Hi, technology The F words
Spruce up your environment with the latest in home help
We have the technology to monitor our health, wealth and mood swings. So why not interactive cameras that allow us to be better pet “parents” or televisions that turn the home into an international art gallery? The smart world of “techoration” starts here.
Mini maids. Tired of tidying up? A robotic vacuum cleaner will take the misery out of housework. New-gen bots, which can be synced to a smartphone, whip around detecting dirt, dodging obstacles and generally being useful until returning themselves to their charging station. Great if you have pets.
Sleep on it. We spend about a third of our lives asleep. Smart beds track heart rate, body movements and breathing to provide useful data on sleep patterns. Chances are that if you have a bad night, you won’t need an app to prove it but knowing how long you have slept for (and the quality of that sleep) can be surprisingly reassuring.
Virtual assistant. At the sound of your voice, Amazon’s Alexa-controlled Echo can provide weather reports, create lists, shop online, play music and dim the lights. Spend a bit of time learning how to interact with one, and you’ll wonder how you ever did without it.
Family hub. A smart fridge will not only keep track of your perishables but talk you through recipes, remember expiry dates, send notes and to-do lists to every member of the family. They have interior cameras, customisable temperature controls and sensors to open the door when you have your hands full.
Pet-friendly. Worry about Fido and Felix while you’re at work? An interactive Wi-Fi connect camera will allow you to see, talk to and play with your pet remotely. Great for animals that don’t like to be left alone for long, devices like Petcube can help take the anxiety out of being a pet “parent”.
Welcome home. A Netatmo is a super-smart security system with the ability to identify individual faces. Set the camera at the front door, introduce it around and it will recognise whether friend or foe has come knocking. As soon as it detects a stranger, it pings your smartphone.
Go lightly. Smart wi-fi plugs allow you to automatically turn electronics on and off (either remotely or time-tabled) as well as monitor your energy consumption. They can also be paired with voice-control devices such as Echo. Wall art. Smart TVs, such as Samsung’s Frame, means you don’t have to be a millionaire to have a modern masterpiece over your mantel. Turned on, it’s a television; turned off, it becomes a frame for artwork, downloaded from some of the world’s most acclaimed galleries and museums, now including Te Papa.