Technology offers countless solutions for making life easier, with many more products and applications arriving in the not-too-distant future! Here are just a few examples of ways to make your home “smart.”
Cooking is a snap
Snap a photo of a barcode on a prepackaged meal and cooking instructions are sent to your oven or microwave, automatically. All you have to do is put the meal in the oven and press start! Whirlpool’s Scan-to-Cook. Or, if you need inspiration for using up pantry items, scan the barcode for recipe suggestions. Yummyscan.
Thermostat controls
Adjust the temperature from your smartphone (while at home or remotely), or from your voiceenabled smart home device. Set a schedule or have the temperature adjust based on where you are in the house, instead of where your thermostat is located. Nest, Ecobee, Honeywell and others; features vary.
Open sesame
Open doors with a fingerprint or even by mere proximity to your smartphone. No more fumbling for keys or struggling to fit a key into the lock. You can even check when you’re away to be sure you DID lock up! Family members can have an electronic key and, in combination with a videoequipped module, seniors can check to see who is at the door (from a smartphone or tablet), before deciding to answer or unlock the door. Kwikset Kevo, August Smart Lock, Ring Video Doorbell,
and others; features vary.
Lighting and outlets
Smart lights can be set to turn on from your phone, at certain times, or even motion detecting lights to reduce tripping hazards at night. Some smart plugs include remote controlled dimmer settings, making it easy to adjust lighting without leaving your chair. D-Link Wi-Fi Smart Plug, Belkin WeMo, Caséta Wireless Lutron, and many others; features vary.
No more dust bunnies
Robotic vacuum cleaners can now be controlled from a smart-home hub and programmed to begin remotely, or at set times. Unfortunately, none of them empty the dust bin into the garbage unassisted… yet. iRobot Roomba, EcoVacs Deebot, and many others.
About the Author
