Home Automation Banner

Smart home system - home security vs home automation

Just a few years ago, security system and home automation are totally different systems. Since the rapid growth of smartphone usage, many companies started to pay attention on "smart home" these days. From recent survey which has been conducted by Harris Poll on behalf of Lowe’s. "The homeowners want first to feel protected, and then they can focus on feeling connected as well." - concluded by Harris Poll, on his 2014 Smart Home Survey.

but, what's the home automation?

As above mentioned, home automation allows user access to control devices in your home from a remotely device (such as PC, smartphone or tablet) anywhere in the world. You can be connected with your home in anytime. A home automation system can be a simple device, like a thermostats, or a complicated system which nearly includes everything - all kinds of appliances, lights, electrical outlets, heating and cooling control system. All of them are hooked up to the internet network. Some of home automation system also includes home security features, can protect you home through using different detection detectors.

Automation plus remote control

Home automation system also has two different categories; wired and wireless. Since the rapid development of wireless technology, wired technology has been abandoned. There are many different wireless technologies which are available in current market, including Wi-Fi, Zig-bee, Z-wave. A typical home automation system consists of home automation panel which has a internet interface for Internet connection, several different wireless accessories such as wireless light switch, remote electric socket, and electric value...etc.

Having the ability to program and schedule events for the devices on the network, and allowing you to remotely control almost everything in your home or office are the key features for a home automation system. Through using the included software to program and schedule events for the home automation devices, user can easily come up with useful and innovative solution to make your life better. Remote control is the another cutting edge home automation feature. With the right home automation system, you can use any Internet-connected device to view and control the system itself and any attached devices. In last year, we heard Google acquired the Nest and Dropcam, even Apple launched the Homekit project, Samsung released several new smart IP cameras for home security. Apparently, they realized smart home equipment is the next emerging market.

Smart home survey details

This recent survey was conducted online within USA territory between July 10-12, 2014 among 2,088 adults ages 18 and older by Harris Poll on behalf of Lowe's Companies, Inc. Low's is a national home improvement chain, it developed and released DIY home automation system. The data from survey reveals that 50 percent of American preferring do-it-yourself system, and nearly 62% find the smart home system most beneficial for monitoring safety and security, and majority of Americans are generally like to use smart home system.

When it comes to purchasing consideration, 56% percent of Americans cite either cost of equipment or monthly fees are the most important deciding factor, followed by ease of use (13 percent) and security (11 percent). "In general, Americans feel positively toward products that will make their homes safer, more energy efficient and easier to manage." said Kevin Meagher. In conclusion, people likes simple and affordable do-it-yourself home automation system with intuitive user interface.

Additional interesting findings

  • In addition to citing overall cost of the equipment, more than twice Americans are likely to prefer a Do-it-yourself system without a monthly fee over a professional installed/monitored system with a monthly service fee.
  • 62 percent of Americans rank security and home monitoring as the most beneficial reason to own a smart home.
  • The top three things Americans wish they could control before they arrive home are actually the same three things they’re most likely to forget to do before leaving the house: turn off the lights (18 percent), adjust the thermostat (15 percent) or lock the door (5 percent).
  • 61 percent of parents with children ages 3-17 plan to monitor their children in some way when they go back to school.
  • 19 percent will use at-home cameras.17 percent will receive text notifications

Self-monitoring vs monthly monitoring subscription

From Lowe's study, more than twice Americans prefer a DIY system over monitored system with subscription of monthly monitoring fee. Obviously, the professional monitoring service is overpriced, with the integration of new technologies, Do it yourself home alarm system becomes much reliable than ever before, greatly reduced the ratio of false alarm. Also more and more people installed the network camera for home monitoring, which allows them to know what happened when alarm is triggered. Professional monitoring service gradually become less attractive.

Importance of video monitoring

Thanks for the latest network technology, the cost of IP camera dramatically drop, homeowners can easily buy a high definition IP camera to monitor their home or children. Unifore has released eRobot cameras into its product portfolio. The eRobot IP camera can not only deliver crisp high definition images for remotely video & sound monitoring, but also offering smart alarm detection feature. Through working with different kinds of detectors (door/window detector, PIR motion detector, smoke detector), Home owner can easily setup a system for do-it-yourself solution to protect your home or office, shop, warehouse, garage.

2015 security trends

Home security trends continue to evolve and progress. It seems a new startup security company popping up every month, introducing and releasing some new innovative security products. The security industry in 2015 is very interesting, as companies continue to innovate and implement new technologies into their systems. Closely looking on the upcoming new security equipment, both companies and users take much emphasis on high definition video monitoring, many companies continue to ingrate more video and image options into their existing system, camera centric security system becomes the popular system for alarm industry.

Smartphone integration becomes very common for every security equipment. As the video monitoring has become more prominent, many users prefer home monitoring through their smartphones. The smartphone Application not only allows user to watch live video, manage events, record video footage, but also allow them remotely control the system. It's incredibly convenient to protect and monitor your premises.

Tags: Home Security, Home Automation