We’ve been told for years that ‘smart’ technology will bring about a revolution in home control systems, with everything from lighting, heating and security to kitchen appliances, air conditioning, blinds and curtains put under the control of customisable handsets. But the actuality was very slow coming, experts say because there were so many different incompatible systems, that no-one could make any progress in the wider market.
That pretty much came to an end with the dominance of the smartphone – now, every smart home system is made to integrate with the smartphones we already have in our homes, so smart systems can forge ahead without the customer having to make impossible compatibility decisions early on in the process.
Light headed
Take, for instance, lighting control. All the lighting systems in your house can now be put under the control of a smartphone app, with the existing wiring system pressed into service to connect the entire system. Because the smartphone can be used even when you are away from home, a smart lighting system has multiple uses.
You can control lights to switch on before you arrive home, or to switch on and off during the day to create an illusion of occupancy; you can set timers for different lighting zones, control overall ambience with programmable dimmer settings, and even set the range, speed and smoothness of dimming functions.
Preset scenes can be set up so you could have different lighting settings for reading, relaxing, partying or watching movies, then you can have a single command to switch all lights off.
Even better, because smartphone apps can be voice controlled, all these clever lighting commands can be programmed to respond to your voice using a common virtual assistant such as Apple’s Siri.
Presets
If you aren’t keen to use voice commands, in many cases a ‘magic button’ can be added to your wall switches, so preset lighting scenes, global commands and emergency settings can be executed from anywhere convenient.
Lightwave provide smart lighting, power, and heating solutions with a completely retrofit solution that is easy to install and use. A range of smart switches, sockets, thermostats, and more, integrate seamlessly with your home, giving you full control of your home at the touch of a button, while the app allows you to easily customise your routines.
Find out more on the website at shop.lightwaverf.com.
See also: What is Smart Home Technology and How It Can Make Your Life Easier?
