CIS 120 Telecomunications Topic: The Smart Home of the Future

Technology is ubiquitous in the modern era. Computers and microcomputers are installed almost everywhere; nowadays cars, household appliances, utilities, and many other devices utilize a computer component in place of analog controls. The smart home of the future will incorporate the functions of many smaller computers into one control device, which would be able to remotely or automatically control many household functions. Mobile computing has changed how people communicate and interact with digital environments. It is only a matter of time before this diverse platform allows people to operate a smart home's control panel. The smart home would have an array of devices connected in the home network. Lights, air conditioners, and home appliances could be controlled remotely. For example, a smart home would 'know' when the owner arrives using a personal area network to detect the proximity of the owner. The smart home would detect the owner walking towards the door and unlock it without any input. It then could turn on lights, operate temperature controls, and turn on a TV screen with a custom setting configured by the owner. Perhaps the home owner likes to take a long, hot bath after returning home. The smart home could be programmed to draw a hot bath minutes before the owner arrives. This technology exists today and is feasible. The future of the smart home will most likely incorporate robotics. Small home robots already exist, such as the popular Roomba vacuum cleaner. One day, home robots will perform more complex tasks such as preparing food. As technology improves, the smart home will become common. The impact of the smart home would revolutionize the quality of life, yet it may make society more placid and sedentary. The repercussions of such a technology are not known as of yet, but like mobile communications, people will adapt and adopt new technology eventually.