Learn how to convert your home into a smart home. First steps to convert your ordinary home into a Smart Home.
The true concept of the Smart Home will probably be implemented only in the coming years but thanks to some existing technologies we can already enjoy some useful devices in this sector today. Here is a small guide to adapting your home to the times that run and making it “smarter”. Read our guide on how to convert your home into a smart home.
Do you dream of a fully automated house, where the lights come on at your entrance, the shutters respond to your voice commands, and the alarm is activated regularly every morning? Thanks to the latest technological innovations, smart homes are no longer science fiction and guarantee not only absolute practicality but also greater security. Here’s how to turn their apartment into a smart home.
What is it?
It is a home based on connected home automation systems that offer a variety of possibilities through the use of the internet. In a Smart Home, we can control appliances, lighting, temperature, multimedia equipment, security, windows, and doors, among other things.
Can my home also be smart?
Yes. Every house can become intelligent. All you need is a powerful WIFI connection that can reach any device.
Devices that make your home smart
Today I thought that as a reward for your loyalty shown in all these years, I would like to invite you to my (hypothetical) smart home so as to discover together the devices that make it so.
Smart Lock
For your arrival, I wanted to buy some beer, other drinks, and various snacks and so I came home with my hands full of shopping bags. At the entrance, I had to juggle to find the house keys, but as always in the bag, I never find what I’m looking for.
In the Smart Home market, there are several options that will allow you to open the door with your finger or your smartphone through the corresponding application. One of the most famous brands in this field is August Home, but the brand Kevo also deserves a mention. If you are looking for a cheaper option, take a look at Lockitron. Also, read our reviews of the top smart door locks.
Fridge
If you have a smart refrigerator in your home, you can know what you’ve stored in your fridge through your smartphone. For example, your refrigerator reminds you that there was not much milk and that yogurt was running out.
Yes, it seems strange but all this will be possible with the next-generation refrigerators. The race, in this sector, is led by the two South Korean giants, Samsung (Family Hub) and LG. The recent refrigerators of these brands include touch screens and cameras useful for scanning the food that is present inside, both to check the expiration date and the amount that has remained.
Multimedia center
How about welcoming your guests with some music? This is one of the devices that we like best. The smart speakers allow you, through the WIFI network, to access any musical content from every corner of your house. With these multiroom systems, produced for example by Sonos, you can listen to music from different platforms (TuneIn or Spotify are just two examples).
Virtual Assistant
To access your stereo the only thing you have to do is ask Amazon Alexa, the virtual assistant made in Amazon. These virtual assistants work in fact as home control centers useful for launching commands to all devices present through voice control.
Smart Door Bell
Have you already arrived? My house is not a castle, but the truth is that busy preparing, I would prefer to open the door through my smartphone. I just need a smart video doorbell system like Ring that allows me to see who is playing to decide whether to open the door or not.
Bulbs
Welcome to my home! To create a bit of atmosphere I thought about changing the color of the smart light bulbs in the living room to get a warmer tone. At the same time, I turned off the lights in the kitchen that I accidentally left on. All this, of course, from my smartphone, thanks to the smart light bulbs designed by Philips Hue.
Smart TV
These Smart Home devices, at the moment, are perhaps the most widespread. Smart TVs are equipped with an operating system and internet connection that allow them to download apps and enjoy services like YouTube or Netflix.
Smart cleaning
I’m sorry but our evening must come to an end. Before leaving, however, I want to show you one last device: my smart robot vacuum cleaner. I can mention the iRobot Roomba 650, one of the models of the first brand that sold these devices. You can choose between different models and brands and just turn the device on and this will do everything by itself but you can also decide to connect to the internet and manage them from your smartphone. Also, read our reviews of the top vacuum cleaners robot.
Sense with Voice Sleep System
Once again thank you all for coming, the next appointment we fix it at your home right? Now it’s time to sleep peacefully to get ready for tomorrow. On my bedside table, I have the sleep quantifier Hello “Sense my voice”, which monitors and analyzes the cycle of my sleep. This is done using two devices. The first is a sphere with sensors for humidity, temperature, pressure, light, and measurement of air quality; the second is positioned under the pillow and functions as a motion sensor. In this way, you will have a complete record of the quality of your sleep.
Other devices worthy of note
The offer and the possibilities are so many that the truth is that this article is too short. So I would like to mention two other smart devices that I think are very useful. The first is a thermostat like Nest, which helps you control the heating and cooling of your home to always have the ideal temperature. I think these devices are very important because we can not only save energy but also money. The second is a water leak detector that warns us in time to avoid a catastrophe (even in terms of repair costs). An example is Honeywell.
Also, please see our selection of the best Smart Home Thermostats.
Now it’s your turn: do you already use some of these devices? Are there any that particularly attract your attention? Leave a comment!