With the growth of wireless technology and the increasing interconnectedness of electronics via wireless networks, the smart home systems that for so long have been a dream of science fiction have become a reality. Now, with home automation, nearly all aspects of your home can be controlled from a single device. For those who are new to the idea of home automation, and smart home systems, the concept can seem a little bit overwhelming. Let’s look at some of the most popular features of a smart home system.

Lighting

With smart lighting systems, it’s now possible to control the lighting in your home from a dedicated device, or from your phone, tablet, or computer. You can set timers so your lights are only for certain hours, or turn the lights off when you’re out of the house. If you have dimming bulbs or lighting that is capable of changing colour, all this can be controlled from your device, as well.

Home Theatre

The concept of a universal remote is not particularly new, but recent technology has made it possible to control your theatre system as a part of your automated home, meaning that you can control your TV, stereo, and other elements of your home theatre through your device.

Security

This is perhaps the most popular reason for installing a smart home system. With a fully integrated security system, you are able to control and automate your home security from a distance. You can now lock and unlock doors, arm and disarm your alarm, as well as view any security cameras you may have, all through a single device. Some people worry that this might leave them open to hacking, but home security systems have taken this into account, and incorporate military level encryption to make sure your home is safe.

Heating/Cooling

This is an area where home automation can help you save quite a bit of money. Not only will smart home systems help you track your energy usage, which will give you insight into how you are using your heating/cooling systems, but you will be able to program your heating/cooling systems to only use a certain amount of energy, or to set them on specific cycles of your choosing. If you have motion detectors set up, you can program the system to only heat or cool rooms which people are currently in.

These are only a few of the numerous applications of smart home systems, and as the technology improves, Australian homes will be able to become more and more integrated. With the embrace of this new form of home technology, we now have the ability to manage the entirety of our homes through a single device, making what was once a vast interdisciplinary project a relative breeze.