For decades, we’ve seen the idea of the “smart house” referenced in popular culture. From the Jetsons to Tony Stark’s virtual butler to a smart house that’s out to get revenge on its inhabitants, the technology has mostly been science fiction rather than something you can have in real life.

That’s changing, and changing quickly. Smart home technology is making its way into the marketplace, and at a price point that a large segment of the population can actually afford.

Here are some of today’s smart home gadgets and technologies that are changing how we deal with our homes:

• Smart lighting.

Today’s homeowners have a number of ways to interact with the lighting in their homes. We have motion detectors that will turn lights on and off based on whether someone’s in the room. We have light sensors that will automatically dim or brighten a given light based on the amount of daylight in the room. We have remote controls that can activate outlets, dim lights, turn off ceiling fans, and more. As time goes on, we’re seeing more and more of these functions integrated into whole-home management systems, too.

• Smart heating and cooling.

Programmable thermostats are one of the most inexpensive money-saving smart home gadgets you can buy. There are much more advanced solutions, however. For example, some heating and cooling systems can be paired with a home management system to allow you remote access to your heating and cooling. That means you can turn the furnace back on when you’re an hour away from returning to the frozen north after visiting some tropical climate over spring break, for example.

• Smart security.

Perhaps more than any other area, we’ve seen significant technological advances in security systems in the past decade. Wireless systems mean no more running wires through the house. Smart add-on devices – like some of the ones discussed above – have turned security systems into home management systems. Remote access from your smartphone lets you arm or disarm your system, or even view your security cameras, remotely.
Going forward, these trends are going to mean some significant changes in how we interact with our homes.

For example, we’re going to be much less concerned on a day-by-day or moment-by-moment basis with how our home functions. Rooms will be the right temperature when we enter. Lights will come on, and at the right light.

We’re also going to see more advanced interfaces. Today’s smartphone interfaces that control smart home gadgets will become more advanced. Voice recognition software means that we’ll start to see more and more home management systems and devices that we can simply talk to instead of programming or interacting via a keypad or application.
This trend also means savings on power. We’ll see more and more efficiency squeezed out of every light bulb and electrical outlet, and our homes will get really good at not wasting heating and cooling.

These smart home technologies are truly changing the way we live on a daily basis, and those changes will become even more pronounced as time goes on.

Madison Parker is a security expert whose passion for helping others ramp up their own security led to the creation of HomeSecuritySystems.net. You can get more tips on home security here!

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