By Viktor Chong viktorchong@thestar.com.my

Amazon Expert Philippe Ferrey displays a list of smart devices in the Amazon Alexa app on an iPad in an Amazon “experience centre” in Vallejo, California.

TECHNOLOGY is improving, and with it, the borders between fantasy and reality are quickly blurring. A long time ago, a house was merely a roof on an individual’s head. But now, it is becoming more than that. If the idea of killer robots and thinking machines might unsettle a homeowner, then rest assured that everything will be fine.

Smart Home is here to help humanity, not engineer some sophisticated plot to take over the world. Composed of various intelligent devices that communicate with each other, Smart Home is capable of autonomously aiding a house owner in various areas such as safety, comfort, energy saving and much more.

For starters, sensors located inside a Smart House could tell an owner of any unwanted presence such as thieves and interlopers. Some security measures include biometric scanners allow only the legitimate occupants of the house to open the door, or even better, to access to electricity.

In other words, a burglar could break into the house but will be unable to use any electrical appliances. A security breach will trigger a message which is then delivered to the owner via mobile phone or through a computer. The owner will then be given the option to make a police report.

The brains of a smart home are seen in an Amazon “experience centre” in Vallejo, California

Note that the owner is still capable of receiving this information even though he or she is a far way across the world. The only prerequisite for such long-distance communication is the presence of internet connection. Using the same principle, concerned parents can also know if their child is back home on time after a late night out with their friends.

To conserve energy, Smart Home can also be programmed to engage the air conditioner and lights only when the occupants have returned home. Other configurations include disabling lights and air conditioner while enabling the fans during morning sessions. For hot seasons, the air conditioner will also regulate the temperature of the house.

During the night, security sensors will be activated, lights are extinguished and the curtains will be drawn. More advanced Smart Home systems are capable of reading the preference of its occupants and adjust the temperature according to their previous choices.

Other smart systems also incorporate built-in monitoring systems that record and calculate the usage of all the connected devices, providing the owner with an awareness of resources being used.

These are some of the capabilities of a Smart Home system. The term Smart Home is still under scrutiny, and it is still much contention in determining how much automation to deem the system as "smart."

But the term Smart Home is further expanding as we speak. Sooner or later, lawn mowing or house cleaning too will be a thing of the past. As for us homeowners, we exist in this very auspicious time to enjoy the fruits of our technological prowess.