What is home automation?
The automatic control of systems such as lighting, entertainment, security, climate, and communications by a single user interface.
What can it do for me?
In short? It can simplify your life.
The Experience
Rather than try to explain the various components and systems (see the Services section for details on that), let's imagine a few real-life experiences to put home automation in perspective...
Imagine coming home from a stressful day at work. You step into the living room and push a button... the lights dim, the television turns on and tunes into your favorite broadcast, and the temperature cools the room to the perfect comfort level.
Imagine lying in bed late at night and hearing a noise outside. You're sure it was nothing, but with the push of a button you turn all exterior lights on, the television turns on and automatically tunes into the camera system. Now you can view the exterior of your home from the safety of your bed.
Imagine you are preparing your home for a large event. It takes a lot of time to create the right atmosphere. You have food to prepare, dishes to wash, rooms to clean, and all of the other tasks that come with entertaining. With the push of a button you can turn on the music in all rooms to a preset level, tune to a custom playlist for the event, set the lights to just the right level, and turn on your water features. How's that for atmosphere?
Imagine sitting down with the kids and big bowl of popcorn to enjoy a family night. With the push of a button, the television turns on and the lights are lowered. All that's left to due is navigate to the DVD library to choose the right movie for the evening. Maybe your family is a bit more active? Fire up the Wii and have a Wimbledon caliber tennis tournament in your living room.
Still want to know more?
Watch this clip to hear homeowners put it into their own words.