Ubiquitous Computing

I know everyone and their brother has already posted on this subject, but it is very intriguing, so I think it merits another look. It is really exciting to be a part of a time when something like a "smart house" that would only have been a dream 7 or 8 years ago are becoming more and more possible. It would make hosting a party or social event so much easier, for one thing. To have everything change to the tastes of your guests would ease a lot of the burden on the host. No more would one have to ask what channel to watch. A microchip would just take care of it.

Another facet of this concept that intrigues me is that of a cellphone switching to Wi-Fi compatability where there is no cell signal. This would be extremely beneficial to me, in particular. My room at my parents is/was (I've since moved out) in the basement, and there was absolutely no service to be had. However, I had a very strong Wi-Fi signal on my computer. Not having to run upstairs everytime I got a call would be very appealing to me, albeit a little lazy.

All in all, while it is possible to have these smart houses, it is all but impossible for anyone who is not vastly wealthy. We see these being invented, but I think it will be a very long time before we see them as commonplace. Perhaps some restaurants, bars, or stores may start incorporating them before we see them in residences. Any way you slice it, I'm excited to see what the future will bring.

Smart Homes

We are closer to the life that was promised in the Jetson's than ever before. Smart home technologies are already becoming a part of common household life, and the future of these emerging technologies looks bright indeed!

Already we are seeing the automation of security systems that can make a call for you in case of emergencies, robotic vacuum cleaners, video game systems that also allow users to surf the Internet, and other such innovative technologies. Future home automation will push the technology further and perform such functions as alerting a maintenance man when an appliance needs to be fixed, allowing people to use advanced computing functions on their televisions, and remembering what temperature each person prefers to shower at and maintaining that temperature for them. The toilet will even be able to clean itself!

We are also getting closer to the days when different household systems will be able to communicate between each other. Some day the refrigerator will not only be able to tell when certain items are getting low, but it will also be able to communicate with the microwave, stove, or oven to suggest recipes based on what items are currently stocked in the fridge.

With the ever increasing hectic schedules that people have, it will be nice to be able to come home and get a little help from the house itself in performing daily chores.

For more information on some of the smart home technologies visit:
http://articles.castelarhost.com/smart_home_technology.htm