We’ve reached 2015, the year of ‘The Future’ according to 1980s cinema!
The internet is full of inventions from the movies that were supposed to exist by this year. Although flying cars and hover belts may be a long way off, video communication, hovering cameras and hands free gaming are reasonably affordable and accessible today.
Futuristic security technology was also shown in the films, with retina and fingerprint scanning in many of the homes on screen. This might not be the norm in most houses we come across today, but the technology is currently used in higher security premises.
Last year, at an expo in Barcelona, the ‘smart house’ was unveiled by Qualcomm. Their vision is that almost anything in your house can either be controlled by a mobile device or be linked together electronically.
The security elements of this home are close to that of a Sci-Fi film. A smart-lock system on the doors combines the existing locks with a battery operated device and is controlled by registered phones or tablets. This can then be connected to the smart lights in the home which could be set to flash when a door is opened or closed. This is a great feature for silent alert of an intruder, or for people with poor hearing. When someone leaves or enters the house, a notification is sent to the owner (on their smart devices including smart TVs) and the door automatically locks after 10 seconds. The smart-lock can also be connected to the security and smoke alarms so that if danger is detected the doors will automatically open to allow the people inside to leave quickly.
Wi-Fi enabled door bells are also popular online. They call your smartphone when someone presses the bell and have a camera included, allowing you to talk to the person on the other side of the door from anywhere in the world via an internet connection. Also, anyone that knocks automatically gets their picture taken so you have a record of who has visited.
The most recurring feature, and something which is widely available on the market today, is home monitoring via the internet. Keybury already offer this technology for viewing multiple cameras around your home from anywhere in the world on your smartphone, tablet or laptop through a simple app. More information on this product can be found here.
Security is set to advance drastically over the next few years, with a focus on consumer experience – for example, facial recognition to disarm your alarm. Industry experts are predicting that the market is likely to double from the estimated 11% of ‘smart homes’ in 2014, to 7.7 million UK homes by 2019.
We might not be living in ‘The Future’ quite yet, but we’re well on our way!