Home Shows : What's Next : Home Automation

There is no doubt that home shows of the next few years will be filled with technologies, from social networking to smartphone check-ins to every conceivable gadget and appliance hooked into the "internet of things", but one of the most exciting home technology trends has to be home automation: the ability to manage your electrical appliances remotely with your smartphone.

Wikipedia defines "home automation" as "the residential extension of building automation. It is automation of the home, housework or household activity. Home automation may include centralized control of lighting, HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning), appliances, security locks of gates and doors and other systems, to provide improved convenience, comfort, energy efficiency and security. Home automation for the elderly and disabled can provide increased quality of life for persons who might otherwise require caregivers or institutional care."

There is a plethora of home automation apps on the Google Play store, but there is no method of sorting by rating.

One site is extremely useful and provides a top ten list of both Android and iPhone apps for home automation. The parent blog, DIY Automation seems like a wealth of resources for those who want to undertake a home automation project in their own homes.

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