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Automate Your Life – Top Home Automation Trends for 2024
All you need to know – from Micarta experts
New Year is an exciting time for everyone. We make big plans – and we’re not the only ones. So do brands from all the different industries around the world. As experts in home automation, we’re obviously particularly excited to see what the future holds for the homes of the future.
And let’s not forget – this is a quickly growing sector. With this big shift towards energy efficiency and the increasingly popular idea of self-sufficiency, we’re seeing new technologies, ideas and developments in various shapes and forms. This means more products available. That’s good news for homeowners, as they can expect increased affordability and accessibility.
While new products, services and launches happen more often than once a year, it’s safe to say there’s always a theme.
So, what is it for the world of smart home solutions?
The Power & Potential of AI
This can no longer be ignored. AI is ground-breaking. A real disruptor of all ways of life that’s very likely to change the face of the world forever. The application of increasingly more powerful and functional AI technologies in home settings is now a reality we’re going to see move forward at a rather quick pace.
In 2024, we can expect the resurgence of voice assistants, equipped with this newfound and constantly developed AI-based software.
They have much more to offer now, with plenty of interesting features and increased availability at different price points. You can already control your cinema lights at home with your voice. So, what’s new? What’s the big change? They’re going to become fully conversational and contextual.
Wondering what to wear? Ask your voice assistant. Can’t find anything you want to watch or read? Ask your voice assistant. Don’t have an idea for dinner tonight? Yes, right again – ask your voice assistant. Perhaps we used to be more sceptical at first, but now people have grown to truly appreciate the convenience that comes with being able to literally communicate with the Internet.
That means one thing – we’ll see all the “old” devices getting a serious revamp with AI. Security cameras, TVs, speakers, fridges.
Nobody’s safe.
Sensing a Revolution
A big shift is most likely approaching us in the world of sensors as well. Motion sensors are a great feature for various applications, including safety and yes – convenience.
These fairly new devices are already getting an upgrade that could ultimately push them out entirely, rendering them completely obsolete.
Bad news for motion sensors, but not necessarily for homeowners, because instead, we’ll be getting presence sensors.
Admittedly, motion sensors are a powerful technology all on their own, but with this new release, we’ll be getting information on someone’s actual location, what they’re doing or how fast they’re moving; not just a mere fact that someone’s indeed there.
Robot Invasion
Put your mind at ease – it’s not as bad (or as catastrophic) as it sounds. Based on recent trends, it’s quite safe to expect to see more consumer-level robotics solutions.
What does it mean? The idea of Zero Labour Home is where it’s heading.
Think smart vacuums, but with serious updates that will eventually turn them into personal assistants. But it’s just the beginning.
They’re likely to become more functional, much smarter and responsive.
LG, for one, has some big plans in that department, unveiling their first drafts of Smart Home AI Agent. An all-in-one home manager at our fingertips.
Green Is Still Going Strong
No surprises here – sustainability and energy efficiency are still very high on the list of priorities. Smart thermostats, automated heating, cooling and shading, all kinds of energy management – it’s not going anywhere. Anything to lower the dreaded carbon footprint.
Accessibility with Multimodal Solutions
Now that’s a big word. What is a multimodal device? To put it simply, it’s a kind of appliance that you can interact with in multiple different ways. It can be through touch, voice, or even movements. They are nothing new, but they’re going to enter a whole new level.
That means more convenience, of course, but also accessibility to people with certain limitations thanks to the unique interface that allows the users to communicate and receive feedback in a few different ways.
It doesn’t just give us a chance for various types of input, but also output.
New Year’s Resolution
Yes, it’s happening again. We’re getting a resolution upgrade – and it’s a big one.
A whole new type of ultra-high-definition TV entering the market, 8K is now a reality. Four times more pixels than its predecessor, the 4K versions, which for quite some time have been widely considered the absolute top of the chain.
Well, not anymore. It’s finally met its match, which incidentally completely outmatches it.
Bluetooth For the Win
Multi-point connectivity is a big deal, sure. But it’s nothing new. Not sure what that means? Let us briefly explain. As complex as the technology behind it is, the idea is actually pretty simple. It means one device can be connected to multiple devices with a Bluetooth feature at the same time. Your phone, speakers, tablet – you name it. As we mentioned, it’s been around for some time now. But here’s the revolutionary part.
Bluetooth Aura is the latest release, which gives a single source device the ability to connect to multiple speakers at once. Pair it up with a multi-point connectivity feature and you get unlimited Bluetooth connectivity in your house. That can mean a lot of different things, especially for communication and entertainment, where we could connect, for instance, various cinema room accessories.
A Matter of Time
Matter standard was very quickly hailed as the ultimate solution that was supposedly going to take care of any connectivity and compliance issues for smart devices around to house to turn the whole setup into a seamlessly integrated and interconnected smart home system.
Unfortunately, as great as it sounded, with so many bugs and issues, enthusiasts around the world were left less than impressed with the final product.
While the technology is definitely going to make a big splash eventually, for the time being, it seems that moving away from other reliable solutions was a bit premature. So, a large number of experts believe that we’ll be seeing a big return to the roots, as it were.
Zigbee, Wi-Fi, IR, RE, Z-Wave, LoRA, Bluetooth, Thread – they’re all going to make a big comeback, after a bit of an initial exodus. It’s just that at the moment, they’re more stable and reliable – even if that comes at the cost of convenience that Matter undoubtedly offers.
Let’s be clear here, this is not the last we’ve heard of Matter, but it needs a bit more work by all accounts. That doesn’t mean we won’t see any Matter-based product releases, of course.
Bigger, Better & More Convenient
In a way, we’ll be seeing more of the same, but in a new, updated and more powerful version.
AI and machine learning offer some truly interesting solutions and capabilities, also in terms of smart home installation and technologies.
It was only a matter of time before they burst onto the scene of home automation as well.
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The Micarta Team are based in Kent, England. We are specialists in professional integrated technologies and provide the highest quality design, installation and service to our customers.
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