It can seem like the concept of home automation, and wireless automation, in particular, is something that has only come out in the past couple of years. While this is not entirely inaccurate, as automation has only reached a high level of applicability and commercial success fairly recently. The history of home automation stretches back much further than many people might suspect.
The concept of home automation is actually quite old. Science fiction from the first half of the 20th century dealt heavily with the idea of home automation, and it has become a popular trope within Sci-Fi movies, books, TV shows, and artwork. It’s in the realm of fiction that most people probably first encountered home automation, and it can often feel bizarre to see it manifesting as a reality. The truth is, however, is that people have been working to make smart homes a reality almost since the very first appearance of smart homes in the realm of fiction.
The technology that allows for home automation, and wireless automation, in particular, came as a result of Nikola Tesla, who invented the first wireless remote control as far back as 1898, which used radio waves to control a small boat. This, coupled with the rise of home appliances in the early 1900s set the stage for what would later become the potential of automated home systems. The first attempt to create a home automation system was completed in the 1930s, but the technology wasn’t quite ready, and the product was never commercialized.
As technology progressed, things began to become more and more integrated into the field of electronics, with innovations such as the microprocessor allowing for unprecedented speed in devices of relatively small size. In 1998 the first proof-of-concept smart home was unveiled, proving to the world that a home that was fully integrated with wireless automation was possible. This technology has only continued to progress, and more and more aspects of the home have become available for total integration.
In recent years smart home technology has seen a massive increase in popularity and commercial success. This is largely due to the spread of wireless automation that works through Wifi and cell data, as well as the increase in the number of people who have personal devices. With modern technology, it’s now possible to control your lighting, watering systems, security, electrical usage, and much more, all from your personal device, whether or not you are even at home. This has required a radical change in the way that we view what our homes are, and how we interact with them. From being common in Science Fiction to being a heralded possibility, to a full-fledged reality, home automation is an exciting new branch of technology that promises to make our lives easier, more efficient, and more interesting by the day.
