What is Home Automation?
Home automation is the process of converting your conventional or traditional home into a smart home by controlling lighting & other appliances of our premises technologically. Home automation is a process in which lots of technology evolved to make our life simpler day by day. In-home automation we convert all physical/tangible activities for operating our premises into automated activity with help maximum technology and minimum human interference. In earlier days when we use washing machines, refrigerator, air-condition, cooler, which helped us to reduce our physical activity and provided solutions technologically, since that day we started the incorporation of home automation in our lives.
As technology continuously advanced its previous version, home automation is also revolutionized significantly. Nowadays automatic appliances are commonly used products at every household and premises. In home automation we organize all activities of controlling our home more easily efficiently via remote, mobile & voice commands. There are two types of home automation, 1) Complete Home Automation & 2) Partial Home Automation.
In Complete home automation everything is controlled through automated switches and sockets via contact less panels or via mobile & voice commands. We can control Scene of room by setting multiple choices so that according to that particular mood or condition all lights will illuminate. We can schedule the whole house as per our time table. Like in morning around 6.00 am as alarm bells curtain will automatically start opening. Air condition of your bedroom automatically switched off. Your coffee machine starts operating at 7.30 am. By 8 am automatically your geyser will start for giving you hot water. As soon as you come to living room your television will be before you come. Similarly when you wake up in night and move out your room towards staircase then lights will be in on condition as soon as you move step towards staircase. This is what complete home automation where your home can sense you and operate accordingly. The biggest disadvantage of this system is its cost. For 2 BHK flat it cost around 2-3 lacks for complete home automation.
In partial home automation the system allows you to operate your lightings, fan, air condition, refrigerator geyser etc. and all other appliances via mobile or remote or voice command. In partial automation we can automate the devices and operate them .In this system sensors are not used and hence it cannot operate as per your movement automatically. We need to give command to central unit to perform action. In this system also we can manage home fittings from outside of home. This systems cost in thousands for 2 BHK flat.
How Home automation works?
As we know that home automation is controlling and operating our home appliances smartly, automatically and remotely. In Home automation whole system is consist of 6 components.
- Central Hub / Controller
- Smart switches/Sockets
- Relay Switch
- Sensors
- Operating Tab /Mobile / Voice prompt
- Software / Mobile application
When we are talking about complete home automation in that scenario all devices are connected to smart switches and smart sockets and this smart switches and sockets are then controlled by central hub . We can connect our mobile or any voice prompting device like alexa to this hub. It is not mandatory to connect whole system through internet. Smart devices connected to central hub via wired or wireless solution.in wireless there are several technologies are there which are used by OEMs, like wi-fi, Infrared,Zigbee,Bluetooth,hotspot etc. when we are in same surrounding then with help of this communication media we can operate our appliances but if we want to operate same appliances from any other part of world then we need to connect central hub to internet & from our mobile we can communicate to central hub via internet. Apart from this we can install multiple sensors like smoke sensor,PIRSensor,HeatSensor,Leakage Sensor, Gas detectors etc . and connect it to our central hub unit. These sensors can be connected to central hub via wire connection or wireless connection. With the help of controller hub we can control and schedule this sensors and smart switches so that they can operate as per schedule and as per movement also. In complete home automation we need to change all existing switch and socket & replace it by smart switch and socket. That is the reason it’s very costly solution.
To overcome the cost issue in home automation we came with the solution where we can automate all devices with existing switch & socket.This system is used mostly when we want to control the devices and appliances only. In this solution existing switch and socket is connected to traic switch from inside the board and then traic switch is connected to controller. In this one controller can control 8 devices .multiple devices can be used for multiple room .controller can be connected to internet to operate devices remotely if user is out of home. This System is very cost effective with so many advance features.
In home automation we can configure cameras & video door phone too. This will give strength to electronic security system also.
Where to Use Home Automation System?
Home automation System Can be used for,
- Flat or Bungalows
- Hospitals
- Hotels
- Beauty Parlours and Spa
- Restaurants
- Malls etc.
