Belkin markets its WeMo home automation switch specifically to smartphone users. For about $100 you get a smart WeMo switch and motion detector. Plug the switch into an electrical outlet and plug devices such as lamps, heaters, or coffee pots into the switch. When you pair your Switch with your smartphone using Belkin's app, you can control it remotely, allowing you to turn your lights on or off from 1,000 miles away (or from the comfort of your bed). Masu.
Home automation doesn't necessarily mean expensive products. Some of the most useful smart home tools are actually free.
WeMo is one of many products compatible with IFTTT (IF then, then That), a free internet service that allows you to automate endless processes. For example, IFTTT (rhymes with gift) allows so-called “recipes” to automatically post Twitter tweets to Facebook if they contain certain hashtags or keywords. can be created. Or you can schedule a text to yourself as a reminder to call grandma.
IFTTT is essentially an easy way to create triggers that cause certain actions, and it works in conjunction with WeMo. For example, if you install her WeMo motion detector in your bedroom, the coffee pot in the kitchen will turn on when it detects that you are awake in the morning.
The possibilities for such “x then y” type actions are limited only by your imagination. Of course, setting up all these fun actions takes time. And that poses one of the biggest challenges for home automation products.
Many smart home products use their own apps. This means that if you install dozens of home automation gadgets and their associated apps and try to control them all, you can slowly become frustrated.
Revolv is a $299 WiFi hub that connects to all your other wireless home automation products. Revolv attempts to integrate all your home automation gear into one app and also helps you build pre-programmed features in the name of having a truly automated home.
Once connected, you can control all your gadgets from the central Revolv app. Revolv currently works best with Z-Wave, Insteon, and WiFi products and is available only to iPhone users. However, the company plans to expand to hundreds of other products and also add compatibility with Android. You can find similar integration hubs from companies like Insteon and SmartThings.
Keep reading to discover more challenges related to home automation.