IOT-SMART HOME AUTOMATION

                     IOT in Smart Home

Introduction

A smart home is a residence that uses internet-connected devices to enable the remote monitoring and management of appliances and systems, such as lighting and heating.

Smart home technology, also often referred to as home automation or domotics (from the Latin "domus" meaning home), provides homeowners security, comfort, convenience and energy efficiency by allowing them to control smart devices, often by a smart home app on their smartphone or other networked device. A part of the internet of things (IoT), smart home systems and devices often operate together, sharing consumer usage data among themselves and automating actions based on the homeowners' preferences.

Example of Smart Home Technology

Nearly every aspect of life where technology has entered the domestic space (lightbulbs, dishwashers and so on) has seen the introduction of a smart home alternative:

●       Smart TVs connect to the internet to access content through applications, such as on-demand video and music. Some smart TVs also include voice or gesture recognition.

●       In addition to being able to be controlled remotely and customized, smart lighting systems, such as Hue from Philips Lighting Holding B.V., can detect when occupants are in the room and adjust lighting as needed. Smart lightbulbs can also regulate themselves based on daylight availability.

●       Smart thermostats, such as Nest from Nest Labs Inc., come with integrated Wi-Fi, allowing users to schedule, monitor and remotely control home temperatures. These devices also learn homeowners' behaviors and automatically modify settings to provide residents with maximum comfort and efficiency. Smart thermostats can also report energy use and remind users to change filters, among other things.

●       Using smart locks and garage-door openers, users can grant or deny access to visitors. Smart locks can also detect when residents are near and unlock the doors for them.

●       With smart security cameras, residents can monitor their homes when they are away or on vacation. Smart motion sensors are also able to identify the difference between residents, visitors, pets and burglars, and can notify authorities if suspicious behavior is detected.

●       Pet care can be automated with connected feeders. Houseplants and lawns can be watered by way of connected timers.

●       Kitchen appliances of all sorts are available, including smart coffee makers that can brew a fresh cup automatically at a programmed time; smart refrigerators that keep track of expiration dates, make shopping lists or even create recipes based on ingredients currently on hand; slower cookers and toasters; and, in the laundry room, washing machines and dryers.

●       Household system monitors may, for example, sense an electric surge and turn off appliances or sense water failures or freezing pipes and turn off the water so the basement doesn't flood, for example.

How smart homes work/smart home implementation

In a nutshell, you need just four things, or rather four categories of things:

1.    input devices (sensors)

2.    output devices (actuators)

3.    main unit managing all home (hub)

4.    user interface (UI)

Generally, we can divide all Smart Home systems into these four categories. It doesn’t matter how much it cost or whether it’s a commercial solution or you did most of it yourself.

 

 

 

Just like humans have receptors all over the body, Smart Home should have sensors. Both receptors and sensors collect information about the environment. Just like in the body, we have different receptors (taste, smell, touch, etc.), that our home should also have various sensors (temperature, humidity, presence, etc.).

The more such information we collect, the better pictures of the surrounding world we have. And the better decisions we can make.

Some examples of sensors popular in Smart Systems:

●       temperature sensor

●       humidity sensor

●       presence detector

●       current sensor

●       smoke detectors

●       co² sensor

●       reed switch

●       wall switch

Also, more and more devices nowadays can measure some value or inform you about their current state. E.g., humidifiers, vacuum cleaner, washing machine, and dishwasher can talk with Smart Home, and I can let it know that they have just finished working.

 

Ok, we already have a lot of data from various sensors. We know the temperature, whether anyone is present, and what is the washing machine current state. Now we need to do something with this information. That’s what Actuators are for. You can also meet the name: executive device, which means basically the same.

Sticking to the analogy with a human, the actuators in our body are muscles. It is thanks to them that we can influence the environment.

