Better understand home automation and how it works

Is a smart home really possible? Well, for those who are familiar with home automation, this is not a fiction but a reality. This is because the technologies linked to this concept already allow a house to be controlled remotely and even react in certain situations.

Discover what home automation is and how it works. Then you will be able to say that the smart home does indeed exist!

What is home automation?

The basic principle of home automation is the ability to remotely control a variety of domestic appliances including lights, thermostats and sprinkler systems. Although these can be operated individually, the term home automation mainly refers to features that allow these devices to connect to a network that can be accessed and controlled via a mobile device from anywhere in the world.

From a home security perspective, home automation can include an alarm system, doors and windows, locks, smoke detectors and a host of other devices or sensors.

The ability to automate most appliances in a large-scale home is a relatively recent technological development. Centralized system control at the building level used to be limited to commercial properties or luxury residences and generally only concerned heating, lighting and cooling systems. However, the situation has evolved rapidly in recent years, democratizing home automation by making it accessible to the general public.

The elements of home automation

Home automation is composed of two distinct elements. The first component is the automation itself, which allows you to program and schedule orders for the devices in the network. This custom programming can include time-related events (such as closing and opening curtains at a specific time) or situation-related events (such as turning on all lights when the alarm system is activated).

The second component is monitoring and remote access. This aspect of home automation has benefited enormously from recent advances in smartphones and other mobile devices, which allow a very high degree of control. In fact, most home automation networks today allow homeowners to use any Internet-connected device to view and manipulate systems in their homes from any location.

How does home automation work?

When travelling via WiFi, radio waves or a cable system, the commands are routed to the various devices with IP addresses that are connected to the home network. Information from these devices also travels via these networks to a central computer that manages all events. This computer, which is also connected to the Internet, allows the owner to monitor the devices in real time, as well as consult the information collected by devices such as cameras whenever they wish.

Home automation also involves devices that communicate with each other

Some elements such as motion sensors on an alarm system, the access code of the electronic lock or the GPS geolocation of residents’ smartphones are good starting points for triggering events such as turning on exterior lights, sending a notification to the owner, turning up the heating system or tuning your preferred radio station in the sound system.

If you are interested in home automation

Of course, home automation is a broad subject, which is hard to define in a single article. However, if you want to learn more about it or want to enjoy the benefits of a smart home, don’t hesitate to contact our team.

At Elitronic, we offer home automation solutions that are tailored to your needs, whether for a commercial or residential environment.