Make your home smarter with these futuristic gadgets

Leading a smarter life is crucial in this hyper-digital world. The advent of the COVID-19 pandemic has further increased the demand for AI and IoT-enabled technologies. Even in our homes, the technology available is far more advanced than what was imaginable just a few years ago. Technology not only makes our life easier but also streamlines and systemises it. Here is our pick of smart gadgets that will entertain you, brighten your day and also make it more enjoyable and manageable.

XGIMI Horizon Pro

Enjoy an uninterrupted, hassle-free movie time, binge watch your favourite TV show or get immersed in a gaming experience with XGIMI's plug-and-play, 4K home projector, XGIMI Horizon Pro. This Android Wi-Fi smart projector with a screen size of 300" will turn on in just 7 to 8 seconds. With the latest adaptation of screen and bright projection technology, Horizon Pro offers you crystal clear colours and sharp images – irrespective of the environment's brightness. The in-built AI technology provides automatic keystone adjustment that will scale the images and angles to adapt to a brighter ambience. The screen can be projected up to 45 degrees in a lateral position with a manual keystone. Horizon Pro's cutting-edge screen detection matches the users' screen size with that of the projected image. The 4K UHD projector with the in-built dual 8W Harmon Kardon sound system also runs on an Android TV.

Wipro Smart LED Bulb

Optimum light is just a click away with the Wi-Fi enabled Wipro Smart LED Bulbs. These bulbs can be turned on and off and the lights can be adjusted through your smartphones. Available in 7W, 9W, and 12W power ratings, they offer a two-year warranty period. They also have a longer life (50,000 hours) than the normal LEDs. The Wipro Next Smart Home application can be downloaded from the play store and can be paired with the home Wi-Fi. Whether it is being used at night, while reading, during a meeting, or during leisure, you can pre-set the colour moods of the bulb. The colour brightness and saturation can be adjusted to either warm white light, dim white light or bright neutral white as per our requirements. If you are far from home, the Wipro Smart Bulb will automatically turn on with the automatic schedule feature. It can also be turned off with the help of a timer. The lights can be controlled with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant as the bulbs are IoT-enabled. These do not depend on smart hubs, unlike the first generation bulbs.

Qubo HCD01 Smart Wi-Fi Wireless Video Doorbell

With Qubo HCD01 smart wireless video doorbell, you will not miss a thing, even if you are away from your home. No need to panic either if the doorbell rings at the odd hours! A Made-in India product, this 3MP sensor provides a portrait (vertical) orientation with a 140-degree field of view. Hero Group's technological venture, Hero Electronix has designed this Wi-Fi enabled wireless doorbell, where one can have a video conversation with the visitor irrespective of where the host is located. It helps you see the person on the other end of the door, even in the darkest hours with an infrared camera. It can also record in 1080p full HD. It also has the facility to provide custom replies where you are unable to manually answer the doorbell. It is also supported by Google Assistant and Alexa. What's more, you can choose your favourite tunes from the 36 chime tones in the companion app. You can also set custom DND profiles or auto-replies, for situations where you're unable to answer the call yourself. Qubo also has high durability, is water and dust resistant and is IP68-rated.

Amazon Echo with Alexa

Amazon Echo with Alexa– Amazon's digital voice assistant has become our friend for life at home, on phones and in cars. This AI helper smart speaker can play music, radio stations and podcasts; set timers and alarms; read out news reports; make calls; play games; control smartphone devices with your phone; read out weather reports and sports scores and offer many more services. Alexa Echo also has whisper modes that you need at night – when everyone is fast asleep. It also has the ability to recognize your voice and play your favourite music or programmes. This can be connected to a Bluetooth speaker and can also facilitate calls. The Echo speaker also comes in a variety of colours including twilight blue, heather grey, plum, kid's blue, kid's rainbow, limited edition red, charcoal, and sandstone. You can also customize it to the language of your choice - be it English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, or Spanish. It works with smart bulbs, doorbells, smart locks and security cameras.

Mi Robot Vacuum – Mop P

Sweeping and mopping might be the most time-consuming jobs in a household. To simplify them, Xiaomi has introduced their two-in-one sweeping and mopping vacuum robot - Mi Robot Vacuum – Mop P. The disc-shaped object has two vacuum compartments – one for vacuuming and the other is a water reservoir. With a 2100 pa powerful suction, it can be used on all floor types- be it marble, tiles, or wood. There is an upgraded Simultaneous Localisation and Mapping (SLAM) algorithm for real-time mapping, faster movability, and a longer scanning range. It will scan the entire floor in detail and will automatically go to the charging point when the charge is depleted. The roller brush attached to the device is detachable. The robot has 12 sets of high-precision sensors such as anti-collision and anti-drop sensors and can identify obstacles up to 2 cm in height. It can also smartly avoid falls from staircases. There are 3 gears of water dispensing modes and there is a mechanism to prevent water clogging. There is a 'Vacuum along with the edges' option in the Mi Home App, through which one can reduce the mapping time of the house by 60%. A pre-set time can be set for cleaning.