home. Although converting your home to this type of home automation can cost you a fortune, the benefits will prove to be worth the investment.

What is a smart home?

Simply defined, a smart home has all the appliances and devices connected so that they communicate with each other and with the owner. As long as you use electricity, you can connect to the home network and respond under your control. Whether by computer, remote control, or voice, the home network responds on command. With this type of automation, it would be like having a personal assistant who is always at your beck and call. Common systems that are linked together include your lighting system, entertainment, home theater, thermostat regulation, and home security.

The evolution of the automated home network

In previous years, those who could afford to automate their homes were the really wealthy homeowners who belonged to the upper class of society. However, with advances in electronics and technology, more and more homeowners can afford to convert their homes to automated homes. Although it is still relatively expensive, now it is not as expensive as it used to be.

Smart home technology was created in 1975, when X10 was developed by a company based in Scotland. X10 was then a new technology that allowed compatible appliances and devices to communicate with each other through the existing electricity cables installed inside a house. All devices and gadgets act as receivers and keyboards or remote controls act as transmitters. For example, turning off a lamp in another room using the remote will allow the remote to send a numeric code message to execute the command. Despite being a revolutionary technology, the X10 had some limitations. Some of these limitations include unreliable communication on power lines. An X10 device can either interpret the command or it won’t receive it at all. In an attempt to overcome this limitation, other newer home technologies have emerged. These new technologies now make use of radio waves instead of power lines, much like how cell phone and Wi-Fi signals work, but better. These home technologies are called Z-Wave and ZigBee, and both are mesh networks. Mesh networks provide several ways for the message to reach its destination.

Products and function of a smart home

Most smart homes include the following devices:

Cameras that monitor the outside of the house, regardless of whether it is dark or not. Motion sensors that send an alert whenever there is unusual movement in the house. Door handles that are opened by scanning fingerprints or a numerical code, instead of conventional house keys. These are just some of the security features that smart homes offer.