HOME AUTOMATION
ADVANCES
By Robert Hessel
of the device or near it. But now with Wi-Fi,
we can set up our automation, then control
devices from anywhere and anytime as
long as both devices are on a network.
For example, if you work until 5 p.m.
and your kids get home from school at
3:30 p.m., you can have your doors set to
automatically unlock at 3:30 p.m. Then,
using a monitoring system, you can see
they made it safely and lock the doors
behind them, all from a separate location
like your desk.
Among the benefits of home automation
are that you have the ability to close and
lock doors, live monitor your home while
you’re away, control who comes in and
out of your home, call for help when
needed, giving you the peace of mind that
family, pets, and possessions are protected.
Another benefit is cost efficiency to control
heating and cooling units as needed, have
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alerts sent to your phone if a faucet was
left running and turn it off, get reports on
how much tv your kids are watching, and
set limits to it. Then there’s convenience
for you to set your home to function the
way you do on your time.
We’re at a point where the individual
technologies we use daily can be customized
to help with daily life. Shouldn’t you
automate your life so you can enjoy the
benefits of modern technology? 9
EDITOR’S NOTE: Robert Hessel at Source
1 Solutions can be contacted at (727) 538-4114
or visit source1security.com.
T he definition of home automation
is simply the ability to configure
electronic devices and appliances
in your home to perform custom
tasks. This “set it and forget it” option
allows you to control how, when and why
a device should do its job for your
convenience.
Home automation is nothing new. It’s
been around for quite awhile. If you’ve
programmed a coffee maker to brew a fresh
Cup of Joe, set your sprinklers to water
your lawn at the optimal time or even set
your VCR to record a favorite television
show, you’ve been using automation in
your home for convenience and comfort.
However, times have changed, as
common household devices are now a
part of the Internet of Things. The abilities
of home automation have evolved over
the years as more and more household
appliances are adding Wi-Fi capabilities
and becoming “smart.” In the beginning,
the list of automated household items was
short and consisted of a few entertainment
devices, some heating/cooling systems,
lights, and a couple of appliances. Now
almost anything is available with these
capabilities – or will be.
The function with which we control
these automatons can now be done by
way of applications on mobile devices and
personal assistants such as Siri, Alexa, and
Google Assistant. Furthermore, many of
these systems offer integration options with
each other and can be controlled from one
app. With all these recent advancements
the definition of “home automation” has
changed. What once described a home
using automated technologies is now a
home itself being called a “smart” home
or a fully automated home. You may think
that automating your home is only for the
super-rich. However, there are more and
more companies competing and creating
technologies in this space. So, depending
on what your goals are for automation,
many setups can be quite affordable.
Before smart devices and IoT, automation
setups would have to be done at the point
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