Cutting-edge technologies are changing how we interact with our homes

While many people are familiar with voice assistants, other emerging systems offer the potential to enhance security and comfort for tech-savvy consumers. We look at the top smart home features that will soon change how we live.

AI-powered predictive maintenance systems

Machine learning algorithms make devices more intuitive and adaptive to homeowners’ needs. Nest and Hive can learn your routine, automatically adjusting the temperature of different rooms to save energy costs and maintain comfort. Nest thermostats can automatically switch to ‘Eco Temperatures’ based on your phone’s location and activity sensors when no one is home.

Predictive AI in home automation allows devices to detect when they will fail and alert you in advance, like washing machines notifying you when a part needs replacing before it breaks. The more you use these devices, the better they will understand and predict your habits, like dimming lights before going to bed or starting to brew coffee before you wake up.

Emotion-aware environmental controls

Advances in AI smart systems could soon facilitate mood-detection technology, personalising the home environment further. Emotional artificial intelligence is a field dedicated to analysing vast amounts of data to recognise, categorise, and adapt to human behaviour.

Homes with integrated EAI systems may adjust the lighting to warmer tones after sensing their owners have had a stressful day at work or gently play relaxing music to lower an elevated heart rate. These systems could even analyse users’ voices during phone calls to detect emotional cues of anxiety and depression.

Autonomous security networks

Ring is perhaps the best-known smart home security system. It employs a combination of sensors and cameras to send alerts to users’ smartphones. Unlike traditional alarm systems that rely on basic motion detection, it uses the Motion Zones features to create specific areas that trigger alerts, ignoring normal street activity while focusing on entryways.

Other brands use facial recognition technology to allow known family members and friends into homes while sending alerts if they detect an unfamiliar face. Data-intensive home security systems require seamless connectivity, so consider reviewing fibre deals to ensure your home network can simultaneously handle multiple 4K video streams and real-time AI processing.

Integrated health monitoring ecosystems

In addition to sensing emotions, AI is beginning to monitor health at home. Smart toilets are already analysing biomarkers in urine and stool to offer insights into potential health conditions.

The Israeli medical device Olive Diagnostics has released its KG sensor mounts onto toilets and performs real-time urinalyses to detect biomarkers for kidney, ovarian, and prostate cancer, as well as heart failure and kidney stones.

Smart inhalers like Berry Healthcare’s RS01X can monitor therapy adherence and inhalation techniques to provide feedback, helping asthma patients manage their condition more effectively at home.