Modern life is increasingly run by technology, from the servers that house gigabytes of financial information, to trains that are controlled by computers, to manufacturing processes that have been automated and are now performed by robots and androids. If you take a good look about you, you will notice that you personally benefit from many technological advances such as the ability to check and send email on your Smartphone, check your location and get directions on your car’s GPS and even check your breathing rate using today’s wearables, send the information to an app on your IOS device and get back information on how to improve the way you breathe. Technology surrounds us in the workplace, in our cars and in public places where we can access free WIFI without even having to leave the spot we are standing on.

 

One area that we tend to ignore as far as technology is concerned, is our homes. Instead of using available and affordable smart systems to make living in our homes easier, many of us might as well be stuck in the dark stages instead of a tech savvy 21st century. If you are still going around switching your lights off manually, having to get up to draw the curtains or vacuuming the house yourself, it is time to consider investing in intertwined smart home systems that will make living in your home not only comfortable but fun. Smart home technologies today are no longer a preserve of the rich and the following are just a few of the features you can use in your home without breaking the bank.

 

1. Automatic Blind Control

 

Picture this: you finally have time to marathon watch your favorite TV series and have set up everything you need i.e. popcorn, soft drinks, beer (if that’s your thing) and your favorite comfy duvet because you do not intend to get up from your horizontal position until the bad guys have been caught, or the main character discovers who the father of her baby is. At a crucial point in the series, when you are comfortably snug under the duvet, you discover that dark has fallen and you have to get up and close all the blinds in the house. Arrghhhh! Fortunately, today’s technology has developed solutions for exactly this type of scenario in the form of automatic blind control that allows you to close all the blinds in the house by using your smart phone or remote control without having to leave the comfort of your bed.

 

2. Smart movies

 

There is finally a solution that allows you to settle down to watch your favorite TV series by creating the ambience you need for a comfortable and enjoyable experience. Based on the settings you provide, at the touch of a button, you can turn off the lights, create surround sound, close the blinds and turn on your TV all from the comfort of your chair.

 

3. Intelligent Intercom

 

Video intercoms in your home will provide you with footage of who is at the door and allow you to speak with visitors remotely even when you are not home. You can also set up the intelligent intercom to handle deliveries when you are away and perform tasks such as opening the garage door for delivery people to store packages inside and close the door once they leave.

 

4. Streaming music in every room

 

You can listen to music streamed from a central point to any room in the house by using a multi-room audio system. This smart music player allows you to pipe music into different rooms in the house, as well as change the volume, and switch and pause songs using a simple multi-switch system on the wall. Some smart music systems also perform multiple functions and can act as a siren, alarm clock or doorbell.

 

5. Automated lighting

 

Smart lighting systems help you to turn on the lights, dim them to create your preferred ambience, switch lights off in empty rooms through the use of a presence detector, and even turn lights on automatically when you arrive from work to avoid your having to crash into furniture as you try to locate the light switch. Automatic lighting is a great way to cut down on electricity costs and save energy and you can even use systems that conserve light depending on the time of the day and year.

 

6. Presence simulation

 

If you are constantly worrying about burglars breaking into your home while you are away at work, you can invest in a presence simulating system that records your normal activities over the period of one week, and replays them when you are away to trick intruders into thinking there is someone home.

 

Staying home and handling household tasks has never been easier. Smart home systems are simplifying mundane tasks such as having to close the blinds, making coffee, switching off the lights and many others to help you enjoy and relax when you get home without having to worry about getting up every so often to perform some task or other.