Smart Homes May Be Getting Smarter in 2017

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It wasn’t that long ago that humankind feared the possibility of sentient robots or computers wiping us all out. Yet nowadays artificial intelligence and technology in general that make our lives easier or more comfortable are all the rage — hence the tremendous growth in the smart-home market. But, let’s be frank: The term “smart home” is perhaps a misnomer for some of these systems given that they still require a human at the other end of a wireless device, telling them what to do, when to do it, how, where and so forth. This year may be yielding smart-home products really deserving of this designation. Well, two product launches, at least.

Vivint

To start, last week at the consumer electronics and technology expo CES 2017, home automation products — such as those incorporating sensors that communicate with hubs — flooded Las Vegas. In particular, home innovator Vivint unveiled its package alongside one of the most intriguing developments: a new AI assistant.

Vivint

Called Sky, it controls everything — thermostat, security cameras, locks, lights et al. — via connected sensors and devices and even other brands’ systems including Amazon Echo and Nest. After some time, Sky will supposedly analyze the data and lifestyle patterns collected to learn habits ranging from what time you leave for work to when all family members go to bed. In a sense, it develops an algorithm to start automating the home without much prodding and programming.

Vivint

Then just this week, at the International Builders Show 2017 in Orlando, electronics giant Panasonic teased us again with its Eco Solutions division’s Smart Home IAQ system, which the company previewed last fall at Greenbuild Expo. Here’s the thing: We still don’t know all the full details, specs and compatibilities for integrating other major smart-home device brands. But what we can say is that Panasonic Eco Solutions is looking to make a more complete or whole-home automation system by including healthy IAQ (indoor air quality), which no other solution has addressed as part of a larger home-safety system. Safety/security has, for the most part, been addressed separately from IAQ.

Panasonic

What Panasonic is proposing extends not just to overall comfort, but fresh air ventilation, moisture control and detection of indoor pollutants, pet dander, smoke, VOCs, etc. Largely it’s recommending integration with its own ventilation products such as the WhisperGreen family of fans, and it’s planning to offer various types of sensors to trigger the appliances, HVAC units and security and monitoring devices accordingly. Panasonic hopes to roll all of this out around mid-2017.