What Can Smart Tech Be Used For?

These days, the average person will carry more computing power around in their phone than was used to send man to the moon. The exponential growth of processing power - coupled with its miniaturisation - has led to a boom in smart technology of all kinds. 

Of course, when people talk about smart devices, they will often be referring to things like phones and tablets. After all, this sort of smart tech will have a handy user interface in the form of a touchscreen, so it is the sort of thing we are all used to handling nowadays.

And yet, smart tech offers so much more than the ability to download and run apps, play games and to send messages to one another. Indeed, these days you are likely to find the same sort of communication technology you find in handheld devices being put into a raft of domestic appliances, too. 

Anything from television sets to fridges will now often be produced with smart connectivity as a key feature. Why is this the case and what sort of consumer benefits does smart home technology afford in the home? Read on to find out.

Smart Lighting and Light Switches

Have you ever wanted to be able to turn your lights on and off from your smartphone so you don't have to get up? Do you want to be able to alter the colour or the intensity of your home's lighting even if you are not home yet? Maybe you would like to set your lights to switch off automatically once you have vacated a room. 

Modern smart lighting offers all of these functions and many more. However, you are not restricted to operating smart lighting only from a connected device, such as a tablet on the same network. This is because Wi-Fi enabled smart switches will allow you to turn your lights on and off as well as dim them from conventional wall-mounted smart light switches in each room.

Smart Plugs in the Home

You don't have to purchase new devices and appliances to make a smart home these days, either. Smart tech can be used to upgrade your current electrical equipment. By investing in a smart plug or two, you will be able to plug conventional devices into the mains power outlet and use them as if they were smart devices. 

Such plugs will need to be registered to the Wi-Fi network. Once that is done, however, you will be able to control them from your smartphone or even set them to function when other smart devices are triggered. 

For example, if you turn your smart lighting on from your phone before you get home, you could also have a conventional fan or a heater plugged into a smart plug to follow suit so that everything is just as you want it from the moment you return.

Smart Security Systems for Residences

Smart cameras and motion detection systems are also part of the sort of domestic smart technology many people are taking advantage of nowadays. By installing such devices, you can deter criminality of all kinds on your property and reduce the likelihood that you will be burgled. 

This sort of smart tech can even send notifications directly to your phone if it is IoT-enabled so you can assess the situation yourself even if you are not home and call the police, if necessary.

Smart Appliances and the Internet of Things

As mentioned, smart appliances of all kinds are available to buy these days. One of the most common is a smart TV which will allow you to access the internet and download content to watch at a later date. Such smart devices usually get to know your viewing habits and make suggestions and recommendations, too. 

When an appliance is connected to the internet in this way it is referred to as being part of the internet of things (IoT). Other devices that are part of the IoT include smart fridges and washing machines. 

A smart fridge might automatically fill your virtual grocery cart with items you need to replace whereas a smart washing machine can be set to automatically come on when you are out of the house so your laundry is ready for you when you get back.

Smart Metering and Reducing Energy Consumption

When you have a connected power meter set up, you can monitor your home's electrical consumption as it happens. This way, you will be able to stay on top of your energy usage and bills by turning off things that are not in use or even automatically setting them to only come on during the lower-cost usage times at night. 

With a smart meter, you can also take advantage of knowing what your utility bill is likely to be before you receive it without having to estimate it from reading the analogue meters most homes still have. This should help you to budget more effectively.