Terminator. The Matrix. i, Robot. 2001: A Space Odyssey. Elysium. Minority Report. The Stepford Wives. Blade Runner. The list goes on and on and on with how we as humans literally create some form of A.I. that is either controlled by us or has some form of sentience – either way the A.I. finds a way to kill humans.
Now, if we’re looking at some of the more “harmless” predecessors to these types of A.I., we can simply look at the direction of our homes. Smart homes that will not only be able to do the things we need, but be able to ANTICIPATE anything and everything we would want or need. I personally have a fear that our future homes will have the potential to kill us all, yet…..I really do pray that my life becomes more like the Jetsons where Rosie the Robot cleans my house, because having to choose between the red and blue pill doesn’t sound so pleasant.
So here’s a fun list of 5 “smart” home gadgets and things that will hopefully push us toward our Jetsons Future – instead of eradicating all man-kind.
A Virtual Assistant – or SkyNet
Every home will definitely need to have a virtual assistant, central intelligence hub if you will. For example Sony’s Xperia Agent is not only adorable with eyes that blink and look around (scanning you constantly for weaknesses), but can be your IoT ambassador, meaning it could control all the different IoT tasks in your “smart” home. Such as controlling your lights, home security system, thermostat, your phone, and more. The ASUS Zenbo Robot takes it one step further, where this little robot can roll around and actually follow you. Soon you could be getting updates and reminders from your very own Xperia or Zenbo that it not only ordered your favorite meal for Taco Tuesdays, but that it is your only friend in the whole world.
Robot Vacuum Cleaners – or the predecessor to the creepy spider drones from Minority Report
With a robot vacuum cleaner such as the intelligent Deebot your floors will be dust and dander free while you are away. These little robots know how to scan and navigate around obstacles plus not fall down stairs. But the best part is that the little robot comes apart to become a hand held vacuum cleaner with multiple tools such as a fabric brush. Although, I wonder how long Deebot will be happy with being taken apart for your human needs…
Smart Fridge and Stoves – or combine them to make your future Stepford Wife
Smart Refrigerators have come in all shapes and sizes for residential/commercial uses, but the most recent version is Samsung’s The Family Hub refrigerator which has a Wifi enabled touchscreen. This new technology not only lets you manage your grocery shopping by connecting to your local grocer and taking snapshots of the food inside, but it also helps coordinate a family’s schedules while playing music or showing you your next recipe. Samsung even has a smart stove that you can control and monitor via your smartphone. Just give these two smart appliances a set of wheels and/or legs+arms and it will be able to one day cook you for you.
Smart Entertainment – or possibly Sonny of i,Robot
We want to continuously be entertained – especially in our home. And the wave of Smart TVs and products are here to make our entertainment consumption “simpler” and “easier” for us. From TiVo, Roku, and an array of smart tvs each of these keep getting smarter where they not only monitor your viewing habits, but are able to make SUGGESTIONS for your viewing consumption. Gaming companies such as Xbox and PlayStation have huge online networks that not only monitor what you play, but even allows you to share your gameplay LIVE with other games/viewers across the world. Nothing like having your entertainment devices watch your every movement…then make your choices for you…
IoT Devices that Protect your Home – or your future Hal of 2001: Space Odyssey
There is nothing like knowing your home is safe and protected – especially when you’re not there. For that there are IoT devices such as smart lock systems allowing you to lock your doors via smartphone. Pretty great to have if you tend to forget to lock your doors behind you. Then of course there are next gen doorbells such as the SkyBell HD WiFi video doorbell that give you live stream footage of your front door – giving you access to its one HD eye. Each of these can be connected to any of your smart devices via simple to use apps. I’m sure you’ll feel extremely safe knowing that your home can potentially lock you inside…all in the name of safety.
