If there is one thing we know from the 2015 Consumer Electronics Show it’s that the smart home is no longer something from a sci-fi flick; it’s existing in neighborhoods today. Imagine waking up and your lights have already turned on and the coffee has already begun brewing. You wash your face and then check your LinkedIn from your bathroom mirror. These are all concepts explored in Las Vegas this week.
Kwikset Kevo and LG are both showcasing their capabilities to work with Nest at this year’s Consumer Electronics show. Nest is a learning thermostat that studies your preferred temperatures for every time and scenario of your day. It detects when you are home and when you are away, all the while paying attention to your temperature preferences and creating a schedule based on your daily habits.
Kwikset Kevo is the industry’s first smart lock that allows keyless entry with the touch of a finger. Upon locking the door the user is prompted to set Nest to the away mode where less energy is used. When the user returns and unlocks the door, Kevo will prompt Nest to adjust back to Home mode where temperature is returned to the user’s preferred temperature.
LG also has big plans to integrate its dryers with Nest. When the user is away, Nest will communicate with the LG dryer that it can lower the heat to save energy.These partnerships with Nest bring the importance of interconnectivity to the forefront of the conversation. In order for a home to truly be smart, its devices have to be in sync. Devices and appliances that communicate make for a home that flows intelligently and efficiently throughout each day.
Wearables are a big topic at CES this year for this exact reason. They provide a channel for us to communicate with our smart homes. For instance, a wearable that senses when you get up for a bathroom trip in the middle of the night and alerts a nightlight to turn on or even a coffee maker that brews when the wearable detects that you are awake.
The smart home is here to stay and companies are predicting where an interconnected home can take us in the future. Whirlpool imagines a kitchen that syncs devices and kitchen appliances with access to internet, social media and live video chat. The Interactive Kitchen of the Future 2.0 is on display at CES this year that demonstrates what this digital media hub will look like. The interactive backsplash and cook top allow the user to access favorite recipes, websites, or social media without added devices or having to leave the kitchen. This display demonstrates live video chat capabilities- so you can get step by step directions from grandma for her secret pound cake recipe. This kitchen also features an oven that turns on at the perfect time to ensure dinner is ready and a refrigerator that notifies you when your food is freshest. The display allows CES attendees to imagine a kitchen that anticipates the user’s needs and provides solutions on its own. These products and predictions make for an exciting trend in home devices and appliances.
