Preparing for her new home, Ms. Thu Huong, 29 years old, living in Dong Da district, Hanoi, is busy choosing furniture. Besides basic items such as tables, chairs, sofas, or kitchen utensils, life support machines with countless features and applications are also the reason for her "headache" all this time.
"Home appliances are getting smarter. In the past, TVs could only broadcast TV programs via antenna signals, and cooking required careful attention to the gas stove, but now, TVs, washing machines, and electric stoves can all be connected to Wi-Fi and integrate many modern features. It is not easy to learn about them all and choose items that suit your life and budget," Ms. Huong shared.
The whole house is "smart"
" Smart home " is a trend of building a modern home, loved by a part of people in the 4.0 era. The concept of "Smart home" is used to refer to a convenient home for residents, where modern devices and appliances can be controlled automatically or remotely by Internet connection and using mobile devices or other network devices. Devices in a smart home are connected to each other, allowing users to control functions such as security, home access, temperature, lighting and entertainment such as cinemas and home theaters.
Smart homes work by connecting home appliances through a central point such as a smartphone, tablet, laptop or even a gaming console. This means you can control your entire home remotely with just a few simple taps on your mobile device.
Devices such as door locks, televisions, thermostats, security cameras, lights, and refrigerators can all be controlled through a home automation system. This connectivity makes it easy to schedule devices to operate as desired, such as automatically turning on lights when it gets dark, opening doors when you approach, or adjusting the room temperature before you return home.
One of the strengths of smart home systems is the self-learning ability of home appliances. These devices can learn and understand the homeowner's daily habits and schedules, thereby automatically adjusting their operations to better suit. For example, smart lighting systems can automatically dim the lights when you are not in the room, saving energy and reducing costs. Similarly, air conditioning systems can adjust the temperature based on your preferences, ensuring that your living space is always comfortable without wasting energy.
In addition, smart home automation systems also provide high security features. Some systems can alert the homeowner immediately if they detect unusual movements in the house while you are away. In case of dangerous situations such as fire or theft, the system can automatically call the police or fire department for timely response. This not only helps protect your property but also ensures the safety of your family.
When smart home devices are connected, they become part of the Internet of Things (IoT), creating a network of physical devices that can collect and share electronic information. This allows these devices to communicate seamlessly with each other, improving operational efficiency and providing a better user experience.
In terms of implementation, smart homes can use wireless or wired systems, depending on the needs and conditions of each family. Wireless systems, as the name suggests, are easy to install and often have lower costs, suitable for small houses or rental apartments.
With a wireless system, you only need a stable Wi-Fi network to connect and control devices in your home. However, the downside of this system is that it requires strong Wi-Fi coverage and broadband service to ensure continuous operation, which sometimes requires additional investment in range extenders or wireless access points.
Meanwhile, wired smart home systems are considered more reliable and harder to hack, which adds to the security of your home. Furthermore, wired systems increase the resale value of your home and are easy to expand when needed. This is often the preferred choice when building new or undertaking major renovation projects. However, installing a wired system can be expensive, costing tens of thousands of dollars. Additionally, you need to have enough space to accommodate networking hardware such as Ethernet cables.
To increase the "smartness" of the house
Although it brings many benefits, it is not easy for us to build a completely smart home quickly. To solve this problem, many people choose each part of the smart home, then upgrade over time.
"The easiest thing in a smart home is probably the TV. Smart TVs are now everywhere and can easily connect to phones, computers or devices with virtual assistants. This is also an entertainment device that almost every family has. Besides, I also choose small but useful items such as smart locks, cameras and speakers with virtual assistants to equip the house first. Items such as a timer washing machine or a modern refrigerator may not be necessary right away," Ms. Huong revealed about her plan to build a smart home.
For young people like Ms. Huong, this is a quite reasonable "tactic" because they can use modern utilities without having to borrow or invest too much in their new home. With the Internet of Things technology growing stronger and stronger, home appliance manufacturers are flocking to this new market to offer more reasonable and affordable options for ordinary users. "I believe that in the future, all of our homes will be able to communicate with their owners like in science fiction novels," Ms. Huong said.
