How to Realize the Concept of Smart Home with IoT Solutions for Home Automation
The technology of IoT is continuously evolving and redefining the world we live in. IoT has shown its possibilities in more than one domain. Home automation is one of the domains where several companies are experimenting with the technology of IoT, sensors, gadgets, devices, and IoT application development.
IoT-based home automation technology is now positively disrupting the way we live and work. IoT home automation sensors, devices, and appliances are here to make our lives more convenient, comfortable and easier. With mobility and mobile application development, home automation based on IoT has now become more realistic and useful. Apps controlling IoT solutions for home automation can now be installed in mobile devices which already come with a variety of wireless channels, such as Bluetooth, Bluetooth Smart, NFC, Wi-Fi, BLE, RFID, and iBeacon. This makes IoT for home more practical and handier.
But before introducing solutions that can realize the concept of IoT for home automation, let me mention some key challenges.
- Fragmentation in the IoT market – IoT is still evolving but without any of the defined standards which are causing fragmentation in the market. Manufacturing and developers are coming up with their own version of IoT solutions for home automation which are making it difficult for customers to easily adopt them.
- Costs of IoT sensors, hardware, and software – Because the market is fragmented, cost of IoT sensors, hardware, and software development have not yet settled to a level where every end-customer can easily afford it as the replacement of typical approaches.
- Safety & Security – Safety & security has been an issue with IoT home automation. There are certain vulnerabilities that come with applying IoT devices to home for automation. IoT devices communicating via WI-FI may be hacked and opened up for a number of vulnerabilities. With hacked networks, cybercriminals can gain access to your computers, devices, cameras, CCTV and steal/misuse your personal information.
- Energy consumption – With more and more edge devices becoming the part of IoT, no doubt a significant amount of these devices will be battery operated. But the problem with battery operated devices; particularly those based on the edge computing concept is that they need to be less-power consuming, convenient, and cost-effective. Many IoT devices and solutions for home automation fail because of their frequent requirement of charging a battery. This makes them difficult to handle.
With these challenges existing in the market, here are the IoT solutions for home automation:
Integrated platform
An Integrated IoT platform includes different applications and services. It brings different IoT systems on one platform so that they can easily be managed. It’s capable of supporting a number of simultaneous connections that allow you to configure your devices for machine-to-machine communication.
Energy optimization
Modern homes consume a lot of energy. No doubt energy we use largely depends on the climate where we live and the devices we use. Also, we keep adding new ways to consume more energy in homes. We have developed dependencies on appliances like air conditioners, electronic cooking equipment, refrigerators, and temperature controllers and, we just cannot survive without them. When these appliances are not controlled efficiently, they start consuming a lot of power. In result, monthly bills keep increasing. With IoT solutions for home automation, end-users can have better control over the energy consumed by these devices.
Real-time monitoring
IoT solutions for home automation can also help you monitor connected devices, gadgets, and appliances in the real time. Real-time home monitoring systems can be programming and controlled remotely for accessing and controlling devices and appliances.
Home Safety & security
You will not need worrying about your home security when you have the IoT home automation at the place. Forget about double checking or thinking it twice if you really locked the door when you were leaving your home. IoT home safety solutions let you do this and check right in your home. In case something goes wrong, you get notifications. There are a number of home safety and security options available in the market that end-users can install in their homes.
The IoT for home automation introduces a considerable range of possibilities when we speak about applications of home automation. Here we have some key applications of home automation.
- Controlling electrical fixtures, like lights and air conditioners
- Easy garden or lawn management
- HVAC
- Controlling smart home appliances
- Enhancing safety and security
- Controlling and monitoring water and air quality
- Voice operated assistant in natural languages
- Smart locks and switches, sockets, buttons, etc.
Some of the link on this post may have affiliate links attached. Read the FTC Disclaimer.
Co-Authored With
Sofia is a digital marketing expert in Rapidsoft Technologies which is a leading IoT app development company which has world-class IoT app developers who deliver IoT app solutions and IoT app services.