By: FOXmls.com
Published: June 26, 2012
We all know what it means to look after a home. Whether it's vacuuming regularly or applying a much-needed coat of paint, such care is an essential part of home ownership.
But what if your home could actually help care for you?
That's the driving concept behind the current research into the creation of a truly "smart" home. The idea is not simply a home that responds to preset commands to turn on or off lights or appliances, but one that can calculate such needs on its own and respond to them appropriately.
For example, by monitoring your sleep patterns, your home will turn down the thermostat after you're in bed to save energy. Or perhaps it will recognize that the oven has been left on and shut it off automatically.
It works through discrete, wireless sensors located in every room that gather information on our habits and patterns and then forward it to a sophisticated computer program. The computer soon is able to anticipate our movements, detect potential aberrations and respond accordingly. The longer we live with these sensors, the more they are able to make decisions on our behalf.
Far-fetched? Apparently not. Researchers from Washington State University wrote in a recent issue of the journal, Science, that home innovations like these are already under development. According to the article, we're heading for a brave new world where we will be able to rely on our "smart" home to care for us.
It gives new meaning to "home sweet home", doesn't it?
But what if your home could actually help care for you?That's the driving concept behind the current research into the creation of a truly "smart" home. The idea is not simply a home that responds to preset commands to turn on or off lights or appliances, but one that can calculate such needs on its own and respond to them appropriately.
For example, by monitoring your sleep patterns, your home will turn down the thermostat after you're in bed to save energy. Or perhaps it will recognize that the oven has been left on and shut it off automatically.
It works through discrete, wireless sensors located in every room that gather information on our habits and patterns and then forward it to a sophisticated computer program. The computer soon is able to anticipate our movements, detect potential aberrations and respond accordingly. The longer we live with these sensors, the more they are able to make decisions on our behalf.
Far-fetched? Apparently not. Researchers from Washington State University wrote in a recent issue of the journal, Science, that home innovations like these are already under development. According to the article, we're heading for a brave new world where we will be able to rely on our "smart" home to care for us.
It gives new meaning to "home sweet home", doesn't it?
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