Home automation is increasingly present among us. For this reason, at SamaGame Smart Home we wanted to have the vision of a professional in the sector. Antonio Nuñez He is an Engineer, Professor and Integrator of Home Automation and Audiovisuals.
Founding partner of HomeFUTURA, a company specialized in automation and digital home, has carried out numerous projects that affect the digital home. We wanted to chat with him to tell us your impressions of the exciting world of home automation.
Many think that home automation is what allows us to turn on the lights with a couple of claps or the television with a voice command. But we know that there is much more, really what does home automation offer us today?
Well, the truth is that the examples that you put, which are the ones that everyone usually puts when you tell them that you work doing home automation and building automation projects, are bad examples to define what home automation is really capable of doing.
Yes they can turn on the lights with a pair of claps, but they would always be the same lights, and what do we do with the rest of the lights in the house? Why those lights and not others? I don’t see it as useful. Regarding controlling the television with voice commands, that is already something “almost normal”, the latest models of the most technologically advanced manufacturers already have this equipment in large areas, this I would not define as home automation, as much home automation of the TV.
Home automation goes much further, home automation integrates all the electrical and electronic installations and systems of the home, so that they can be viewed and controlled from wherever the user wants, either with conventional pushbuttons of a lifetime, with multifunction “domotic” pushbuttons that can have a thermostat and 8 buttons for any application or scene within a single electrical box, with what we save, not only economically, but aesthetically.
On a wall where 2 thermostats of different design and manufacturer and up to 16 conventional pushbuttons would be necessary; All these devices could be controlled, in addition to the aforementioned buttons, from the computer, from the TV, from your smartphone, from your tablet, by phone, by SMS, by internet, etc., and without depending on a main computer, that It was formerly, now systems are usually decentralized and distributed.
You can see that it can be controlled and integrated as far as your imagination goes.
Which facilities or systems can be integrated? From the lights, whether at an off / on or regulation level, the motors (blinds, blinds, curtains, awnings, pool covers, etc.), air conditioning, heating of any type, even audiovisual equipment, film, music and photo servers, without forgetting energy consumption control and rooms dedicated to private cinema. Everything, super simple, from, for example, a single application on your tablet.
We normally associate home automation with expensive automated systems. Is that true or on the contrary, home automation is something already within the reach of anyone?
It is a question with the typical answer of “it depends”, it depends on what is the “reach of anyone”, and more today with the economic situation that many families are going through. If we assume that “anyone” is someone, at least with a normal salary, even mileurista, who is given a mortgage, which is not easy, then yes, home automation is available to anyone since it is not necessary to integrate everything.
A control of lighting, blinds and air conditioning of a normal floor, if we include it in the total price of the house and we include it in the mortgage payments, it will not be noticed at all, if we install it after the purchase it would be an expense like any other. and
There are the new televisions with 5.1 system, players or consoles within everyone’s reach. Well, a good television, with a normal homecinema and console system is more expensive than a complete home automation system.
Another thing is the luxury home automation systems with dedicated movie theaters, multi-room movie and music systems, touch screens throughout the home, etc. In these cases, they would not be home automation systems within the reach of all pockets, but, unfortunately, within the reach of a few.
For our readers, what simple things can we include in the home automation and improve our day to day?
For this question I would differentiate between pure home automation to control electrical and audiovisual loads.
Something simple that improves your day to day would be not to worry if you have left a light on or even a raised blind when leaving the house, with a simple button at the entrance we can make a scene to turn off all the lights and even lower all the blinds if is that they are motorized. Other improvements would be:
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Water leak or smoke detectionAnd if you call your house on the phone or send you an SMS, wouldn’t that be great?
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Something simple at an audiovisual level is to have a single command for all teams and not having 4, 5 or more controls on the table.
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Another simple thing can be a team that acts as a streaming client for listen to different music in each room.
Let’s suppose that I want to benefit from the advantages that home automation offers me. Where should I start? What should I keep in mind at the beginning?
I would, without a doubt, start by consulting a specialist so as not to make mistakes and then say “home automation does not work”. And I say specialist, that is, an integrator, that way you will be sure that you will do what can be done and not a botch that then has to be fixed, the cheap is twice as expensive.
Are current mobile platforms such as smartphones or tablets changing the interaction with home automation systems?
Of course, today with the possibilities that smartphones and tablets give us, touch screens are practically not installed, and control is total, very comfortable and simple from anywhere.
With the idea of a digital home and the use of the internet, we see how the trend is not only to have the house connected from inside doors, but also from the outside, is it safe?
As safe as you want to do it, there will always be hackers better than your system, since although the systems are very, very protected, there are people capable of entering the pentagon, surely they can enter your house.
The question is: “Is it worth it for these hackers of this level to enter your house to turn off the lights or do they prefer to enter your bank account?”
Every day we see many new projects, also small accessories that seem to introduce small advantages of home automation such as the Belkin WeMo. What do you think is about to come to this sector?
Well, I hope that manufacturers of this type continue to appear to offer us solutions and advantages to our day to day without having to spend a lot of money, manufacturers have two ways of making money, selling little at a high price or selling a lot at a low price.
Reflections
After talking with Antonio, it is clear to us that home automation is going to give a lot to talk about. Now any user can install a home automation system with which to control and improve electricity consumption, be safer both inside and outside the home with notices on their mobile and much more. Definitely, Take advantage of home automation to enjoy a smarter, more efficient, safer and more comfortable home.
In addition, it is no longer prohibitive and we can all take advantage of home automation. That together with new technologies and the use of tablets and smartphones allow a simpler and more comfortable interaction. Thus replacing the typical thermostat and its buttons. Of course, always remember that the best information will always be provided by an expert.
In Engadget Smart Home | The advantages of home automation to achieve energy savings
