Tech bloggers are going crazy over the Hue automated lightbulbs, which are Philips' foray into the home automation game.
Which is all well and good, but what is home automation, anyway?
What is Home Automation?
Have you ever wished you lived in the future? Of course you have. Home automation is one way to bring the future a little bit closer, by having your house do all the little jobs for you, like closing the curtains or turning up the heat.Usually, this means programming a wall panel to automate appliances like the lighting and heating, but it can also mean installing motion sensors so you don't even have to press a switch to turn on the lights, heating or any other appliances!
We've actually been talking about it on the blog recently, and found that some of this sci-fi technology is within our reach!
Turn On the Lights and Heat
It feels like just last week we talked about the Lutron Grafik Eye QS lighting control system, but it was actually the week before that.This is a system that controls the lights in certain rooms or parts of a room at user-specified times of day.
It can also control the natural light by opening or closing the proprietary window shades.
There's also the Green-I system, which incorporates occupancy sensors that turn on the lights only when a room is occupied.
It's convenient and eco-conscious! But what about when you don't need more light but more heat?
The DEVIreg Touch has you covered: paired with an underfloor heating system, the heat can be programmed to turn on just when it's needed - or you can tell it to warm up while you're still on the commute with the DEVIreg iPhone app.
Stay Safe
Not only that, but home security can also be controlled from a smartphone. The Digiview 4i system can connect with a smartphone with a 3G connection - so you can keep an eye on your home from a completely different location.Similarly, the Infinite Prime wireless intruder alarm system can be activated or deactivated by a connected smartphone - or it can be programmed to call another number (999, for example) with the optional GSM module.
The home of the future is within our grasp! But we think we can go even further.
For advanced systems like a theme tune that greets you at the door or a "party button," (we really like the party button) Lifehacker has a great primer on DIY home automation for the imaginative tech whiz.
Are you looking forward to living in the future? Will you be automating your home as soon as you can? Let us know your plans in the comments!
