Control lighting without leaving your comfy chair
We’re Baby Boomers and remember when the most you could adjust in your home were the knobs on the radio and television, if you had one. Today, homes are almost alive, and futurist visions are becoming reality. Technology changes our lives by the moment.
At home, we can change the television channel with our iPhones and iPads, play music from dozens of Internet streaming services such as Pandora, iHeart Radio, XM/Sirius, and so many more. It’s music to our ears and our lives.
Who could have dreamed that, while on vacation, we could adjust our home thermostats to start cooling down so that it was comfortable when we arrived, tired from the trip and flight?
We can now decide, outside our homes, how bright or dark our home lighting can be and if it should be on or off. And, our pools can be heated and security systems activated on our way out of the house, automatically.
And, as more and more of these devices are introduced and popularized, they have become less expensive, making home automation affordable for most families. Connectivity is as much a part of our home life as apple pie, and mom, of course.
In addition to controlling music, security systems, thermostats and lighting, these integrated systems can also connect with other home components:
Electronic Health Monitoring Systems — Wearable devices can monitor calories burned, blood sugar levels and heart rate. Other apps connect you directly to a doctor’s office or hospital for higher levels of scrutiny.
Home Theaters — Ultra-high-definition 4k video (four times 1080 HDTV) is available for projectors, and video tiling allows you to watch several video sources on the same screen.
Sound Systems — The Dolby Atmos Audio Technology offers 3-D sound for your home theater.
TVs — Smart sets connect with the Internet, and some can be placed as disappearing units in walls and entertainment centers and even as Magic Mirrors, in which they appear inside mirrors such as those above bathroom vanities.
