8 Life-Changing Ways the Internet is Impacting Your Home

We all know what the Internet is. But there’s a relatively new term that you should know about: Internet of Things. Exactly what is the Internet of Things, or IoT? Basically, it’s anything (everyday gadgets and objects) that connects to the Internet. This could be your smart TV that pulls content from the Internet, a water sensor that uses the Internet to notify you via smartphone that there’s a leak in the basement, a surveillance camera that lets you peek in on happenings around the house while you’re miles away, and a host of other connected devices.

Research firm Gartner forecasts that 8.4 million connected things (Internet of Things; IoT) will be in use worldwide in 2017, up 31 percent from 2016, and will reach 20.4 billion by 2020. That’s a lot of smart devices communicating over the Internet … and it’s impact on our homes, our lives and our world will be huge.

Perfect IoT Conditions

There are a lot of factors making IoT as commonplace as facial tissues. First, broadband in the home is nearly ubiquitous. It gives your home and the devices inside it a connection to the outside world.

Second, there’s Wi-Fi which provides a connection that’s wireless and a complement to broadband. Take a stroll down the aisles at your local home improvement store and you’ll likely see dozens of Wi-Fi-enabled products that can be accessed, monitored and controlled from mobile devices like your smartphone.

Third, these Internet-connected devices are becoming increasingly smart, embedded with sensors and other technology that enables them to gather, analyze and disseminate data. And last, there’s the smartphone. Who doesn’t own one of these—the integral piece of the IoT chain that lets you send and receive information to and from your home’s IoT devices.

How Does IoT Impact You?

Information is power, and the more information you are able to gather from your home the more efficiently you’ll be able to live in it. You’ll be able to gauge the entire of environment of your home and make educated decisions about how to respond and do so in a timely manner regardless of whether you’re sitting on the family room couch or lounging by a pool 800 miles away. Here are a few examples, along with benefits to your life:

1 Peace of Mind: Did you lock the door, did you turn off the iron, is the garage door still open? All of these questions deal directly with the safety and security of your home. When door locks, garage door openers, and outlets are connected to the Internet, you can monitor the status of these devices from your smartphone; you can lock, close and turn off them remotely to ensure that your home is protected.

2 An Eye in the Sky: Seeing is believing, so when products like a surveillance camera are IoT-enabled, you can get a visual of the happenings at home. Some cameras have sensors built it that will push a notification to you whenever they sense motion, for example.

3 A Heads-Up: Are you out of trash bags? Low on laundry detergent? Does your home’s air filter need to be changed? IoT devices like trash cans (yes, these exist), washing machines, and indoor air quality monitors can keep track of things and notify you when you need to take action.

4 More Modes of Home Management: Back before so many things were connected to the Internet, the only way to monitor and manage them were through keypads, touchpanels, and remote controls. IoT extends your control options to include smartphones, tablets, and your voice (whether you’re at home or away).

5 24/7 Help from Tech Experts: Prior to IoT, homeowners experiencing problems with their smart devices called a home tech expert for help. This often required the pro to make a house visit—potentially pricey and annoying. IoT devices, however, gives these tech easy access to your smart devices and systems. They can be informed of problems and remedy them without ever coming to your house.

6 Connections to the Outside World: IoT devices are everywhere … not just in your home. This means that you house can exchange information with businesses, industries, and public places. For example, a connected toothbrush could communicate data to your dentist, possibly saving you a visit; a connected refrigerator could zip an email to your local grocery store when you’re running low on milk adding the item to a list of items to be delivered later that week.

7 Autonomous Operation: As sensors, microprocessors, and other technology get smaller and more affordable, they become easier to integrate into IoT devices. When this happens, IoT devices literally have a mind of their own. We are already seeing this in products like Nest thermostats, which over time learn your habits to adjust their settings accordingly. Other IoT devices are bound to get smarter, allowing certain facets of your house to operate autonomously.

8 Voice Control: Smart speakers with integrated voice assistant technology—like Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant—are IoT devices. Today the can deliver information (music, weather reports, restaurant reservations) to your home from the Internet and serve as a control interface to other IoT devices. As they too become smarter, they can even serve as an automation hub for your home.

The post 8 Life-Changing Ways the Internet is Impacting Your Home appeared first on Electronic House.

source https://www.electronichouse.com/smart-home/8-life-changing-ways-the-internet-is-impacting-your-home/