The idea of computers and robots helping around the home may sound like something from science fiction. But with homeowners already employing AI and ‘smart’ technology to optimise the running of the house, the idea of robots taking the baton and going further to automate operations domestically doesn’t actually seem so far fetched.
Indeed, there are already a number of AI machines and robots on the market that you can buy to help manage your home better. Considering smart homes in 2024, here’s how robots can help you around the house.
Securing Your Home
Home security systems have come a long way in recent years and some of the most advanced options now rely on AI to detect intruders. Using motion-sensing technology, AI lights and cameras can be triggered to come on only when movement is detected. More impressive is the machine-learning technology used by the most modern security cameras – such cameras can distinguish people you know from strangers via somewhat murky facial recognition technology.
This technology could be used to alert you when someone you don’t know approaches your front door. Whilst sci-fi movie predictions envisaged robot security guards manning (or should that be ‘roboting’?) the doors of people’s homes, this ‘smart’ form of security is actually a far slicker, less cumbersome operation.
Regulating The Temperature
When it comes to heating and cooling your home, AI can also play an important part. Using sensors in every room, it’s possible to automatically heat and cool different parts of your home to maintain the optimum temperature within. Some of these smart HVAC systems can also detect whether someone is in a room and can be triggered to turn off if no-one is there. Others can be used to save you money by trying to keep your energy usage within a certain quota, which is ideal for those looking to reduce their carbon footprint.
A much more efficient solution than a robot butler who turns the heating on and off for you, don’t you think?
Lighting Things Up
It’s also possible to incorporate AI technology into your home’s lighting. Motion sensing lighting has been around for a long time and can sense whether or not a room is inhabited, or, most commonly, when you approach your house after dark and struggle with your keys at the front door.
However, there are other ways in which smart technology can be combined with lighting, such as being able to reduce the intensity throughout the day based on the amount of natural light being let into the home, or being able to remotely control certain lights in your home, even if you’re not there.
This is particularly useful when you’re on holiday, for instance, and want to give the impression your house is occupied from time to time to deter intruders.
Intelligent Refrigeration: A Food Management Hub
Smart fridges are the new kitchen cornerstone, doing more than just chilling food. They come with cameras, sensors, and AI to track what’s inside, suggest recipes based on available ingredients, and alert you to use products before they expire.
Display refrigerators can help facilitate a comprehensive view of home inventory while regulating temperature and monitoring your fridge inventory through a viewing panel or, in more modern cases, a smart fridge camera. In practice, your fridge might, say, notify you to make a spinach and feta frittata, using up those almost-expired eggs, combining convenience with clever kitchen management.
Cooking Up A Storm
Smart kitchens are transforming our culinary experiences with technology that not only assists in cooking but also ensures meal quality and ingredient freshness. The future of home cooking is here, with robotics and smart tech at its core.
Robotic Chefs: Precision Cooking Made Easy
Robotic kitchen assistants are revolutionising meal prep. They can chop, stir, bake, and even clean, mimicking a seasoned chef’s skills. For the time-strapped or culinary beginners, these robots offer a hands-free cooking experience. Choose a recipe via an app, and the robot handles the rest, adjusting techniques in real-time for perfect results every time.
Seamless Monitoring and Control
Smart kitchens boast interconnected devices for easy monitoring and control. Preheat ovens remotely or start dishwashers with a voice command. These appliances communicate, synchronising tasks to make kitchen activities effortless. Smart fridges can track and order groceries as supplies run low, ensuring you’re always ready for your next meal prep.
Cleaning The Carpet
If you find vacuuming carpets to be a chore, why not consider buying yourself a robot vacuum? These small robots roll around your carpet hoovering up any dust and debris, and look pretty damn futuristic doing so, we should add!
They have built-in sensors, which allow the device to detect the perimeters of your room so that they can change direction before hitting a wall or piece of furniture. Automated vacuum cleaners have become a lot more affordable in recent years, and now there are even robots on the market that can clean wooden and tile floors.
What’s more, many enterprising homeowners have learnt to use their robot vacuums for more prosaic matters, too, such as passing the remote control to a loved one on a different sofa, or entertaining a baby when the parent fancies some rest.
Cutting & Watering The Grass
Lawn care is also something that you can automate fully using robots and AI. By using a robot lawnmower, it’s possible to take the time and effort out of mowing the lawn. Like a robot vacuum, these robots automatically roll around the garden while using sensors to detect the perimeters so that they know when to change direction.
As for keeping your lawn from drying out in the summer, it’s possible to invest in smart sprinklers. These sprinklers are able to water your lawn daily while taking into account the heat and rainfall, so that no water is wasted.
The Bottom Line
The future is now, as the scholars sometimes say, and the idea of having a robot help around the house is no longer far fetched or fictional. Though they may not look like living things, able to speak and possessing of a soul, AI and smart assistance options are now able to automate and optimise your domestic day-to-day. Perhaps this is a case of evolve, get involved or get left behind.