Peek Into Homes Of The Future!

Imagine a home equipped with devices that know you well, appliances that could be controlled using a voice command made to your smartphone, and lighting or alarms that could be operated even when you are away from home. All of this, which makes homes of the future, has become a reality using Internet connectivity.

Here is a detailed look at how these homes of the future would look:

Internet of Things (IoT)

(Wikimedia)

Homes of the future will be in sync with your routine. With IoT your home will be like a playground for such innovations. IoT or Internet of Things as we know it developed as a network of "things" or devices embedded with electronics, software, sensors, and network connectivity, which enables these objects to collect and exchange data.

How would this work? For instance, a device like Amazon's Echo, when placed in your home, would act like a virtual assistant that will operate on voice commands. So, if you are moving out of your home on a Sunday afternoon, the device will help you with weather predictions of that day,  give details about the activities around your locality, movie schedule and even restaurants around.

These devices will also track and record your interests, activities, sleeping cycle, air conditioner's temperature and so on, and customise the appliances and amenities based on these records.

Wearables

(Pixabay)

Wearables is the new buzzword in technology! In times to come, wearables will be one of the key devices used in homes of the future. It could act as a remote control on your wrist. You could unlock your home and even your car using a wearable device, taking away the hassle of carrying a stack of keys. These could also be used to buy online and make payments, among others.

Smart devices

Amazon's Dash (Amazon)

Companies such as Amazon are spearheading the quest for smarter, connected homes. Besides Echo, they are testing another smart device called 'Dash'. Dash was conceived from the idea of making your daily supplies seamless, with minimal human intervention.

So how does it work? The device can be connected to your washing machine and as soon as you run out of detergent, it can be ordered in required quantity with a single touch of button. It tracks your consumption pattern and based on it orders a particular quantity. Although, still in testing phase, the opportunities with Dash button seem promising.

These devices can be used with multiple products and necessities in your home.

Energy efficient

(Flickr/Anton Fomkin)

With the rise in global awareness, more and more nations are now turning towards more renewable sources of energy generation. For instance, India, that is home to nearly 1.3 billion people, this seems like a far-fetched dream. However, as an initiative taken by the new government to establish 'smart cities', there will be an increase in acceptance and use of renewable energy in most developed cities. Hence, the cities of future will rely more on solar panels, wind turbines, LED lighting systems, energy-efficient HVAC (heating, venting and air-conditioning) systems, dual pane windows with controllable insulation (for absorbing natural heat or vice-versa), automated home systems that will minimise consumption of electricity in absence of the inhabitants of the house, among others. ZeroHouses 2.0 in the US is a brilliant example of such initiatives for making a home more energy efficient.

Well, this is just the beginning of a revolution of building homes of the future. As more people embrace the concept, more innovations will surface and put to practice. Some of the early venturers include Intel, Google, Amazon, and Apple, but more will join the bandwagon of technology. So brace yourselves dwellers, exciting times are ahead!