Some examples of such devices:

●       light bulb

●       roller blind motor

●       thermostatic actuator

●       siren alarm

●       electromagnetic lock

Some devices can simultaneously act as a sensor and an actuator. A good example would be an air purifier that can measure air quality and can also turn ON or OFF if needed. Most of the “smart” devices these days fits both categories.

As the name suggests, it is the device or devices used for communication between the user and the Smart System. It can be a computer, smartphone, tablet, or some dedicated remote control. In most cases, you will have it all.  Think of it as a Smart Home management center.

This is the central and most important part of the Smart Home. All data from the sensors come here, and hence all commands to actuators are sent. It is the brain of the entire system. All decisions are made here.

Hub is also the only access point to the Smart Home. Only the hub will be visible outside your home (local) network.

The general concept of Smart Home is quite simple.

1.    Data from the sensors are sent to the Hub.

2.    On their basis, Hub can make some decisions. All its “smartest” is based on the “IF – THEN” principle. Eg. IF the sensor detects movement, THEN turn on the light.

3.    The last step is to send a command to the actuator.

At this point, we don’t deal with such small things as the way of communication between system elements, or how they are powered (batteries, low DC voltage, or AC Mains). 

 

Smart buildings

While every smart home is a smart building, not every smart building is a smart home. Enterprise, commercial, industrial and residential buildings of all shapes and sizes -- including offices, skyscrapers, apartment buildings, and multi-tenant offices and residences -- are deploying IoT technologies to improve building efficiency, reduce energy costs and environmental impact, and ensure security, as well as improve occupant satisfaction.

Many of the same smart technologies used in the smart home are deployed in smart buildings, including lighting, energy, heating and air conditioning, and security and building access systems.

For example, a smart building can reduce energy costs using sensors that detect how many occupants are in a room. The temperature can automatically adjust, putting cool air on if sensors detect a full conference room, or turning the heat down if everyone in the office has gone home for the day.

Smart buildings can also connect to the smart grid. Here, smart building components and the electric grid can "talk" and "listen" to each other. With this technology, energy distribution can be managed efficiently, maintenance can be handled proactively and power outages can be responded to more quickly.

Beyond these benefits, smart buildings can provide building owners and managers the benefit of predictive maintenance. Janitors, for example, can refill restroom supplies when usage sensors monitor the soap or paper towel dispensers are low. Or maintenance and failures can be predicted on building refrigeration, elevators and lighting systems.

Feature of Smart Home

1.   Advanced home network

You’ve probably heard of the “Internet of Things” by now. It refers to the wirelessly controlled network of devices that is becoming a bigger part of our lives and is central to the smart home. To maintain a highly functional Internet of Things, the automated home needs something a bit more robust than a wireless router tucked out of sight to maintain an unbroken blanket of Wi-Fi. It needs enterprise-class networking equipment, as well as several wireless access points placed strategically throughout the home.

An advanced home network acts as your smart home’s central nervous system, integrating the different components of your automated system so they work together. This is the most critical aspect of a well-functioning smart home.

2.Remote Access

When most people talk about smart homes, what they really mean is remote access to one’s home systems. Remote access lets you operate your home’s systems without cloning yourself. Depending on the customizations you choose, remote access can let you check in on your home through video surveillance, turn on the entertainment system for that in-law who can’t figure out the remote, and even unlock the door to let the dog-walker in — and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Remote access can give you remarkable peace of mind, and it’s incredibly convenient to have complete control while away.

3.Advanced Security

While traditional home-security systems alert authorities in the event of a fire, break-in or other disaster, the advanced security of the automated home goes much further. For starters, many smart home surveillance systems can send intelligent notifications that differentiate between welcome guests and strangers. The best part is an advanced home-security system, as part of your home automation installation, is fully customizable to your specific security needs.

4. Lighting control, automated window treatments

Together, lighting control and automated window treatments allow you to control every aspect of your home lighting and diminish unsightly wall clutter such as excessive switches. Lighting control systems are typically network-based, so a whole building can be controlled from one spot.

