Stepping out of the major subject of security, we will take a look at some other smart home devices.

We will delve into curtain and blinds, sound and video and heating control in the final articles.

SMART PLUGS

Simple and portable. Smart plugs offer a flexible means of controlling electrical devices about the home or business.

Smart plugs connect directly to the wifi at the socket level, or can be deployed to the distribution level, in the form of smart breakers. Smart hubs and bridges are not required to connect to the wifi.

With smart plugs,

• You can turn devices on or off remotely,
• Turn devices on and off according to a predefined schedule,
• Check the status of your devices,
• Connect to an app, and control the plug remotely.

Smart plugs can be controlled via a smart app, or can be linked to your digital voice assistant for voice control.

The smart plug does need to stay switched on for it to communicate with the app.

Smart plugs and breakers are great for switching devices when you are away from home. Watering the garden, feeding the pets, pool pumps and cleaners, lights, and more. If you have left the office and aren’t sure whether something was left on, or not turned on as it should be – smart plugs with a smart app will prove very useful.

ROBOTIC LAWN MOWER

Robotic Lawnmowers can be used to cut the grass without intervention – after the initial setup.

Lawnmowers usually require a boundary wire to be laid, and a charging station to be deployed in an accessible location.

Most robotic lawnmowers will cut grass into small pieces that will mulch back into the grass, so no grass cuttings need to be collected. Robotic lawnmowers can be used remotely if connected to a smart plug.

ROBOTIC VACUUM CLEANERS

As with cutting the lawn, you can now leave vacuuming to the robot.

Devices vary widely in costs and features.

• Top range units will navigate about the house using cameras and sensors. A 360 degree camera will help the robot to completely map out the room.
• Vacuum cleaners are fitted with brushes along the sides, so that they can clean edges, while some are thin enough to move under furniture.
• The suction strength of the devices will also differ.
• Some robots move on wheels, while some are like tanks – they can move over almost anything with their tracks.
• Most robots will run on batteries, and be able to notify you when the battery is low. A charging station is necessary.

Your robot may be able to work on a preset schedule, and provide a report back of the work it has done.

MISCELLANEOUS SMART DEVICES

This is where the importance of a widely compatible single app platform becomes important.

More and more devices are incorporating smart features.

Smart kettles, for hands free and scheduled operation – ideal for parents with the baby in their arms, Air-conditioning units either fixed or portable, Toxic gas and smoke detectors, Smart Garage door openers – can be set to open when your car approaches, Smart Fridges – controlling the operational functions of the fridge, and tracking when stocks are low.

The takeaways are that soon, the majority of home appliances will form part of the smart home. The Gensix Technology app has the widest range of integrations. You don’t need to end up with a separate app for every device.

In the next articles we will discuss whole home sound and video, curtains and blinds, water irrigation systems, and more.

The convenience of the smart home, is that many extensions can be easily installed by the home owner. When you have a single app – you can easily just add on as you please. There are only a few cores that may need professional installation:

• Networking and Network Security.
• Security Systems,
• Electrical component replacements,
• Whole Home entertainment systems.