By Tharmini Kenas
We are now familiar with the term “Smart home”. With connectivity in our fingertips and the emergence of the “Internet of Things”, smart home is fast becoming a trendy term across the globe, though it is still considered as a novelty in Malaysia.
If you are a very busy person, having the key to every appliance and system in your house right underneath your fingers will save a considerable amount of time in the long run.
What is a smart home?
A smart home is a residence that is fully automated. The appliances and systems can be controlled and monitored through devices which are connected to the Internet.
How smart is a smart home?
Imagine this:
You have had a terrible day at work, and you are driving back with a throbbing headache. Upon reaching your home, you find the front gate opening seamlessly and closing once you are on your front lawn.
You get down from your car, your house door opens, and the lights are being switched on. Going inside, you find that the air-conditioner has been turned on and is at the right temperature.
You step into your bathroom, and the water temperature and pressure is just right to reduce the intensity of your headache. You settle into bed, curtains were drawn in and the light dim enough for you to doze off into a deep sleep.
You wake up to sunlight gently streaming into your bedroom, and you hear the coffee machine pouring out your favourite wake-up drink.
That’s how smart a smart home could be.
The good side
- You get to live a worry-free life
Since you will be controlling the appliances and systems by just using your smartphone, there will be no need of making a U-turn to check if you have turned off the heater.
2) The perfect environment for the elderly
If you have older adults in the family or if you are growing old, automated home systems are going to be a blessing as you would not have to manoeuvre much. All you will need is a remote to control everything in the house.
3) You get to save time
If you are a very busy person, having the key to every appliance and system in your house right underneath your fingers will save a considerable amount of time in the long run.
The other side
- The possibility of being hacked
Smart home data are very crucial and can be used for all the wrong reasons if fallen into the wrong hands. Hackers may try to infiltrate the intelligent home data, and if they succeed, they will be able to control the appliances and systems in the home to aid a break-in.
2) Less tech-savvy people might face difficulties
Less tech-savvy users might be intimidated by the home automation applications and may not be open to the concept of smart homes.
