The smartphone has not only revolutionized the
communications industry, it is paving the way for the fully integrated home of
the future. Several hundred apps are already available that allow Destin home
owners to remote control various home systems and appliances. Using currently
available smartphone apps, Destin home owners can already access their home
computer network, turn lights and appliances on and off, turn down the heat or
crank up the air conditioning, control sound and home entertainment systems, record
and watch favorite television shows, lock and unlock doors, and monitor their home
security system.
Researchers and IT engineers say that’s just the tip of the
iceberg. In the not too distant future, you and your Destin home will be in
constant communication. If you’re running short on milk or bread, your
refrigerator will send your smartphone a list of groceries to pick up on the
way home. When your air conditioner is due for maintenance, it will notify the
repair center directly and schedule a service call. When the serviceman
arrives, you’ll be able to let him into your home, talk to him, monitor his
activity and lock up when he leaves, all via your cell phone. No more waiting
around for a repairman to show up.
Within the next 5 to 10 years, researchers expect most home
systems and appliances to be digitally connected and controlled remotely via smartphones.
The groundwork for such revolutionary technology is already in place. A Samsung
refrigerator that debuted this year has an LED screen that can be programmed to
show news updates and recipes. Its current $3,500 price tag is expensive; but,
like plasma screen TVs, is expected to drop quickly over the next few years. Already
on the drawing board are refrigerators equipped with sensors to weigh and track
food use, making hand-written grocery lists obsolete.
Next time: Crooning
toilets?