Through crafty programming, lighting systems can be set to fully automated schedules that will turn off, dim or brighten whenever you want. Some systems can even detect whether you are away from home and turn off the lights to maximize energy savings.

Automated window treatments function similarly, controlling ambient outdoor lighting remotely. When the two are used in concert, the sky’s the limit on lighting configurations.

Benefits of Smart Home

1.Energy efficiency:

One of the first benefits of smart home technology is that it can actually make your home more energy efficient. Imagine if your air conditioning was able to turn on only when it sensed motion in the home, or if your lights were programmed to turn off at the exact time you left the house each day. Or, what if you could use smart outlets to program your holiday decorations to turn on and off at specific times? It almost sounds too good to be true, but this is actually basic functionality that exists within smart home technology. That means no more turning back home to make sure the lamp is off.

2.Cost efficiency

Another one of the benefits of smart home technology is that it can actually save you money. Yes, you read that correctly – SAVE you money. Obviously, by making your home more energy efficient, you’ll improve your electricity bills. But, that’s not the only way to save money. Many insurance companies actually offer discounts for implementing smart home technology. This is especially true for devices that make the home safer like a water leak detector or alarm and security system. Goodbye worries, hello savings!

3.Ease of access

Increasing accessibility is another major benefit of smart home technology. For example, with smart locks, you no longer have to rush home to let your handyman in or worry about whether your child locked the back door when they came home from school.

There are also benefits for seniors and those with disabilities. A smart doorbell allows the hearing impaired to receive a visual notification on their phone when someone is at the front door. Smart lighting removes the possibility of tripping in the dark on the way to turn on the lights. And, for the visually impaired, being able to control their devices via voice control is incredibly helpful. “Alexa, turn on the fan.”

4.Security

From cameras to locks to doorbells and alarm systems, your home can be completely protected with smart technology. Whether you’re on vacation, managing a rental property, or simply want to ensure everything is okay while you’re at work, these devices allow you to keep a pulse on your home in real-time. Many systems, like the Lyric family from Honeywell, even connect you to nearby law enforcement and emergency personnel. It’s never been easier to protect your home and your loved ones, no matter where you are in the world.

5.Home management insight

The benefits of smart home technology really boil down to one thing – insight into how your home is operating on a day to day basis. Getting the total picture of your home’s electricity usage, security systems, and overall routine optimization will help you turn a smart house into your smart home. Go ahead, make life easier and safer for your family by investing in smart home technology today.

Smart Home Pros and Cons

One of the most touted benefits of home automation is providing peace of mind to homeowners, allowing them to monitor their homes remotely, countering dangers such as a forgotten coffee maker left on or a front door left unlocked.

Domotics are also beneficial for the elderly, providing monitoring that can help seniors to remain at home comfortably and safely, rather than moving to a nursing home or requiring 24/7 home care.

Smart homes can accommodate user preferences for convenience. For example, user's can program their garage door to open, the lights to go on, the fireplace to turn on and their favorite tunes to play upon their arrival.

Home automation also helps consumers improve efficiency. Instead of leaving the air conditioning on all day, a smart home system can learn behaviors and make sure the house is cooled down by the time homeowners arrive home from work. The same goes for appliances. With a smart irrigation system, the lawn will only be watered when needed and with the exact amount of water necessary. With home automation, energy, water and other resources are used more efficiently, which helps save both natural resources and money for the consumer.

However, home automation systems have struggled to become mainstream, in part due to their technical nature. A drawback of smart homes is their perceived complexity; some people have difficulty with technology or will give up on it with the first inconvenience. Smart home manufacturers and alliances are working on reducing complexity and improving the user experience to make it enjoyable and beneficial for users of all types and technical levels.

For home automation systems to be truly effective, devices must be interoperable regardless of manufacturer, and use the same protocol or, at least, complementary ones. As it is a relatively new market, there is no gold standard for home automation yet. However, standard alliances are partnering with manufacturers and protocols to ensure interoperability and a seamless user experience.

