Home automation has become very popular. The concept of a “smart home” is being materialized in many cities and towns around the world. Much of the automation technology was originally developed for industry and other applications.
For example, linear actuators were developed to automate different tasks in car manufacturing. Later, linear actuators found applications in other areas like aeronautics, medical devices, and more.
For instance, automated beds were originally developed for intensive care units (ICUs) in hospitals. Today, you can have an automated bed for supreme comfort at home. To learn more about these devices, you can take a look at progressivebed.com.
If you plan on automating your home, you will find it challenging at first. There are many home automation devices and systems in the market.
But once you have an ecosystem of smart devices, you will need a central unit to connect them. You need an automation system that can act as a hub to control all your smart devices from a single place.
5 Best Home Automation Systems
It can be overwhelming to choose an automation solution that fits your lifestyle. To assist you with your selection, we have reviewed several home automation systems. We present the five best home automation systems.
These automation systems are suitable for most smart homes. They allow the interconnection of most smart devices regardless of manufacturer. For this purpose, they use a standard communication protocol like Bluetooth, ZigBee, and others.
1. Amazon Echo
This home automation system has become very popular because of Amazon’s proprietary Alexa voice-command technology. Amazon Echo is the central unit of the automation solution.
It has multiple omnidirectional microphones to take voice commands more easily. Likewise, it features several speakers such that you can hear it anywhere in the room.
This system is compatible with a large variety of devices. Connecting them is very easy. There are different Alexa smart home devices available.
All of them can be interconnected using the several Echo devices available. Amazon is working toward making the Alexa home automation system widely available.
2. Google Nest Hub
Google Net Hub is another popular automation solution for smart homes. It also supports voice commands through Google Assistant.
In essence, it is a tablet with voice-command capabilities. It performs several functions of a regular tablet, such as displaying local weather information, playing music, and more.
As a home automation solution, it works as a hub for a myriad of smart devices. It allows you to connect and control lighting, security, heating, and other home systems.
You can use voice commands to control the said systems. One of the winning features of this automation solution is its integration with Google Services.
3. Wink Hub 2
If you are looking for a versatile automation solution, Wink Hub 2 is for you. To begin with, you can connect this device to the Internet wirelessly or through an Ethernet cable.
Then, you can download the Wink app, which is available for Android or iOS. Once you have the app installed, you can connect with the hub and control your smart devices via the app.
On the app, you can select the devices you want to control. Unlike the previous devices, the commands are input using a visual interface instead of voice.
However, you can install the app on any mobile you wish. You can even install it on a wearable smartwatch!
4. Samsung SmartThings
This hub is also operated through a mobile app. Several peripheral devices manufactured by Samsung are directly compatible with this hub. Smart buttons and a wide array of sensors are some of these peripherals.
But you can integrate devices made by other manufacturers. However, the Samsung SmartThings hub doesn’t support many connectivity protocols (Z-Wave and ZigBee only).
An advantage of this hub is its built-in battery power option. When you activate this option, you ensure your hub will continue working in case of an electric outage. Another advantage is the simplicity of connecting smart devices to it.
5. Apple HomeKit
This automation solution is for Apple devices only. Therefore, it is the least versatile of all the solutions described. However, it has good functionality.
Through an app (available for iOS and macOS), you can control different devices of your smart home. This hub supports voice commands through Siri.
On the downside, connecting new devices is not as straightforward as with other hubs. With this system, you have to add smart devices manually by scanning printed codes. You can do it with an iPhone or iPad only.
Final Remarks
Home automation is a reality, you can use sensors and actuators to automate practically any object at home. You can automate your lights, furniture, windows, doors, and more. In all cases, you need to find the correct automation solution to interconnect and control all your automated devices.
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