Perspectives: Smart Homes – Balancing Wishes and Possibilities

© Stefan Dauth
© Zooey Braun
© Albrecht Jung GmbH & Co. KG
© Albrecht Jung GmbH & Co. KG
© Busch-Jaeger Elektro GmbH
© joinverani
Devices can already communicate without human input and often know what we want before we tell them. A smart home goes further by learning the habits of its occupants in order to intervene where the situation demands it.

The system responds to the residents before they even pass through the gate or front door: an access control system based on biometric, sensor or Bluetooth technology triggers a preconfigured scenario selected via a mobile terminal. Temperature, lighting, shading and ­entertainment channel are set to create the desired mood. Even a bath can be run or the sauna preheated. Of course, it is not quite as simple as that — the sophisticated technology first has to be mastered. (Kelly Kelch)