About SmartHome Consulting dot U.S.
Once, A long time ago… Before I owned my first computer I read an article in Popular Science that has stuck with me for years. It was “Breslin - The Home Computer That Runs My House” I knew this was the beginning of a new age. Soon I had my first computer, a ZX81 from Timex-Sinclair. It was then I discovered "Control Things with your Timex-Sinclair" by Robert L. Swarts and the desire to one day achieve something similar. As time marched forward I discovered X-10 and Powerhouse software for DOS, it was neat but never offered the functionality that I believe is required for a home to be considered ‘smart’. As technology improved, 1998 rolled around and Bruce Winter wrote a perl program called “MisterHouse” and shared it with the world. This was the moment when I really began experimenting with different Smart Home Technologies.
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Skip forward 23 years and the smart home landscape has changed dramatically. Now nearly every device imaginable in your home is available in a ‘smart’ version, but how do you take all these ‘smart’ devices and make them work together efficiently? This is where we come in, we have years of experience and have installed/experimented with many different technologies to allow you to automate your home/life experience and are willing to put them to work designing the ultimate smart home system based on your individual needs and desires.
SMART HOMES ARE THE FUTURE.
Over the years, as technology improves, many things that we once thought of as science fiction are a reality… such as the smart home. This era has offered us many devices that can automate daily household activities. Technology is advancing so quickly that it can be hard to keep up. Thanks to the progression of the Internet of Things, we already have door locks and smart phones that recognize us by our fingerprints, so what’s next?
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More and more companies are investing in developing technologies that integrate both the digital and physical worlds within our homes, and as a result, what sounds like science fiction may become reality far sooner than you think. Once only a possibility for the super-rich and tech-savvy, home automation and smart homes are becoming more and more popular amongst ‘normal’ people. Soon, our houses will be smart enough to differentiate between each person living in the home and be able to adjust to our personal preferences and individual needs.
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What can we expect from these super-smart homes of the future?
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A typical day could kick off with a warm artificial sunrise from your lighting system as your thermostat warms up the rooms you occupy during your morning routine. You’ll walk into the kitchen and find that your coffee has already brewed, and you can enjoy it as you read the daily weather forecast – sent to you via push notifications, of course. Before you leave, your fridge will inform you which supplies you’re running low on and remind you to pick up ingredients on your way home from work. If you’re forgetful, it will text you to remind you nearer the time.
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On leaving the house if it’s cold, your car will be preheated to the optimum temperature. As you pull away from your house, your home security system will swing into action: the doors will automatically lock and your household appliances will shift to energy-saving mode.
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As you return home later that day, your home will use geo-fencing technology to track your imminent arrival and ensure you are appropriately welcomed back; the rooms will be heated, the garage door will open as you drive up and your favorite music could play as you walk through the front door.
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Some of these measures may seem a little silly on first hearing. Do we really need our fridge to text us to let us know we’re out of orange juice? Perhaps not, but these smart appliances are becoming more and more widespread and they are, without a doubt, going to change the way our homes run.
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Our homes will become like our cars, which already inform us if we haven’t shut the door properly, the water level is low or someone hasn’t buckled up. Extending this technology to our property as well as our transport is just the next logical step and, like cars, the ultimate vision of smart-home technology is a home that can run itself.
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Smart home technology and home automation are shaping the future. With the introduction of products such as Sonos, Nest, and Amazon Echo, the tools necessary for true home automation are becoming more ubiquitous with each passing day. All you have to do is determine what you want to automate in your home—this is where our smart home design services come into play. We can help you determine what your needs are and what improvements will have the largest impact on your quality of life. From here, we can determine which products are best for your home insofar as interactivity and integration with your other devices.
Our home automation consultants are well versed in integrating and designing smart home systems including:
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Lighting, Temperature, A/V System, Multi Room Audio, Smart Doorbells and Locks
If you feel a need to incorporate some or all these items into your smart home setup, our expert home automation consultants are available to help. They will navigate you through the various pitfalls associated with integrating different smart home systems. This is because, while the majority of modern smart home technologies claim to be plug-and-play ready, users still have issues. Specifically, users are unable to integrate their different systems and have them communicate with each other as desired.