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• In an era where technology reigns supreme, the term “Smart Home” has become ubiquitous. But have you ever wondered about the wizardry behind these modern marvels? Let’s unravel the enchantment and explore the inner workings of smart homes.
• जादू का अनावरण: How Does a Smart Home Work? A smart home is one in which the lights, security, and appliances are all connected into one network. Users can monitor devices remotely by either using an app or issuing voice commands. Automation performs all tasks automatically, including turning off lights or lowering the house’s temperature. This automated technology makes life easier, safer, and more energy-efficient.

	Aspect	Description
	Foundation	Smart homes integrate IoT devices like smart bulbs, thermostats, security cameras, and refrigerators through a central home automation system, enabling communication and collaboration.
	Connectivity Protocols	Various protocols are used to make devices communicate: Wi-Fi for high-speed data, Bluetooth for low energy consumption, Zigbee for mesh networking, and Z-Wave for reliable low power usage. Companies like Apple, Intel, Belkin, and Silicon Labs contribute to these technologies.
	Smart Home Hubs	Smart home hubs from companies like Samsung, Google, and Amazon enable integrated control of various devices, automating routines like adjusting thermostats, turning off lights, locking doors, and arming security systems.
	User Interfaces	Interaction is facilitated through mobile apps and voice commands via virtual assistants like Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. Alexa, for example, uses NLP algorithms for voice recognition and processing, continuously learning and improving over time.
	Future Trends	The future of smart homes includes advancements in AI for predictive capabilities and integration with renewable energy sources, promising more sophisticated and eco-friendly living spaces.
	Latest Innovations	New devices in 2024 include Samsung Ballie (a robotic home assistant), LG AI Agent (a smart home hub), Seergrills Perfecta (an AI-powered grill), Philips Wi-Fi Palm Recognition Smart Deadbolt (contactless palm reader for security), and Deebot X2 Combo (a robot vacuum and mop).

Smart Homes 2.0: Smart Homes 2.0 Future Ready living Spaces Unveilled

Understanding the Foundation: Connectivity and Integration

• Imagine a scenario where you have a smart home setup that includes IoT devices like smart bulbs, a smart thermostat, a smart security camera, and a smart refrigerator. These devices are all connected to the internet and can communicate with each other through a central home automation system.

• Smart Bulbs: You can program the smart bulbs to adjust their brightness based on the time of day or control them remotely using your smartphone.

• Use your smartphone app to turn lights on/off, adjust brightness, and set schedules.
  Turn lights off from anywhere using the app.
  Control lights using voice commands.

• Smart Thermostat: The thermostat can learn your temperature preferences and schedule, adjusting the home’s climate to save energy when you’re away and ensuring comfort when you’re home.
• Smart thermostats are home automation devices that manage heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. They use Wi-Fi connectivity to monitor your home’s temperature and adjust it based on your preset schedule. With features like remote control via smartphone apps and integration into smart home ecosystems, smart thermostats enhance convenience, energy efficiency, and customization.

• Smart Security Camera: The camera can detect unusual activity and send alerts to your phone, and you can access the live feed from anywhere.

• Smart Refrigerator: It can track the expiry dates of products stored inside and send you reminders to use them before they spoil. It can also suggest recipes based on the ingredients available.

• In this smart home, the IoT allows for seamless collaboration between devices:
• If the security camera detects movement at the front door, it can communicate with the smart bulbs to turn on the lights, simulating someone being at home.
• The smart thermostat can adjust the temperature based on the weather forecast it receives from the internet, ensuring optimal comfort.
• The refrigerator can send a shopping list to your smartphone when it detects that certain items are running low.
• This network of IoT devices enhances the convenience, security, and efficiency of your home, demonstrating the power of devices communicating and collaborating seamlessly.

Can we have a smart home without the Internet

• Bluetooth, Zigbee, and Z-Wave protocols can connect directly with the central hub without needing an internet connection.
• For example, there are several IoTs like lights, thermostats which work without connecting to the internet.
• Some commands on Amazon Alexa, and Google Assistant work without having to connect with the internet.
• The limitation is that you won’t be able to access the smart home devices through smartphone apps, receive notifications, or use cloud-based services.

Connectivity Protocols: Making Devices Communicate

Consider a smart home system where various devices need to interact:

• Wi-Fi: The smart TV, security cameras, and voice assistants use Wi-Fi for high-speed data transfer and streaming.
• Bluetooth: Wearable devices like smartwatches use Bluetooth to sync data with smartphones due to its low energy consumption and short-range.
• Zigbee: Sensors and smart bulbs often use Zigbee because it creates a mesh network, allowing devices to extend the range by passing signals through each other.

• Z-Wave: Smart locks and thermostats might use Z-Wave as it’s known for its reliability and low power usage, making it ideal for devices that need long battery life.

In this system, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth handle high-bandwidth tasks like streaming video, while Zigbee and Z-Wave manage lower-bandwidth tasks like turning lights on/off or adjusting the thermostat, ensuring efficient energy use and extended coverage.

Companies Manufacturing Protocols:

• Wi-Fi & Bluetooth: Companies like Apple, Intel, and Qualcomm are key players in the development of Wi-Fi and Bluetooth technologies.
• Zigbee: Belkin, Huawei, and Signify (formerly Philips Lighting) are among the many companies that support Zigbee standards.
• Z-Wave: Sigma Designs (now owned by Silicon Labs) has been a prominent manufacturer of Z-Wave technology.

These companies provide the necessary hardware and software that enable seamless communication across various protocols, contributing to the ecosystem of smart home devices.

