FEATURE Integration & Installation
In theory, any device in the home that uses electricity can be put onto a home network and be under a centralised form of control by the user. Whether the control takes the forms of voice, remote control, tablet or smartphone, the home reacts. Currently, most smart home applications relate to lighting, security (as with other AV applications in other smart buildings and control rooms), home theatre and entertainment, and thermostat regulation. The key point about the market, as with any form of market adoption of technology, is that as standardisation and maturity of the technology increases, so does its availability and affordability. Smart home technology that was once a pet passion of Bill Gates is now accessible to many. Evidence of the increasing standardisation and mass production in the application of IoT technology in the home is abundant. Sales of
domestic home automation systems grew to around $9.5 billion in 2015, and CNN estimates that this could grow to $44 billion by next year. Much of the maturity of the domestic market for AV integration and smart home applications is due to the ubiquity of smartphones and tablets. The ability of these machines to be constantly connected to networks means they can be configured to control myriad other online devices – which is where IoT comes in. In the domestic context, IoT refers to the objects and products that are interconnected and identifiable through digital networks. This web-like sprawl of products is getting bigger and better every day. All of the electronics in the home are potentially connectable and controllable through this channel. And there is no shortage of possibilities for smart home IoT devices. BI Intelligence, Business Insider’s premium research service, expects the number of smart home devices shipped to grow from 83 million in 2015 to 193 million in 2020. This includes all smart appliances (washers, dryers, refrigerators, etc.), smart home safety and security systems (sensors, monitors, cameras, and alarm systems), and smart home energy equipment, like smart thermostats and smart lighting. The first and most obvious benefit to smart homes is convenience, as more connected devices can handle more operations (lighting, temperature, etc.) and frees up the resident to perform other tasks. But beyond this, smart home IoT devices can help reduce costs and conserve energy. Automating the switching off of power-consuming appliances when not in use, such as switching air conditioners off when not at home, lowers costs and reduces energy consumption. Smart lights would function in a similar way. Of course, there are disadvantages, as well. Smart home devices are, despite the maturing of the market, still typically more expensive than their non-connected counterparts. However, the cost of these connected bulbs has dropped in the last two years, so the prices of smart home IoT devices could decline even further and make them more affordable to the average consumer. Several stellar smart home IoT devices have already hit the market and made their way into thousands of houses around the world. One widely discussed device in the space is the Amazon Echo, arguably the first and most recognisable name in this space. The device functions as a central hub for all other smart home gadgets, and its voice-activated ‘assistant’, Alexa, provides convenience that few other products can match. Amazon also offers two sister products, the Tap and the Dot. Nest, one of the more famous smart home device manufacturers, has created a learning thermostat that can automatically adjust temperature based on your location and uses a far-field sensor to determine the time and temperature from a distance. And thanks to a recent update, it now works with Alexa, too. The August Smart Lock provides enhanced security for the home, is easy to install, and works with Siri through the Apple HomeKit. And for smart bulbs, there’s the Lifx Color 1000, which can change colour as necessary, and the Philips Hue Wireless Dimming Kit for your white-light needs. In terms of which companies are supplying these devices, apart from those mentioned, not many are emerging from the conventional AV space, but it’s safe to say that the AV industry will catch up as IoT becomes more prevalent. The smart home market will take off if IoT device prices come down and the general public comes to understand the benefits of these products. And from smart homes, the next logical step is smart cities, which is already becoming a reality, particularly in the connection of urban transport systems to systems of control, to automated lighting and temperature control, and so on. The rise of smart cities will take IoT technology to the next level – smart homes are only the beginning!.
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