Home Automation

An article about a new thermostat got me thinking about the poor job we’ve done in the integration of new technology into homes. Yes, adding smart technology to new homes does increase their costs – and we all know how home developers pass that on. If you’ve ever considered buying a new home, and it’s still being constructed, the developer will likely present you with a slew of options to upgrade your home’s materials from the completely cheapest possible crap the contractors can find all the way up to the insanely expensive materials you might find in a mansion. The problem for you is that you’re probably stretching your budget as far as you can to get into the house in the first place. This is typically the case, and as such you’re not going to say, “YES! Give me the hyperplush scotch-guarded mega shag infinity carpet!”

What you’re likely to get is the ultra-cheap low-budget plebian mesh carpet that unravels at high velocity when something more than five pounds steps on it. But this isn’t just about carpet. What else could you have gotten? A better thermostat? A better gas range? Speaker systems built into the walls? Toilets that don’t plug after using more than one square of TP? Yes, all of this and more could have been yours IF you’d had enough money to afford the exorbitant rates being extorted by the contractor.

This leaves upgrading your home for later – and for you to do. People living in pre-owned homes are presented with the same issue, but with the potential that the previous owner may have already upgraded a little. This, of course, usually takes place right before a sale. Are you planning on selling your home? That’s when most people upgrade their home – to make it more appealing to the buyer. What’s wrong with this picture? Well, when you do it this way, you don’t get to ENJOY the upgrades do you? They’re for the next guy to enjoy. Last time I sold a house, we put all new appliances in the kitchen. I loved those appliances. I got to enjoy them for about three months. Now I’m back to crap.

Anyway, all of this got me thinking about things you could potentially add to your home. What are the upgrades you’d like to have? For me, most of these are electronic control systems. I’d really like to have a voice-enabled smart home. Obviously, contractors aren’t putting these in most houses (I’d guess you’d only find something like this in very high-end homes if at all).

If you want to go the expensive route, there are services that will handle this for you. Fusion 9 Design for example. But there are cheaper ways to go, like buying the stuff yourself and putting it in a little bit at a time. You can find components at Smarthome. But does any of this get me what I really want? No.

What I really want is an AI that is voice enabled and I can access through my phone, my PC, or through speakers in the house. From my computer I want to be able to access my house and see what it’s been up to.  Are the doors locked? Is the stove on? Are the lights off? Show me the outside cameras. Check the television status. Set the DVR. Check the thermostat. Shut the garage door. That sort of thing.

Contractors need to have access to this type of equipment. If every house was built with a server system and wired with appliance automation in the first place, the cost would go down considerably. This technology is available. It’s out there. It’s BEEN out there for some time. I’ve seen it. What I’ve just described is fairly rudimentary compared to what could be done. But contractors don’t purchase it. They build pretty much as they’ve been building. Yes, they use newer materials (if required) and they follow all the latest regulations (if they’re professionals). But they never take the extra mile. They never add anything unless it makes them more money. In this regard, I think their vision is lacking. This could make them more money. It’s just that there’s a barrier to entry. It’s not required of them, and until they’re all doing it, the cost won’t go down. As consumers, most of us can’t afford to make this push. Therefore home automation will always take a back-seat. It will be a side-project, something of a revolution that will only take place when cheap home automation is available in a full package that doesn’t cost much and is sold at hardware stores world-wide. To that end it will have to be wireless, because developers don’t wire houses for it. (I didn’t even get LAN cables or speaker wiring in my new house, WTF?). The connections between the components in the house will have to take place without wiring.

This is why it needs to be sold as a package. The software and the components will have to talk to each other using the same protocols with very little user setup. You put a new light switch in, and the system recognizes it. You add an automatic lock to your front door, and the system sees it there and asks you which door it is. You put a wireless camera on the outside, and the system asks you to give it a name and tell it which direction the camera is pointing. This isn’t rocket science. It’s computer science. (Although the two have a lot to do with each other. Ever see a space ship without a computer)?

Anyway, there’s my rant for the day. I keep telling myself I’m going to start upgrading and adding components, but what I really need to start with is the server and the voice recognition pieces. To that end, I suppose I should look at voice recognition and home automation. Oh look, there’s something. But do I really want to use Windows for this? And, let’s be realistic, am I really going to have TIME to research this? The answer is no. So until Loews or Home Depot starts selling a cheap home automation package, my house will remain stupid. I have a dumb house. It’s got a dog brain during the day, and most of the time she’s sleeping.