The Internet of Things (IoT) is a movement that is already part of our everyday lives and is growing rapidly. And, the future is exciting for the Smart Home with several trends emerging including:
Cooking Technology – Products are being embedded with smart sensors that control exact time, temperatures and even the humidity needed to properly cook a meal based on precise weights of ingredients from connected scales.
Healthy Eating – Smart Juicing is now available using fresh and creative ingredient combinations; Kitchen gardens allow you to grow your own vegetables in new ways; Connected apps can provide recipes based on the ingredients you already have in your home.
Culinary Arts Coming Home – Advanced culinary devices and techniques are coming to the home kitchen with sous-vide and molecular gastronomy products making their debut.
Popularity of Pods – Coffee pods are now a mainstay but other products are in development using pods or cartridge formats that analyze, measure and mix ingredients to create alcoholic drinks, specialty spice mixes and flavored tortillas.
Safety – Smart oven and stove controls that monitor heat, temperature and smoke now have the intelligence needed to automatically shut off the gas; Cameras now give you the ability to monitor all aspects of your home; Connected garage doors can alert you when there is unusual activity and give you the ability to open or close the door no matter where you are.
Convenience – Imagine being able to connect to your refrigerator camera to allow you to see inside from the grocery store or never having to place a coffee pod order because your connected appliance knows your pantry’s “inventory” based on your consumption.
Voice Control – Amazon Echo, Apple’s Siri and Google Home are all starting to deliver on the promise that we’ll be able to control our devices through sound rather than touch.
The Internet of Things is on display at the International Home + Housewares Show. The IHA Smart Home pavilion features innovative product suppliers and developers showcasing products that demonstrate fresh ideas and designs. In addition, a strong educational program further showcases trends and technologies surrounding this movement.