Digital connectivity in smart homes and big data in smart cities

Ideally, smart homes and smart cities are designed around the people who live in them, and exploit big data and other advances in technology to reduce stress and waste while increasing choice and comfort. They should, in the words of urban design guru Carlo Ratti, have a "liberating effect".

In the future city that Singapore experts envision, big data is not a disruptive force but a process of incremental, technology-enabled change that smooths the average citizen's day. Those who live in a smart city might find the temperature at home just right thanks to smart air-conditioning. As they head off to work, smartphone apps keep them updated on traffic conditions. 

Read more: http://www.straitstimes.com/tech/smart-cities-smoother-lives

Popular posts from this blog

Commercial Automation Leader SOMFY Joins ZigBee

The ZigBee Alliance, a non-profit maintaining and delivering open, global standards for the low-power wireless Internet of Things (IoT), announced that SOMFY has joined the ZigBee Alliance. A world leader in the home and commercial automation market, SOMFY develops, manufactures and distributes products in 58 countries across five continents. From motorized window treatments for residential and commercial buildings to automated outdoor extensions, gates and garage doors, SOMFY provides a complete range of the latest motorized solutions, automatic systems and alarms designed to make daily life easier, safer and more pleasant. Read more: http://virtual-strategy.com/2016/08/09/european-home-and-commercial-automation-leader-somfy-joins-zigbee-alliance-board-of-directors/
Read more

Home automation gets cheaper, smarter, easier

The promise of widely available home automation has been around since "The Jetsons" aired 50 years ago. But until recently, smart- home systems have been pricey and complex, typically requiring professional installation. And few consumers have been aware of the availability of such services or haven't been convinced that they needed them. But in recent years, major consumer service providers — including ADT, Comcast and Vivint — have entered the market, helping promote the concept of home automation and make it more accessible to average consumers. Companies such as Comcast and Vivint now offer basic home-automation systems for less than $500 installed. And Lowe's Iris, which is available for about $300 for a full system, is designed for self-installation. "We definitely see that (home automation) is moving increasingly into the mainstream," said Jonathan Collins, an analyst with ABI Research. Read more: http://www.denverpost.com/ci_22649153/is-smart
Read more

The smart home and a data underclass

Domestic appliance manufacturers and technology companies have big plans for our homes. From remote controlled heating devices such as Nest and Hive to intelligent fridges, smart TVs and connected washing machines, our appliances will become smart, automating many of our everyday tasks. But true to the notion of the internet of everything in which both things and processes are connected, smart devices won’t just eliminate everyday tasks such as supermarket orders, they will also establish new business relationships. Read more: http://www.theguardian.com/media-network/2015/aug/03/smart-home-data-underclass-internet-of-things
Read more