The Brain Behind the Beauty: Smart Home Hubs

• Smart Home hub can allow your smart thermostat, lights, locks, and security system to work together. When you leave the house, the hub can automatically turn off the lights, adjust the thermostat to save energy, lock the doors, and arm the security system. Companies like Samsung (SmartThings), Google (Nest), and Amazon (Echo) offer popular Smart Home hubs that support a variety of protocols and devices.

Voice and App Control: User-Friendly Interfaces

• Interacting with a smart home is often as simple as using a mobile app or issuing voice commands to a virtual assistant like Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. These interfaces provide users with the power to control and monitor their smart homes remotely.

How does an alexa work?

• Amazon Alexa is a voice-based AI-powered digital assistant that powers an entire smart device ecosystem.
• When you speak to an Alexa-enabled device (such as an Echo speaker), it listens for your voice commands. These commands are then uploaded to Amazon servers for processing.

• Amazon’s servers use sophisticated NLP algorithms to understand your voice commands. NLP helps Alexa recognize the intent behind your words and extract relevant information.
• Once the command is understood, Alexa performs the requested task. This can include playing music, providing weather updates, answering questions, controlling smart home devices, and more.
• Alexa’s intelligence resides in the cloud. It processes your requests on Amazon’s servers, which allows it to continuously learn and improve over time.
• After processing, Alexa delivers the results back to your device. This can be in the form of audio responses, visual displays (if you have a screen-equipped device), or triggering actions (such as turning on lights).
• Alexa’s capabilities extend through “skills.” These are like apps that add functionality. Developers create skills to enhance Alexa’s abilities, allowing it to interact with third-party services, play games, and more.
• Alexa can also act as a hub for smart home devices. Some Echo models serve as Matter controllers, Thread border routers, and Zigbee hubs, allowing seamless communication with compatible smart devices.

The Future of Living: Constant Evolution

• As technology advances, so does the realm of smart homes. From artificial intelligence enhancing predictive capabilities to the integration of renewable energy sources for sustainability, the future promises even more sophisticated and eco-friendly living spaces.

How does AI work in Smart homes

• AI algorithms analyze data from various sensors and user interactions to learn your habits. For example, Smart Bulbs which are AI assisted learn the pattern of the lighting during the day, i.e. dim light during the day, high during the evening and again dim light during the sleeping night time. The AI assistant bulb automatically does it for you.
• AI works the same way as above, as it learns from your daily habits, which you can change, on all IoT devices. Smart locks, surveillance cameras, and motion sensors all work the same way.

Latest inventions in the year 2024 about smart homes 2.0 technology

• 1. Samsung Ballie: This adorable spherical robot can roam your home, project video calls or workouts on your wall, and even send picture updates of your pets when you’re away.

Ballie is a device which moves autonomously within the house to monitor the belongings, family members, pets, small children when you are are away. It gives you updates on your smart mobile phones when you are away from homes. Isn’t it a great technology. It has cameras and sensors and map its surroundings. It is a health companion and reminds you to exercise. Ballie also respects privacy and it also processes data locally without uploading it to cloud.

• 2. LG Artificial Intelligence Agent: A smart home hub and indoor environment monitor that maps your home, responds to voice commands, and tracks temperature, humidity, and air quality.

The AI Agent uses sensors and cameras to map your home. It works on various voice commands. For example, you can ask it to adjust the thermostat, turn of lights or play music. It monitors the temperature of the house, its humidity and its air quality. Using pollutants, CO2 levels, and particulate matter, you can adjust the temperature of the house.

• 3. Seergrills Perfecta: An AI-powered grill that sears edges simultaneously, learns from your preferences, and adapts its cooking process. It also has an oven mode and offers recipes via an app.

The Seegrill Perfecta revolutionizes cooking using AI powered technology. The Perfecta uses dual vertical infrared burners that reach scorching 1652 degree Fahrenheit(900 degree Celsius). The Perfect uses AI algorithms and smart sensors, it delivers chef level results in 90 seconds. The AI powered grill adapts to the cooking profiles based on size thickness and desired doneness. You have to simply load the food, select preferences and let perfecta do the rest. There is no Undercooking or Overcooking. It uses 50% less energy as compared to other cooking methods. It cooks 10 times faster as compared to the rest of the other conventional cooking methods.

• 4. Philips Wi-Fi Palm Recognition Smart Deadbolt: Unlock your door with a contactless palm reader for practical security and convenience.

The Philips Wifi Palm Recognition Smart Deadbolt uses palm vein recognition as a biometric method to unlock your front door, making it an innovative security solution. When you place your palm in front of the deadbolt it recognizes your identity and opens the door for you. In addition to the palm recognition, you can unlock deadbolt in other methods. These include traditional key access, entering the personalized code and remote controlling the lock system via the app on smart phone. You can easily share access to the security system with your family members Through the Philips Home access app. Even guests can unlock the door using the app.

• 5. Deebot X2 Combo: A robot vacuum and mop combined with a handheld vacuum for efficient cleaning.

Deebot X2 Combo is a robot vacuum cleaning solution, mop and handheld vacuum. As compared to traditional vacuum cleaners this is an advanced one. Traditional vacuum cleaners as compared to this one used to get damaged or used to get worn out easily. This vacuum cleaner is a electricity based charging device. It has 8700Pa suction power that efficiently cleans gaps and carpets. The conventional broom cleaning of houses are about to end because of this revolutionary device. The robot auto empties its bin into self sealing dust bag, ensuring hassle free maintenance. It also includes the feature of mopping with hot water. The Ecovacs Deepot X2 Combo prices $1600. But it is convenient to have both devices such as vacuum cleaning and moping in one device.

The above article has a reference from Grafiati’s “Smart Home Technology.” Grafiati Literature Selections.

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