What's Next?: The Smart Home of Tomorrow

With the pace and proliferation of app- and voice-activated technology, consumer interest and adoption of smart home products is poised for amazing growth. Virtually anything with electronic circuitry can now be linked into a Smart Home network, allowing you to control a continually growing number of devices - lighting, heating and cooling, security, outdoor systems, appliances, and much more - wirelessly through smartphone apps or voice commands. The Smart Home of tomorrow promises to be an exciting place built on the pillars of comfort, convenience, service and security. We are here to offer a glimpse into the Smart Home of the future!

Rise in AI (Artificial Intelligence)

Today's smart products offer Artificial Intelligence (AI) that enable them to gather information from various sources to anticipate what needs to be done.

• Nest thermostats learn your preferred comfort levels and adjust the home heating or cooling system for you.
• Rachio Sprinkler Systems infer real-time weather data and alter outdoor watering schedules accordingly.
• Smart mattresses monitor sleep activity, then sync this information with wearable fitness trackers to monitor and maintain physical health.

Smart devices will become even smarter, as they continue to evolve by becoming more intuitive, responsive, and proactive.

Home Health

Look for growth in the Smart Home health marketplace as fitness trackerscontinue to grow in popularity and consumers take a more preventive approach to their health.

• Clothing, furniture fabrics and bedding, all with built-in sensors, will monitor health and well-being with greater frequency and accuracy
• Smart air filters will work with your smart hub to track pollutants and allergens, and monitor temperature and humidity to improve indoor air quality
• Tamper-proof smart pill dispensers will audibly or visually alert patients to take medications and alert caregivers if a dose is missed
• Connected independence will continue to empower seniors to age in place, with family and friends able to remotely monitor sick or elderly relations

Assisted Cooking and Culinary Arts

The kitchen is host to an increasing number of interconnected smart devices. New smart products, as well as upgrades to existing models, will save time, help amateur cooks to hone their skills, and encourage foodies to be more adventurous.

• Kitchen screens built into appliances or hanging over cooking spaces will add a visual component to smart speakers.
• Internal cameras working in tandem with sensors will inventory food, and virtual assistants will alert you when running out of items and even reorder groceries for you
• Sensors will continue to evolve to add precision and safety, adjusting cooking temperature based on the food and desired result.
• Refrigerators will talk to ovens and replenishment delivery services. Automated delivery services will continue to evolve, working with other Smart Home devices to deliver groceries directly to your fridge.
• Smart stoves will play a part from prep to plate with the help of built-in weight sensors, timers and voice recognition.
• 3-D printers will reinvent culinary texture, shape and artistic vision by creating foods such as pasta.
• Trash cans will scan contents to help separate waste, recyclables and compost. They will add things you throw out to a shared shopping list and order them for you, too.

Facial Recognition

Facial recognition is already available on smartphones and social media sites, and in products like the Ring Hello Video Doorbell. This capability is expected to migrate to other devices that require personal identification, such as security cameras and passcode-enabled accounts.

Adaptive Living

Already in use as small space solutions, look for modular interior walls in larger homes. These robotic walls can be reconfigured to adapt to occupants' changing needs and lifestyles.

Gadgets for Garage and Garden

The Smart Home of tomorrow will extend beyond the house and yard to the "Internet of Things," where everything is interconnected and interoperable. Your Smart Home will "talk" to your Smart Car, which will automatically turn itself on, adjust to your preferred settings, open the garage door and back itself into the driveway.

• Countertop home-grown systems will offer locally-sourced foods in your own kitchen. Indoor gardens get smart with hydroponics using just water and fertilizer and automated for optimum lighting and moisture levels.
• Outside, robotic soil sensors and weather stations will measure levels of moisture, sunlight and fertilizer to make your garden grow. Smart gardens will even choose the right plants for your soil and alert you to unfavorable conditions.
• Robotic mowers will operate like robotic vacuums, programmed with sensors to navigate outside terrain and avoid obstacles. They will work with irrigation controls and other outdoor smart devices.

Machine Learning

"Machine Learning," will eventually encompass malfunction detection, then self-repair. You may not notice a leak in your plumbing, but sensors will detect the pressure drop, determine how to address the problem, then send a coagulant or "repair bot" to plug the leak - all before alerting your smartphone.

The Future As Per the Experts

P.C. Richard & Son, Long Island's largest electronics and appliance retailer for over 100 years, is the go-to expert throughout New York, New Jersey and Connecticut when it comes to Smart Home products. Its managers know what their customers need today, as well as what may be available to improve lives tomorrow. Steven Miller, head Smart Home buyer, sees the benefits ahead for smart products. "Interconnectivity," he says, "both within the home and with the outside world, will drive everything forward. A smart lock is useful, but having it connected to a smart ecosystem adds many possibilities. The Nest Thermostat is a good example of what can be done when products are interconnected in a Smart Home ecosystem. Because Nest is connected to the Internet, it can adjust itself based on local weather, as well as interface with other products like smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Nest already has remote sensors that monitor temperatures in other rooms. One day we'll see them intuitively controlling smart HVAC vents to balance comfort levels throughout the home."

The Smart Home of Tomorrow

"Building contractors are already seeing the potential for smart control in new homes. Soon every electrical switch and outlet will be smart. You'll have voice-control speakers like Google Home and Amazon Alexa built into every room. Every appliance will be Wi-Fi connected. What's here now is just the beginning. Products will become smarter, they'll learn to do more on their own, and they'll learn your habits and anticipate what you want. As they grow smarter and add capability, they will open up a new world of automation. "If you look at trends, it's all about convenience. The Smart Home of the future will remove barriers and make life more convenient. Retailers will be able to cater to families through a Smart Home ecosystem. Virtual reality will bring the store of the future into your home. At P.C. Richard & Son, we're excited to be a part of that future."

P.C. Richard & Son: the Smart Choice for Smart Home

As the future quickly becomes the present, it's important to work with Smart Home experts that can educate you on technology, as well as assist with product installation, maintenance and security. P.C. Richard & Son employs highly qualified Smart Home product technicians, and offers an expansive inventory dedicated to Smart Home products. To learn more, visit your local P.C. Richard & Son showroom today!