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The smart home concept is nothing unprecedented, or at least that’s what my research tells me. Imagine being able to steam fish from the remote command of your smart device so that it would be ready by the time you come home for dinner. I tried explaining this to my mother and she responded with an ‘Interesting!’. Well, it’s easy to see why, especially with many companies cashing in on smart home automation systems and devices that sit well with them. So what is a smart home? A smart home is a premise that envisages the use of electronic gadgets in assisting homeowners, who are increasingly seeking convenience in dealing with appliances and items in their home, particularly because they may be out and about for long periods of time. This is especially the case for those who do not have the luxury of babysitters and domestic help to perform household chores and look after a treasured family member.

According to a comparative study on the usefulness and concerns about smart home technologies, the top five systems that the Asians wish for are security control, smart cleaning, senior nursing system, smart lighting and temperature and humidity. Meanwhile, the Europeans opt for temperature and humidity and smart cleaning. The disparity is likely due to the differences in crime rates, the elderly population and water and energy management issues. The Asian participants also show more optimism on smart home technologies and systems compared to the Europeans.

But wait! How sure are you that when you leave your home, you would have complete control over your home just because you’ve installed the application on your smart device? What if a stranger messed with your home appliances, for example? What if you went abroad for a business meeting? The answer lies in your media access control (MAC) address, one network address that is accessible from anywhere in the world. Say the stranger knows the MAC address to the plug of your kettle, he or she can then turn on or off at his or her own will. This is because the instruction can be transmitted via an intermediate server. Several tech experts say that attempting to input a new password or self-reconfiguring a router won’t help. You say, ‘Uh-oh, what do I do?’ There are options: first is by paying extra to cybersecurity firms so they can provide you with the necessary protection. You might want to also consider network-level security, which bolsters protection by providing an added layer and can be upgraded constantly. The third is by blocking the server, which would be impractical. In turn, this would result in the inability to monitor your device the moment you step out of your abode, defeating the whole purpose of having a smart home.

Besides, these technologies and systems will have to be made more affordable as the cost is up to a five-figure or greater for more enhanced sophisticated features. If you revisit the previously mentioned comparative study, nearly 65% of the Asian respondents wish for the cost to go down, while slightly more than half of the Europeans have the same sentiments. Unless you’re completely new to smart devices and the tech world, you’d be smart enough to realise that data like the frequency of your movements in your smart home will be recorded and used by the associated companies to better cater to you. At the same time, it is worth noting that people are open to sharing data regarding their health, as indicated by both the Asian and European respondents in the abovementioned comparative study.

So are you willing to live in a smart home? No doubt, smart homes are beneficial. Even then, do give careful consideration to every aspect before making an investment in a concept that is popular but ever-changing in tandem with rising expectations and challenges.