Smart Home Ecosystem

When you're not at home, nagging little doubts can start to crowd your mind. Did I turn off the lights? Did I lock the door properly? Are the kids doing their homework or watching television?

With a smart home, you can quiet all of these worries with a quick glance at your smartphone or tablet. You could connect the devices and appliances in your home so they can communicate with each other and with you.

If you don't know about the Smart home ecosystem then don't worry, in this blog series we are going to learn in detail about Smart home, different smart home devices, how to setup them and how they work.

What Is A Smart Home?

A smart home is any home that includes automated, Internet of Things devices connected to mobile applications. Using these IoT devices, users can control many things in their home from lights to security systems to appliances. Increasingly, more and more homes are built with automation from the original construction, but technically, any home with an internet connection and IoT devices counts as a smart home.

What Is Home Automation?

Home automation is the automatic control of electronic devices in your home. These devices are connected to the Internet, which allows them to be controlled remotely. With home automation, devices can trigger one another so you don’t have to control them manually via an app or voice assistant. For example, you can put your lights on schedules so that they turn off when you normally go to sleep, or you can have your thermostat turn the A/C up about an hour before you return to work so you don’t have to return to a stuffy house. Home automation makes life more convenient and can even save you money on heating, cooling and electricity bills. Home automation can also lead to greater safety with Internet of Things devices like security cameras and systems. But hold up; what’s the Internet of Things?

Internet of Things vs. Home Automation

The Internet of Things, commonly known as IoT, refers to any device that’s connected to the Internet that isn’t normally; for example, a smart light bulb that you can turn on and off via an app. All home automation devices are IoT devices, which can be automated to trigger one another. So while IoT refers to the devices themselves, home automation is what you can do with the IoT devices to make your life just a tad bit easier.

Smart Home Systems

Smart homes can feature either wireless or hardwired systems—or both. Wireless systems are easier to install. Putting in a wireless home automation system with features such as smart lighting, climate control, and security can cost several thousand dollars, making it very cost-friendly.

The downside to wireless systems is you likely need strong Wi-Fi coverage and broadband service throughout your entire house. This may require you to invest in range extenders or hardwired wireless access points. Wireless smart home systems are generally more appropriate for smaller existing homes or rental properties due to their smaller size.

Hardwired systems, on the other hand, are considered more reliable and are typically more difficult to hack. A hardwired system can increase the resale value of a home. In addition, hardwired smart home systems can easily be scaled; therefore, it is often the default method when designing a new build or performing a major renovation.

There is a drawback—it's fairly expensive. Installing a luxury and hardwired smart system can cost homeowners tens of thousands of dollars. In addition, you must have space for network hardware equipment including ethernet cables.

Smart home devices from top brands:

1. Google: https://home.google.com/explore-devices/
2. Amazon: https://www.amazon.in/b?ie=UTF8&node=26360350031
3. Wipro: https://wiproconsumerlighting.com/

Advantages and Disadvantages of Smart Homes

Pros

1. Installing a smart home technology system provides homeowners with convenience. Rather than controlling appliances, thermostats, lighting, and other features using different devices, homeowners can control them all using one device—usually a smartphone or tablet.
2. Since they're connected to a portable device, users can get notifications and updates on issues in their homes. For instance, smart doorbells allow homeowners to see and communicate with people who come to their doors even when they're not at home. Users can set and control the internal temperature, lighting, and appliances as well.
3. For the cost of setting up the smart system, homeowners can benefit from significant cost savings. Appliances and electronics can be used more efficiently, lowering energy costs.

Cons

1. While the smart home offers convenience and cost savings, there are still challenges. Security risks and bugs continue to plague makers and users of the technology. Adept hackers, for example, can gain access to a smart home's internet-enabled appliances.
2. Measures to mitigate the risks of such attacks include protecting smart appliances and devices with a strong password, using encryption when available, and only connecting trusted devices to one's network.
3. As noted above, the costs of installing smart technology can run anywhere from a few thousand dollars for a wireless system to tens of thousands of dollars for a hardwired system. It's a heavy price to pay, especially since there may be a steep learning curve to get used to the system for everyone in the household.

That's it for this blog. Thank you for reading. Keep learning!!