M
ixed materials, textures and technology are just a few
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homes with fresh ideas and innovative technologies.
Thinking of upgrading a room or two? Check out 2018’s trends in
home features and furnishings.
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The Internet of Things, or IoT, refers to a growing network of
devices that allows objects to connect and exchange data. These
devices are increasing at a rapid pace throughout many industries.
Wearables allow consumers to track their steps and keep a
closer eye on their fitness, and connected cars are equipped
with internet access to send information to manufacturers or, as
seen on the streets of Pittsburgh, to drive themselves. The smart
home is one of the most popular and accessible markets for IoT
application.
• Everything is connected: This can include heating and
cooling your home, turning on a light with a simple command,
locking your front door from work, even checking to see if you
have milk in the refrigerator from the grocery store. These are
all features that make up a smart home. The list continues to
grow, with ways to track and monitor everything in your home.
Devices are learning how you live—when you get up and
when you leave for work—and can adjust room temperatures,
turn off lights and safeguard your home. All of which can be
monitored from your smart device.
• Energy tracking devices: These devices connect to your
electricity meter to monitor how much energy you’re using,
from tracking appliance usage to providing recommendations
on how to save on energy. If cutting down on bills is on your
list for 2018, a household monitor or individual appliance
monitor may be just what you need.
• Residential electric vehicle charging stations: Growing in
popularity, hybrid and electric vehicles need somewhere to
charge up before hitting the open road. These charging stations
are accessible at home, allowing you to charge from a typical
household socket. With advancing technologies, higher voltage
charging stations are available to charge a car as much as four
times faster than a typical charging station.
• Importance of keeping IoT devices secure: IoT devices are
growing exponentially, and security features aren’t necessarily
keeping up. There are only a few regulatory standards set in
place for IoT devices, elevating risk for security breaches. It’s
important to always authenticate your devices with unique
usernames and passwords.