Cyberspace is coming home

Filed in archive Smart Homes on September 11, 2007

For most of us the concept of "smart homes" is a theory rather than a practical delivery of services to our homes. In theory we understand that a network backbone can be installed in our homes and from that network we can control everything in our homes from lighting, temperature, control of blinds, video on demand, Internet TV, home theaters, and so on.

But in practice how much is being applied in homes other than the real high-end home?

In "Cyberspace is coming home" southern Housing suggest that the delivery of "smart homes" to the majority of homes is a concept rather than a reality.

According to this article, the reason why more homes are not being "smartened" is the fact that people do not understand the possibility of very cheaply networking a home right through at the time of building a home, then over time, controllers and systems can be hooked up to the network and delivered when the home owner has the necessary funds or is ready for the next step in home automation.

Really, a lot can be effected once a home is networked. And if you have not networked a home prior to building there are alternatives to a "wired" network. Networks can be established using the power outlets in each room, or "wi-fi" networks can connect devices.

Smartening your home is really a lot simpler than at first you can imagine. Maybe technicians need to communicate with home builders, and impending new home owners, so that the simplicity of smartening homes can be more understood.