SMART LIVING
Home automation can help you turn on lights, stream music, cook and clean, all at the click of a key or the sound of your voice
Tasks that were once ideas restricted to science fiction films are now a reality in the comfort of your home. With the right use of cutting edge technology, you can get the home of your dreams— an interactive space where the living areas magically transform into a multitude of options. “When all our gadgets have become smart, it is obvious that our homes keep pace with them. Home automation allows you to leave some of the mundane activities like opening the curtains, switching on the lights, home appliances, air conditioners and such to technology and focus on important tasks,” says architect Aparna Kaushik.
HANDS-OFF
Saying ‘Good Morning’ can mean a whole lot of things for people in smart homes. Your morning command to your Savant app, a smart home automation system, will make your favourite song start playing even as the geyser switches on automatically in time for a hot shower. In your parents’ room next door, the words can trigger personalised modes such as opening the window shades, turning off the air conditioners and turning the lights to 20 per cent to conserve electricity. Similarly, you can use other code words and commands to get your home to follow your bidding. Say ‘nap time’ and the lights go down to zero, the air conditioner sets to a comfortable 24 degrees and the curtains close. Gadgets like Cubical Aura also have multiple sensors, supports air conditioners, televisions and music systems, senses gestures, temperature, and light and can be trained in up to 100 remote key actions.
LIFE MADE EASY
With work from home arrangements here to stay for a while, who wouldn’t
want a space that effortlessly transforms from a work day set up to a comfortable bedroom. The creatively named On-Off can transform your bed into a sofa and your work table into a dining set-up, all with the click of a key on the remote. Designed by Italy-based Tumidei and the ATL Group and available in India through Ottimo, On-Off is a smart, space saving solution that can effortlessly convert a room into multi-use spaces. “It utilises the same space and furniture to create two distinct ambiences—of daytime and night time and maximises comfort and usage with minimal space and resources,” says Ashok Basoya, founder of Ottimo.
LIGHTS ON, LIGHTS OFF
Soft lights, bright lights, ambient lighting—it is all possible at the click of a key or a voice command to the sleek Palladiom keypad. In businessman Rohit Reddy’s 6,000 sq ft Hyderabad home, lights come on and go off and electronic drapes glide together with once
Security of the home is a topmost priority especially when you are away. With automation, it is possible to track every second of what’s happening in the house with a simple app on the phone.
command to Alexa. The digital personal assistant uses his voice commands to control the gadgets in his home, right from the Lutron lighting controls to the Sivoia QS Drapery motorised shades that effortlessly glide over his tall glass windows and block sunlight. The HomeWork QS system by Lutron integrates all light fixtures, window treatments, and lighting controls into one main platform which controls tasks like lighting and shading and can even integrate thermostats and audio systems. While there are different methods to control this lighting system, AnushaTechnovision Private Limited which put together smart technology for Reddy’s home, used the sleek Palladiom keypad to replace the traditional switches, which can take voice commands or follow directions on a remote.
WALK-IN SMART WARDROBES
Wardrobes with doors that glide open at the click of a button, a dresser that pops up when you want to check the shade of lipcolour, lit up shelves that are reminiscent of a fashion boutique and a wooden plank that gradually slides up to reveal a hidden security safe box. The smart wardrobes by German brand Schmalenbach are customised and remote controlled are one such example.
INTELLIGENT KITCHEN
Cabinets that open at the touch of your fingertips and smart refrigerators that manage your shopping list and set curd. One such example is the Samsung’s family Hub smart refrigerator that keeps track of what lies on the shelves, sets digital post-its for tasks and provides entertainment while you cook. The built-in View Inside camera allows users to digitally label their food with expiration dates, or use a mobile device to peek inside their fridge. The all-new Curd Maestro takes away the trouble of setting the right consistency. Besides gadgets, smart storage also offers additional convenience. Take German brand Eggersmann (available at Plusch) for instance. They retail kitchens where the work station comes with a storage unit that rotates 360 degrees. So, it can be rotated open when required and closed when not in use. They also retail cabinets with sophisticate motors and drawers with sensors.
SCRUBBED CLEAN
Domestic chores are a tad easier with robotic cleaning devices and drying racks. Cleaning robots like the ones by iRobot Milagrow can dust, sweep and mop surfaces within minutes, self-charge, return to their charging docks and resume cleaning once fully recharged. While the remote operated clothes drying rack from Evolve makes laundry handling easier and neater. The rack has four stainless steel poles which can be expanded to seven feet in length. The battery operated rods can be lowered to a height of five feet to make it easy to use without having to stretch.
SAFE AND SECURE
Security of the home is a topmost priority especially when you’re away. With automation, it is possible to track every second of what’s happening in the house with a simple app on the phone. A popular function is a remote unlock and lock, a home technology where the home can be opened at
Cabinets that open at the touch of your fingertips, smart refrigerators that manage your shopping list and set curd, storage drawers that slide out sensing your hands, a television that retreats into its space when you’re done watching your recipe—this is what new age kitchens are all about.
the click of a smartphone key and unlocked when the visitor or house help leaves. Intrusion alarms promptly alert home owners in case of suspicious activity in the house. There are some very interesting intrusion alarm systems available with Bosch.
BECOME AN ECO-WARRIOR
Smart home technology can reduce energy consumption and make the space more energy-efficient. Smart plugs like the WiFi plugs by Syska can be automated to trigger a switch on and off mode to match scenarios like rain, sunrise and sunset to avoid uncontrolled usage of power. That’s not all, the Fibaro Flood Sensor is a water detector that uses low energy wireless technology and raises alarms about flooding whenever it detects water and also measures ambient temperature. Smart thermostats and smart light bulbs save energy which helps cut utility costs over a period of time. “There are some home automation technologies monitor water usage too, helping you save the precious resource. So it allows you to be eco-friendly,” says Kaushik. Then there are smart switches. One such example by Goldmedal is the i-Sense Senso Switch and the i-Touch Wi-Fi 6 module that allow users to control multiple devices through a feather touch, RF remote control, voice commands and a mobile app.
Evolve has remote operated drying racks which can be expanded to seven feet in length to make laundry drying easy