As you may have noticed by now, new home automation products are being introduced almost every day. These products have even more features than ever before. While our homes might be fully automated with devices that play well together, we have to admit that smart home technology is still young and has a long way to go, especially in 2020. When you combine this infancy with the speed at which technology is advancing, it will for sure be an exciting year for smart home customers. In this article, we will explore various innovations that are likely to develop in 2020 and in the imminent future.
Smart Security
The truth is, securing one’s home is the main reason why homeowners explore smart home technologies, as smart home security enhances the security of their property and families. With a smart security system, you are able to keep an eye on your home and also able to know the status of your loved ones, through your smartphone from anywhere on the planet. The security systems have been integrated with features such as motion and contact sensors, cameras and smart lock, all of which enhance your home security. Also, the system comes with a remote access control, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth management, and personalised entry codes as well as notification alerts and fingerprint sensors. All these features bring so much convenience in your home security and also give you peace of mind, especially after knowing that even when you are not at home, your belongings and family are safe.
The security video camera technology is continuously evolving, with camera view fields and resolution increasing and the size of the camera decreasing exponentially since it was introduced in smart home security. The other changes to expect is the integration of multiple power sources as well as audio and wireless capabilities, which makes it easier to put cameras in any desired locations without having to undertake a full-scale demolition project in your entire property just to install cameras.
Smart Lighting
In any smart home, smart lighting is one of the most desired features. It is customised based on the preferences and unique lifestyle of individual homeowners, thereby making life more secure, easier and more beautiful. The days when we referred to bulbs and fixtures that don’t contribute to the beauty of a home as smart lighting are long gone. Nowadays, there are some smart LEDs that are designed to complement your chandeliers and lamps with classic candle shapes as well as faux vintage bulbs that have exposed filaments. In recent years, the outdoor smart lighting has also been rapidly changing so as to fit into your landscape beautifully while meeting weather demands at the same time. Still, in this year, there are a number of options of powering the outdoor smart fixtures in your home that are being integrated. So, it’s safe to say that you should expect a lot more smart lighting in 2020.
Smart kitchen and bath
When it comes to kitchen and bathroom appliances, tools and fittings, we can honestly say that it is the one segment of a smart home that is expanding rapidly. Today, some major appliances are able to do some truly astonishing things. For instance, there is a washer and a dryer set able to adjust the cycles automatically based on the kind of fabric the machine senses was loaded. Or, refrigerators that are able to detect when the milk is expired and includes it in your shopping list. You will also find a few smart cooking tools in the market too. For instance, a smart grilling hub that, by using thermometers and artificial intelligence, is able to guide you through the entire cooking process, step by step. There are smart thermometers that are able to monitor the food inside your oven, thereby helping you cook better. And more recently, they invented a cooking appliance that comes with a loaded digital book, a screen, and the ability to chop, weigh and cook the entire recipe for you. Smart home plumbing fixtures are flooding the market as well.
Furthermore, some of the recent smart home devices are capable of enhancing the health and well-being of homeowners. Take for instance, a smart water purification system put under your kitchen sink in order to detect any leaks. Also, toilets that are flashed without even touching them, as well as hands-free faucets connected to our amazing voice assistants in our homes.
There are smart tub and shower controls that allow you to prepare your bathtub when you are not in the bathroom, probably while still walking upstairs or in your closet trying to find what to wear. And once you are in the tub, you will be able to call up your favorite music through your voice assistant.
Smart furniture
Let’s get something here first; not all smart home developments are expected to improve safety or save you money, some of them are just plain fun to have them in our homes. For instance, Ikea – which is a home product giant from Sweden – came up with a lamp that could charge your devices wirelessly, that is if they have the same charging system. And the company said that this lamb is only the beginning in the line of connected smart furniture. Some of the new developments include:
- Sleep number that is well connected to your bed, and adjust automatically according to your sleep (for instance, one that notices you are snoring and, therefore, raises the head of your bed), and also provides other additional features like instant notification when your baby gets out of bed or is sick.
- Smart sofas that are adjusted automatically for coziness through an app.
- Smart dressing tables and wardrobes that not only help you to organize your clothes or toiletries but also helps you choose an outfit, makeup and hairstyle, leaving you looking as elegance as never before.
- Smart kitchen shelving that enables you to monitor whatever is in your pantry, make shopping lists and also find recipes for the ingredients you have.
So basically, as you can see, with this kind of smart home technology, your home can’t get any better. So, if you don’t have a smart home system yet, 2020 looks like the perfect year for you to get one.