AI is making the Connected Home much better
By: Sanket Sarang
Tags: Home Automation, Connected Home, Artificial Intelligence, Home Improvement, Home

The Nest is an AI-powered smart home appliance used to control the temperature. Nest understands how the home owner is adjusting the temperature on a daily basis and across seasons. It learns from human inputs and automatically starts changing the temperature based on owners comfort. For example, if a homeowner has a tendency of raising the temperature when inside the house and lower or turnoff when away, Nest learns these behavioural patterns and automatically adjusts the temperature as per the occupants preference. It also recommends, reminds or automatically turns off the lights when the homeowners leave the house, thereby resulting in energy savings.

In addition to power saving appliances, the ability to remotely monitor the house saves cost as otherwise one would have to hire a security guard or have a housekeeper.

Convenience

The use of technology in homes has made it easier for the elderly and disabled to live without the need for a caregiver. With mobile applications, sensors, voice commands, and automated garage doors one can brew coffee, open curtains, set AC temperatures, let in a guest or turn on some music at the comfort of their bed.

AI is offering quick solutions to our daily problems. Imagine having to go to a meeting but at the same time, you need your leaking toilet bowl fixed. With keyless locks, security cameras and a programmed robot, you do not need to be physically there to have the plumber fix your problem. You can let in the plumber, monitor work progress, guide him through the house using the robot and lock the door after he has left. You can even pay the plumber through an escrow service.

Comfort and Peace of Mind

Monitoring your house, a sleeping baby or your kids playing outside from anywhere in your house gives you peace of mind and saves you the trouble of having to run out every minute to check.

What can be more peaceful than knowing you can have your groceries delivered at your door by a single tap on your smartphone? In fact some devices are even smarter and can order the groceries on their own. With the Internet of Things and Chatbots, your refrigerator can detect that you are running out of specific vegetables. It can engage a chatbot to have a conversation with the local grocery store and automatically place an order for the food who’s supplies are running low.

Personal Assistant

A popular personal assessment from Apple is called Siri. Siri is voice-activated to allow you to give commands like text someone, call, get information or directions, manage time, and also serve a reminder for events or activities saved on your calendar.

The use of robots in homes is still in infancy but they are very effective as the perfect personal assistants. Robots performing specific tasks such as automated house cleaning vacuum, lawn mowing or pool cleaning can be quite effective. They can even be programmed to run at specific time, like vacuum the house when no one is in it.

The robots can also be used to welcome your guests, carry their luggage like in hotels and give them directions around the house.

Courtesy ipalrobot.com

The use of robots has also infiltrated daycares. They raise and take care of our kids while we are not around. An example is AvatarMind iPal that is not only an assistant but a caregiver, friend, playmate, and companion.

Entertainment

Our favourite in-home entertainment systems are already intelligent. Whether it is Netflix, Amazon Prime, Spotify, they understand what we like and recommend new audio and video content that we might like. They use AI to deliver such recommendations and are extremely accurate with the same.

Music systems such as Apple HomePod, use AI to deliver the best spacial sound experience in our homes. Just 2 HomePod speakers, can create a mesmerising audio experience, equivalent to that of a 6 speaker home theatre system.

Courtesy apple.com

Entertainment is key to creating a personal satisfaction from any connected home. We all love to watch television and listen to music. Each has to be perfectly tuned to our moods. These systems are getting smarter by the day of giving us the best in content recommendations and viewing experiences. Connected home devices today can automatically dim the lights in the room when you start watching your favourite show on Netflix. Even so, it can gently turn on the lights when you pause and turn them back off when you resume playing.

In addition to security, convenience and energy saving, a connected home must offer entertainment to its occupants, and that too should be personalised to each occupants unique tastes.

Conclusion

Imagine coming home, the garage door opening and closing automatically, being greeted and welcomed, lights switching on, curtains closing, finding a ready cup of coffee, having a personal assistant helping you with your luggage, a clean fresh smelling house with the right atmosphere, your favorite music playlist on and a bathtub full of warm water waiting for you.

Yes, all that is no longer a fantasy or a dream. With AI life is safer and simpler. Well, now stop imagining and get AI in your smart home for a better life because the future is automation; and it is already here.

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