What is Home Automation and How does it Work

Alexa, turn on the light! Nowadays, most things in our homes are automated; our lights get switched on when we're around, our coffee starts brewing itself in the morning, and our security system is ready to welcome us whenever we're about to reach home. These features are convenient and save us energy and money on utility bills. But as home automation is a relatively new technology, some people may find it overwhelming. So here, we are trying to explain what home automation is and how you can do it yourself to make your life comfortable. Trust us; the process is less complicated than it sounds. Before we get into detail, we would like to start with the basics to make things simpler for you.

What is home automation?

Home automation is nothing but the automatic control of electronic devices in your home. These devices are connected to the Internet, which can be controlled remotely; one need not be physically present. With home automation, devices can activate each other without manual control and through an app or voice assistant. For example, you can schedule the lights to turn off when you go to bed or have your air conditioner turned on about 10 minutes before you sleep. Home automation makes life more convenient and can save money on heating, cooling and electricity bills. It can also increase security with Internet of Things devices such as cameras and security systems.

What is the Internet of Things?

The Internet of Things, typically known as IoT, refers to any device that is connected to the Internet that usually is not; for example, a smart bulb that you can turn on and off via an app. All home automation devices are IoT devices, which can be automated to activate each other. So while IoT refers to the devices themselves, home automation is what you can do with IoT devices to make your home smart and life comfortable.

What is a smart home?

A smart home is any home that includes automated Internet of Things devices connected to mobile applications. With these IoT devices, users can control many things in their home, from lights to security systems to home appliances. Therefore, any home with an internet connection and IoT devices counts as a smart home.

How does home automation work?

Home automation works through a network of devices that connect to the Internet through different communication protocols, such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, ZigBee, etc. Through electronic interfaces, devices can be managed remotely via controllers, be it a voice assistant like Alexa or Google Assistant or an app. These IoT devices have sensors that can monitor changes in motion, temperature, and light so the user can gain insight into the device's environment. To make physical changes to the device, the user activates actuators, the physical mechanisms like smart light switches, motorized valves, or motors that allow devices to be controlled remotely.

Home automation works on three levels:

Monitoring: Monitoring means users can check their devices remotely from an app. For example, someone could monitor their house from a smart security camera.

Control: Control means the user can control these devices remotely, like moving a security camera to view more than one area.

Automation: Automation means setting devices to trigger each other, like having a smart siren sound every time an armed security camera detects motion.