CLOSER LOOK Control options
Your smart home could be the envy of friends and neighbours, bursting with the most amazing functionality they’ve ever seen. But if the controls are too complicated, or not intuitive, you will quickly find yourself longing for the days of analog light switches. From grandparents to digital native children, the whole family needs to fully understand how their living spaces operate, and manufacturers and installers work hard to make sure that’s the case.
Touch control panels have been around for ages in automated homes. They’re still in widespread use, and getting cheaper. “In-wall touchscreens are typically a part of every installation, and they are now more like £700, instead of £4,000. With the right setup, they offer fabulous integration and access to all services including intercom, video entry etc,” says Peter Worthy, CEO of Smarthomes. We’re also used to physical interfaces like this, and pre-programmed to hit the light switch when we go into a room, for instance.
Some panels include nifty features, like Elan’s Intelligent Touch Panel, which benefits from facial recognition. Just walk up to it and it will load your particular settings. Having different profiles for different members of the family is a growing trend and can be a really useful solution – so, kids could be able to control the TV and music in their den, for example, but not the heating and lighting in their parents’ bedroom.
All systems have their own dedicated app, which means they can be operated via your smartphone or tablet. This is brilliant for when you want to monitor things when you’re away from home, but surprisingly, this control method hasn’t taken over from dedicated touch screens, or from the handheld remotes that are often used in rooms with a television. “It’s a false assumption that the phone or tablet will replace the traditional remote,” says Steve Itoje. “People tend to go without a remote for cost reasons, then they come back to us and ask how they can get hold of one. With this conventional tool, there’s muscle memory – you don’t need to look down at them to use them – and you get instant access to the control of that room. You don’t need to scroll through your phone and find the app first.”
Controls don’t need to be screen-based. Loxone’s system features a touch surface that can be integrated into glass, wood, ceramic or stone – so it can sit within a kitchen counter or an office desk, for example. Finally, a virtual voice assistant like Amazon Alexa is a fast-growing way to interact with your smart home. “I personally think they’re fabulous, but they’re currently not stable enough to be the only form of control,” says Peter. However, as the tech gets better, expect them to play a bigger role – especially for those keen to live independently in their homes for longer.