The Rise of the Smart Home
Date Added: 19.05.2017
In an ever-increasingly digital world, technology is changing many aspects of our lives. Our homes are no exception, with smart homes already being billed as the next big thing to be digitised. Savvy consumers are looking to add the latest technological innovations to their homes. And retailers in the know are looking to maximise their smart offering to meet demand.
What exactly is a smart home?
There’s a lot of confusion amongst consumers about what the term ‘smart home’ actually means. While some believe it relates to multimedia devices, others think of wearable devices or phone apps. And yet more think the term alludes to digital temperature control. All these views can be considered correct, because the smart home concept can cover all these categories.
Broadly speaking, a smart home is a house equipped with multiple advanced automated systems to give people sophisticated control over their home’s function. This means that by using intelligent products a smart home can control features and appliances.
The benefits of a smart home
Smart homes are designed to make everyday life easier, freeing up people from chores and daily tasks. In a modern world where every spare second is precious, smart homes appeal to consumers because they can save time and money, while giving a heightened sense of control and security. With that in mind, intelligent retailers will capitalise on the benefit that smart products can offer a consumer, especially when one report states that 50% of consumers believe that smart home technology will impact their lives over the coming few years.
From smart homes to smart bathrooms
The bathroom is quickly becoming the hub of the smart home, filled with gadgets and technology to improve every aspect of the experience, as well as consumer wellbeing.
Yet criticising today’s bathroom offering and labelling it ‘unsmart’ would be unfair, especially when you look how far it’s come. We replaced tin baths with whirlpool baths, and let’s not forget the single-handed tap that controls both hot and cold water wasn’t invented until 1939!
Despite the relative modernity of today’s bathroom, the arrival of new technologies will always continue to shape its aesthetics and functionality. And it would seem that we are presently welcoming the dawn of the smart bathroom era. More than ever before, technology is becoming a fundamental feature in bathrooms across the globe.
The products driving the smart revolution
Smart products for the bathroom come in many different shapes and sizes and, while all have different functions, their main purpose is to make the consumer’s life a little easier. From showers with touch control and digital taps, to integrated heaters and mirrors with built-in Bluetooth, there’s a wealth of choice for consumers looking to invite technology into their bathrooms.
Mira Showers are one company who have invested heavily in smart technology and are offering intelligent products to consumers. Mira Platinum and Vision digital showers are a great example. Both products use wireless technology to allow consumers to turn their showers on from the comfort of their beds, letting them enjoy a few more moments’ rest while the shower warms up. And that’s not all. Their settings can be changed from the wireless controller, giving consumers total control of their showering experience.
And the products themselves aren’t alone in their increasing intelligence. Installation and fitting processes are also becoming increasingly streamlined and straightforward. Mira’s simple installation is as smart as their products and means that both showers can be installed in as little as an hour.
Another brand who are utilising smart technology in their products are Salamander Pumps. HomeBoost is an innovative product that is transforming homes with its unique solution to low mains water pressure. The pump, which is WRAS approved, recognises when water flow is low and boosts it up to a maximum of 12 litres per minute, while also ensuring it never goes above regulatory levels and only works when it’s needed.
Operating at just 46dB, HomeBoost is quieter than an electrical kettle and has been awarded the Quiet Mark – a title given to products that are independently judged to be amongst the quietest in their class. The HomeBoost also uses solid state switching (S3) technology to increase the reliability and lifespan of this intelligent, responsive product.
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