Smart home is a term that refers to modern homes that have appliances, lighting and/or electronic devices that can be controlled remotely by the owner, often via a mobile app. Smart home-enabled devices can also operate in conjunction with other devices in the home and communicate information to other smart devices.
Smart home-enabled devices can include appliances like refrigerators, washing machines, dryers, and toaster ovens, as well as heating and air conditioning units and lighting devices. Some examples of smart home-enabled electronic devices are audio and video entertainment systems, camera and security systems, and computers, laptops and other electronics mobile devices.
Smart Home Benefits and Examples
The appeal of the smart home is that it enables owners to remotely control parts of the home and configure time schedules for smart home-enabled devices to help control costs and be more energy-efficient (i.e. green homes) while providing added convenience and potential time savings.
While the nascent smart home market still has plenty of room for growth, examples of smart home technology currently on the market include internet-enabled and controlled refrigerators, smart thermostats like the Nest thermostat, smart lights with light occupancy sensors, and smart door locks and security systems. Most of these smart home devices now include a mobile app for managing them via a smartphone or tablet.