By this point in time, nearly everybody is familiar with what home automation is, and the various forms it can take. From simple TV lifts to a fully-integrated security system which can also function as a nanny cam, home automation is everywhere, and this is not going to change. What is changing, however, is the aesthetic behind home automation. While most of the automation processes – such as the ones which use linear actuators (see more at https://www.progressiveautomations.com/linear-actuators) – has been fairly basic thus far, since designers have mainly been focused on making the technology work as it should, rather than on making it particularly beautiful to look at.
Advances in technology and reliability of the equipment (not to mention an increased interest in their work meaning that they have more money coming in) have meant that designers can now afford to experiment with the overall look of a piece of home automation, with the result that designs are now more futuristic in tone.
Security systems in general aren’t nice to look at. The main unit is blocky and boxy, and the sensors throughout the house aren’t much better. Cameras are easily seen and heard, and are awkward to try and incorporate into a design scheme.
Now that the technology has become better and easier to use, the focus has turned to making it all more aesthetically pleasing. Cameras in particular (especially when they are mounted on linear actuators, allowing them more freedom of movement) have received a huge makeover, with cameras being designed to blend in with the more minimalist approach to houses which is in fashion at the moment, with an emphasis on looking like just another trinket which anybody would keep on their shelves.
Smart thermostats are one of the home automation innovations which have proved particularly popular, especially since home automation turned itself towards the problem of minimizing energy consumption. The thermostats themselves have changed in a variety of ways over the years, moving from still being quite noticeable, to being integrated more neatly into the fabric of a home.
This is an area where the use of mobile devices has played a part as well – as more and more systems come mobile enabled, meaning that homeowners can control their boiler and heating from the comfort of their mobile device of choice, the actual physical thermostat has become less of an issue. This means in turn that it is less intrusive.
Lighting is perhaps the most obvious way in which the future is coming to life through home automation. The first step was in being able to control lights remotely – in much the same way as being able to control a boiler remotely, being able to control the lights without physically touching a light switch was a huge step forward, and can possibly mean that light switches themselves can now be put in a more unobtrusive place.
The second step was in being able to program lights to do certain things at certain times. The most basic use of this is of course to have the mobile device in question function almost like a physical timer, but there are more sophisticated patterns which can be enabled as well. Further than that, certain lighting patterns can be set to activate if something else happens, such as the CD player being put on.
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