Another major issue is smart home security. A 2016 NTT Data Corp. report found that 80% of U.S. consumers are concerned about the security of their smart home data. If hackers are able to infiltrate a smart device, they could potentially turn off the lights and alarms and unlock the doors, leaving a home defenseless to a break-in. Further, hackers could potentially access the homeowner's network, leading to worse attacks or data exfiltration. In October 2016, the Mirai IoT botnet was able to bring down parts of the internet in a series of distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks using badly secured cameras, DVRs and routers as entry points.

In addition to home security, many smart home opponents worry about data privacy. The NTT Data report found 73% of consumers are concerned about the privacy of the data shared by their smart home devices. While smart home device and platform manufacturers may collect consumer data to better tailor their products or offer new and improved services to customers, trust and transparency are critical to manufacturers looking to gain new customers.

Future Work

Home of the future is a space for the digital natives. With the invention of lots of automation technologies featuring IOT and AI, home automation has become a reality. One can implement several of their tasks with just a single command of verbal instructions. These technologies can used to build fully functional home automation system and control smart home devices including smart lights, connected thermostats, and appliances.

There are several new technologies which can become a part of home in the near future:

●       Increased efficiency, control, and customization: Artificial intelligence is set to make you lazy in the near future. Technology will become much more efficient and one will be able to control everything from volume to security from one central place. The devices will work automatically and you don’t need to waste your energy it will act upon user’s preferences. AI would revolutionize home by automatic threat detection and proactive alertness.

●       Integration of Smart home devices: One can command it to control small things of home through voice and Smartphones. All the tech giants are working in the field of IoT to bring advancements in the home automation devices. In near future, homes will be equipped with such IoT devices which will make your daily lives work faster smoother and more accurate.
Mark Zuckerberg came up with a goofy proof-of-concept video showing off an idealized version of how his Jarvis system actually works. Google Home, which is Google’s smart speaker loaded with Google Assistant, was updated at last year’s Google I/O with a bunch of new features, including “proactive assistance”, also known as push notifications, hands-free free calling, Spotify, SoundCloud, and Deezer integrations, and more. Also, more recently, Google launched two more Google Home speakers, Home Max and Home Mini.

●       Smart spaces outside homes: Smart parking through sensors will help to recognize whether the parking is available or not. Camera monitoring can be done and with the help of artificial intelligence and computer vision, both parking facilities and security can be provided. It would be a faster and smoother process and act as a reference for other smart systems to be build accordingly. Streetlights can also be automated through sensors and build for effective use for the people nearby.

●       Development of smart appliances: The devices which we use to use like television, refrigerator and even the mirror is getting smarter today with evolution of technology. The smart mirror should not only act as a face video but also help to other tasks like listening to music and stuff. Televisions have become part of a centralized entertainment and can also be used for social media. The refrigerator has been upgraded to sense the temperature outside and operate accordingly. The washing machine will wash the clothes according to the clothes material and switch off after drying. They will keep on advancing as the technology evolves.

●       Personal home delivery: Drones will be used to deliver the packages at the right time. They will replace the normal salesman job. They might also be used for several other tasks like monitoring the weather outside the home, returning something back to a relative’s home nearby and so on. They can also be used for monitoring the traffic in our locality.

Conclusion:

Since last decade we have been hearing futuristic sounding predictions about smart homes, but now they have become an achievable reality. Smart home technologies are currently affordable only by high end homes only but in near future we will have it as standard features in each in every house. At present these technologies are vendor dependent but soon open standards will be available which will make it much easier for designers and manufacturers to design a system, which are cost effective, reliable and flexible. For now the maintenance charges are very high because all equipments are not largely available and not many companies manufacturing it so less services available. But in near future we will have zero maintenance, integrated solutions, and the technologies will be structured into modules and will be expandable. Increasingly, everyday appliances and objects are developed to act smart, opening up a world of new possibilities and further altering how we live our lives.