High-Tech Smart Home of the Future
A huge number of technologies are available today, and yet very few of these have found their way into our lives, and more importantly into our homes. One of the coming trends in home technology is not the latest greatest high-tech gadget. Over the next five to 10 years we should see greater integration among technologies that already exists. Let's go room by room and check out the technology that's already in existence, but has yet to be integrated into our homes.
Outside your front door
Timers frequently run outdoor lighting and sprinkler systems. Why not integrate those timers into our home server?
Rather than outside lights that are turned on at seven and off at midnight, you could schedule a lighting to come on and turn off exactly when you want to, or have your lighting checked the Internet for dusk times. Better yet, use solar powered lighting to save energy, and have your home server control them for maximum efficiency.
Your sprinkler system timers could be affected by the weather. Your computer checks the weather, then calculates the estimated time to sprinkler should be on for the maximum green in your lawn, and the minimum waste of water. Excellent sprinkler systems would capture downspout runoff on wet days, and water your lawn and dry days, without using excess water.
Do we really need keys? We have biometrics that can control who has access to our laptop, and even our credit cards. Artemis Solutions Group now offers biometric door locks. For about $300 you can select 30 individuals who can open your door sans key. The front door can either read fingerprints or retinal scanners. This is a great security feature for those who have employees who go to their home.
Inside the front door
Imagine walking in your front door and having your house recognize that you have returned. You enter with your arms full of groceries, and the lights turn on. The temperature on the first floor adjusts to your liking, while the second floor temperature ways to adjust until closer to bedtime. A series of software-based timers or voice recognition technology could control your appliances. Perhaps you enjoy having a cup of coffee 18 minutes after your alarm goes off, regardless of how many times you hit the snooze.
Hawking Technologies has created a wireless system to remotely control appliances, lighting, video cameras and temperature using your cell phone or web browser. This is is a small step to the kind of integration we'd like to see.
Using RF in the kitchen
It's just a matter of time until RF (radio frequency) tags are used more frequently in retail. These are the little tags that would allow you to try on clothing at The Gap. If you like it, simply wear it out of the store and your credit card would be charged.
Wal-Mart is already using these tags on pallets for inventory control and will require vendors to use them on individual items in the future.
You then go to the grocery store and a radio frequency scanner scans every item in your cart, and charges your bank account.
Now we get to use the same tags in our homes. Your refrigerator and pantry will know what's inside, and make dinner suggestions and grocery lists. It will then e-mail these lists your office so you can stop at the store on the way home. Better yet, it could order from the grocery store and have your groceries delivered to your vehicle as you pull up at the front.
In the Living Room
That new LCD high-definition television that you purchased recently will finally come to good use. We have the technology now to offer you the ability to watch every television show, every movie, and listen to every piece of music ever created. Unfortunately, the technology preceded the revenue streams, so we are waiting on cable companies and movie studios and record companies to figure out how to earn money from their creative works. Once that happens you'll pay for only the content you want, and have any content available on demand.
Meanwhile, you can surf the web and play video game consoles with other people around the world. Don't worry, your teenager will know how everything works. They can show you.
The Server Room
The bad news is that every home will need a server room. The good news is it will probably be placed in the top of your closet in that space that you can't reach anyhow. It may be in your attic or your basement. The server will run quiet, cool, and most important, wirelessly. It will have access to the Internet, distributing signal everywhere in your home. It will know you better than your spouse.
The Home Office
By the time you have the ultimate smart home, you'll never want to leave. Furthermore, the commute is far better if you build your office in your home. Your company loves it because you are more productive, and they don't have to pay rent.
The difference is that your home office will now be your entire home. You'll be able to sit on the patio with your morning coffee and writes an article on your laptop, or use voice recognition technology to type it wirelessly.
You'll be able to have a conference call with your colleagues, complete with video from any room with the TV or monitor. A laser pointer style device will act as your mouse and operate from any room to any monitor.
It sounds great, but it's actually pretty low-tech. You have your child's video game systems to thank. Their Xbox has developed top quality voice interactivity. Their Nintendo Wii he has a controller that is similar to the laser pointer mouse. Integrating these technologies into your non-gaming life is a breeze.
Your Bedroom
Your bedroom is your haven of comfort and low-tech... until now. The artwork over your bed could be an LCD display that displays art consistent with your current mood. Want to look downstairs when you hear a bump in the night? The LCD display would double as a security monitor. Listen in on the baby, no matter where she is. Finally, your voice server will draw you a bath on command.
Microsoft is even working to develop OLED wallpaper that will keep the bedroom feel by displaying images that look like part of the natural environment.
Your Roof
The best part is that all this high tech will run at a fraction of the cost because of the new solar panels you installed in your roof. These won't be giant clunky solar panels, they will be photosensitive cells built right into your shingles. Next time you replace your roof you could save so much electricity that your roof pays for itself. Vents would open and close based on temperature allowing heat to escape in the summer and capturing warmth in the winter. You would achieve maximum comfort possible before your heating system or air conditioning would kick in to finish the job.
The home of the future will be more energy efficient, will cater to the needs and wants of its owner, and be more secure than ever before. The best part is all of this technology already exists, you just don't have it yet.