Surmey Valya, group SOUMA-22

Smart Home solutions

Plan:

1. What is a Smart Home?

2. How Smart Homes works?
3. Smart Home systems: wireless, hardwired.
4. Components of a Smart Home: heating, lighting, audio/visual, security and other.
5. Advantages and disadvantages of Smart Home.
6. Smart Home: pros and cons.
7. What is in a Smart Home?
8. Why is a Smart Home important?
9. Can a Smart Home be hacked?
10. Is a Smart Home worth it?
11. The bottom line.
Key words: smart home, home automation, IoT (Internet of Things), voice assistant, smart
devices, connected devices, smart lighting, security systems, home monitoring, smart locks,
smart speakers, data privacy.

1. What is a Smart Home?

A smart home refers to a convenient home setup where appliances and devices can be
controlled automatically or remotely with an internet connection and using a mobile or other
networked device.
Devices in a smart home are interconnected through the internet, allowing the user to control
functions such as security, access to the home, temperature, lighting, and a home theater.

2. How Smart Homes works?

A smart home’s devices are connected with each other and can be accessed through one
central point—a smartphone, tablet, laptop, or game console. Door locks, televisions,
thermostats, home monitors, cameras, lights, and appliances such as the refrigerator can be
controlled through one home automation system.
The system is installed on a mobile or other networked device, and the user can schedule the
performance of tasks and devices.
Smart home appliances come with self-learning skills. They can learn the homeowner’s
schedules and make adjustments as needed. Smart homes enabled with lighting control allow
homeowners to reduce electricity use and benefit from energy-related cost savings.
Some home automation systems alert the homeowner if any motion is detected in the home
when they're away. Others can call the authorities—the police or the fire department—if
dangerous situations arise.
Once connected, services such as a smart doorbell, smart security system, and smart
appliances become part of the internet of things (IoT) technology, a network of physical
objects that can gather and share electronic information.
3. Smart Home systems: wireless, hardwired.
Wireless
Smart homes can feature either wireless or hardwired systems—or both. Wireless systems are
easier to install. Putting in a wireless home automation system with features such as smart
lighting, climate control, and security can be limited in cost to several thousand dollars,
making it relatively cost-friendly.
The downside to wireless systems is you likely need strong Wi-Fi coverage and broadband
service throughout your entire house. This may require you to invest in range extenders or
hardwired wireless access points. Wireless smart home systems are generally more
appropriate for smaller existing homes or rental properties.

Hardwired
Hardwired systems, on the other hand, are considered more reliable. They are typically more
difficult to hack. A hardwired system can increase the resale value of a home. In addition,
hardwired smart home systems can be scaled easily. Therefore, it is often the default method
when designing a new build or performing a major renovation.
There is a drawback—it's fairly expensive. Installing a luxury and hardwired smart system
can cost homeowners tens of thousands of dollars. In addition, you must have space for
network hardware equipment including Ethernet cables.

4. Components of a Smart Home: heating, lighting, audio/visual, security and other.

Heating
Smart home products now allow for greater control over heating devices, including turning
products on and off, and controlling settings. Smart products may be armed with temperature
or humidity sensors to automatically turn on or off if certain criteria are met. This line of
smart home innovations also extends to air conditioners.

Lighting
Often with the use of a mobile phone, tablet, or custom remote specific to a product, lighting
products now offer homeowners enhanced capabilities and convenience. Lights can be
switched on and off, placed on a schedule, or set to change based on sunrise or sunset times.
Like some more traditional products, lights can often be set to change based on motion.
Smart bulbs can communicate over Wi-Fi and display statistics or metrics on your phone.
This lighting category may also contain smart home products that control the degree of light.
Automatic blinds may be installed and set to close based on sunrise schedules. Alternatively,
electronic curtains allow users to manage their blinds using a handheld device.

Audio/Visual
One of the more appealing aspects of smart homes is the many entertainment products that
can be connected to each other and controlled with a single remote. Television and speakers
can be played on command using applications. They can be operated according to a schedule
or by voice-control.
Security
One of the most important aspects of a smart home is the enhanced security capabilities it
offers. Products with cameras track motion, capture video, or allow for live video feeds.
These may be installed to sync with a ringing doorbell or set to capture certain areas of your
property. Products can facilitate audio as well as video calls with individuals at your door.
Many smart homes are also refit with advanced security kits. These kits includes motion
sensor detectors, home monitoring, notifications and alerts concerning suspicious behavior,
and the ability to lock doors or windows remotely using a phone.

