A look at common devices.
IoT has already integrated with various industries and facets of modern life. From the way we live, shop or care for our physical and psychological well-being. IoT has entered our daily routines and we already have or will have an app for almost every activity we take. Morning run- we know how many calories were burned and how calorie intake should be divided if we want to keep gaining muscle mass. Then setting up the heating plan for our smart heaters so the conditions will be just right in the evening. Oh, and of course configuring our Roomba to clean the floor as the cats leave a lot of hair when they get into mischief while we are at work, developing a new smart app. Also, you have a dentist appointment in the evening. The app will surely send you a reminder 2 hours before the deadline.
This sounds great, right? Our life, organized for us by an army of devices, is designed for the sole purpose of making our free time and work life more organized, and balanced. For someone like myself, who sometimes struggles with planning- a dream come true.
Let us take a look at some of the IoT devices that are part of this dream.
1. Home Automation.
This category is occupied by smart lights, thermostats and appliances.
As an example, we can take the Philips Hue Smart Bulbs.
It is a lighting system that allows users to customize the brightness and colour temperature through smartphone apps or voice commands. Simple, yet effective solution to power saving.
2. Security and Surveillance
Here we can take a closer look at smart doorbells, cameras, motion sensors, and smart locks.
These systems provide real-time monitoring and alerts. allowing owners to feel secure while away from their property. It is worth mentioning that features include facial recognition and automated responses to security breaches. A security company verifies the validity of the alert and is able to inform law enforcement.
Google’s Nest Cam is a smart security camera that provides 24/7 live streaming. It supports motion alerts and two-way radio communication.
The cam allows users to monitor their homes remotely and receive alerts for suspicious activity.
The cam is integrated with Google Assistant and allows voice control and automation within the smart home ecosystem.
3. Energy Efficiency
Another product from Google Nest Hub family in the form of a smart thermostat.
The device can automatically adjust the temperature based on occupancy patterns and ‘learned’ user preferences. This data is used to adjust heating/cooling schedules automatically to optimize energy use. This allows users to save an average of 10-12% on heating and 15% on cooling costs which is a significant reduction of monthly bills for every homestead.
4. Entertainment Systems
Anyone who has a smart TV and a gaming console knows that IoT has changed the way we watch and play. With the decline of traditional TV and the advent of YouTube, multiple streaming services like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, cloud gaming, and multi-platform gaming, came a new quality of entertainment.
You can use voice commands to search for content or share a favourite YouTube podcast or Hulu series from your smartphone directly to a console or TV.
Moreover, IoT devices enable immersive experiences through AR and VR technologies in gaming and live events. Gamers can interact with digital content overlaid in the real world or enter fully virtual environments. A truly amazing experience that further blurs boundaries between virtual worlds and reality.
5. Smart Appliances
The list of devices here is broad, including refrigerators, washing machines, and ovens. These appliances can communicate with homeowners about usage issues, and patterns or even automatically reorder supplies when running low on your favourite ice cream or fresh vegetables.
Samsung Smart Refrigerator is an example of a smart appliance.
The fridge connects to smartphones and allows users to monitor food items and will alert users about expiration dates, also it suggests recipes based on available ingredients. Internal cameras allow viewing the fridge contents and Samsung Health app helps to manage our diet. Oh, all this is managed by an AI algorithm.
The above are only a few examples of Smart Home IoT solutions. There are more from
Health and Well-being or Home Maintenance sectors and probably even more are in development stages across multiple IoT labs. Stay tuned as the future may bring new surprising solutions and devices.
