How is IOT (Internet Of Things) really helping our lives better around the home? or is this whole IOT thing just a fad that wont last more than a few decades. Well when ic comes to mobility (making thins move electronically around the home) there are two type of Automation devices that can be adopted. They can be used to make a home look High tech and give that wow factor, or they can be used and adopted for people who need help doing simple things around the home. Whether its for people with dissabilities, or the rich, they technology they use is actually identical. Let me explain. A high tech home that uses a Linear Actuator to lift a TV up out of a cabinet from the end of the bed, has that great wow factor. The TV goes up and down at the touch of a button at the side of a bed to put the Tv into viewing area. Then when the user is done with it, they press the button again and the TV drops back into the cabinet, out of sight, out of the way, and even hides the TV if ever there is a break-in.
In the same home someone with dissabilities has trouble reaching the cabinets to grab some pots or pans, normally this would be a very difficult task and may require asking for help. but what if no one is around?. By adopting Linear Actuators They simply press a button on the wall and the cabinet can actualy slide down from the wall into easy reach of anyone in a wheelchair. This type of technology can be adopted by many different people for many different applications. The end result is making things easier, whether its for a lazy rich person in bed watching TV or someone who has a hard time reaching things that are high up, they all use the same linear motion Automation technology to achive the same thing.
Another good example is for making Kitchens appear less cluttered. A typical kitchen has a number of electrical devices sat on the counter top. Such as a kettle, Coffee machine, toaster, and maybe a few other devices. When you look at pictures of beutifull kitchens in magazines and books, you will notice non of these devices are going to be present. They get moved away out of sight for the photography. This is an area where motion controls and specifically Linear Actuators are been adopted for hiding the clutter. They are called Appliance garages and can be made in may different forms. One is where the back wall of the counter top is actually a false wall and an Actuator lifts the wall up by sliding it either left or right or even upwards to reveal these appliances, already plugged in and ready to use. Another is where the appliances are hidden down below a cabinet in the kitchen island and the Actuators push upwards a small section of the counter top where the appliances are now in view and ready to be used. Either way Home automation is becoming very popular, its super easy to use, maintenance free, and may even increasae the chances of selling that home when its time to sell