Other
Smart homes can also include digital assistants or home hubs. People interact with these
products using their voice and by issuing commands. They can field questions, organize your
calendar, schedule conference calls, or provide alerts.
Smart smoke and carbon monoxide detectors not only sound an alarm but can be synced to
your phone to alert you should you be away from your property. These devices can often be
set up to send emergency notifications to other, specified contacts.
People have been able to program automated irrigation systems for a while. Now, smart
irrigation systems can detect climate and environmental conditions and factor them into
watering schedules. Smart irrigation systems can also monitor moisture-related conditions
and control irrigation to conserve water.

5. Advantages and disadvantages of Smart Home.

Advantages

 Smart home technology systems offer homeowners convenience. Rather than

controlling appliances, thermostats, lighting, and other features individually or by
using different devices, homeowners can control them all using one device—usually a
smartphone or tablet.
 Security may be enhanced because users can get notifications and updates on issues in
their homes when they're away. For instance, smart doorbells allow homeowners to
see and communicate with people who come to their doors when they're not at home.
 Despite the cost of installing a smart system, homeowners can benefit from significant
cost savings over time. Appliances and electronics can be used more efficiently,
lowering energy costs.1

Disadvantages
 Security risks and bugs continue to plague makers and users of smart home
technology. Adept hackers, for example, can gain access to a smart home's internet-
enabled appliances.2 For example, in October 2016, a botnet called Mirai infiltrated
interconnected devices of DVRs, cameras, and routers to bring down major websites
through a denial of service attack, also known as a DDoS attack.3
  Risk mitigation involves the added effort of maintaining and periodically changing
strong passwords, using encryption when available, and only connecting trusted
devices to one's network.
 The costs of installing smart technology can run anywhere from a few thousand
dollars for a wireless system to tens of thousands of dollars for a hardwired system.
 Learning to use the home system may involve a steep learning curve.

6. Smart Home: pros and cons.

Pros

 Are often more convenient than traditional methods of scheduling, controlling, or

accessing products
 May enhance security due to notifications or alerts
 Offers multiple ways of performing a certain task (e.g., lights can be turned on
manually, automatically, remotely)
 May result in long-term cost savings due to efficient energy consumption

Cons

 May pose security risk as products are connected to networks that can be hacked
 May require additional work for homeowner related to tracking additional passwords
and monitoring product security
 Are often more expensive than their less- or non-smart counterparts
May involve a steep learning curve, especially for those not tech-savvy

7. What is in a Smart Home?

Smart homes can have smart speakers, lights, thermostats, doorbells, or home hubs. Smart
technology can also extend to kitchen appliances and outdoor or landscaping equipment. New
innovations are continually evolving what is in a smart home.

8. Why is a Smart Home important?

A smart home is important because it allows a household to become more energy efficient. In
addition, it allows people to save time and perform tasks more easily and efficiently. A smart
home also offers a level of convenience that's absent with the manual method of performing
tasks (e.g., turning on lights yourself).

9. Can a Smart Home be hacked?

Yes. Because smart home systems often require a live network connection, they can be
hacked if the security protocol is inadequate. In addition, individuals must be careful about
sharing sensitive login information, such as passwords.

10. Is a Smart Home worth it?

It can be. You must do the research to determine whether the potential convenience, added
security, and cost savings over time outweigh the cost to install a full home system. Consider
using individual smart home products first to learn how well they fit your lifestyle and
budget.

11. The bottom line.

Leveraging innovation and technology, smart homes simplify the daily tasks faced by
homeowners and add new capabilities that may enhance their security. The smart home will
continue to evolve.
Whether you control home products remotely using your phone or schedule the performance
of tasks for certain times, smart homes have revolutionized the way people control the
products they live with.

ARTICLE SOURCES:
1. Stolojescu-Crisan, Cristina, et al. "An IoT-Based Smart Home Automation System,
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8198920/ Sensors (Basel), June 2021, vol.
21, no. 11.
2. Setayeshfar, Omid, et al. "Privacy Invasion via Smart-Home Hub in Personal Area
Networks, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1574119222000955
Pervasive and Mobile Computing, September 2022, vol. 85.
3. Antonakakis, Manos, et al. "Understanding the Mirai Botnet,
https://www.cs.umd.edu/class/spring2021/cmsc614/papers/understanding-mirai.pdf
Proceedings of the 26th USENIX Security Symposium, August 2017, pp. 1093-1110.