When we talk about home automation, we soon think of aspects to make a home smarter; remote control of locks, autonomous cleaning and activation of appliances at a distance.
However, companies are also part of this revolution, which is here to stay. After all, it is an excellent opportunity to launch new products in the market and expand the business.
A great example of this is the high investments that large corporations, such as Google, have made in the industry. As a part, the chances of other organizations following suit are great.
Want to learn more about it? See how Anatel Certification works and follow the following content!
What is home automation?
We call home automation the set of technologies capable of automating numerous processes of a home, remotely controlling the operation of various equipment.
This is done through integrated systems connected to the Internet. One of the fundamental solutions for this process is the IoT (Internet of Things),which already impacts different market segments.
This automation aims to facilitate people's daily lives, providing more practicality in various tasks. Thus, you can control numerous devices through a single device, such as smartphones or tablets.
With this, the population can automate their residence according to their needs, lifestyle and habits.
Types of home automation
As we said initially, home automation is already part of the popular daily life, in several aspects. However, this technology is not yet widely disseminated and, therefore, not everyone knows its main solutions. They are:
- automated lighting: you can program a system to turn the lights on and off at a certain time automatically, reducing the habit of forgetting lights on in the rooms;
- access control: one can control the flow of people and enter and leave the residence, through the recognition of biometrics;
- Systems integration: one can integrate all the systems of the house in order to increase practicality and comfort, such as lamps, air conditioners and curtains. These items can be controlled with a single device;
- Sustainable window: it is a smart window that optimizes the air exchange of the environment. Sensors identify when there is too much moisture in a room or little oxygenation;
- Automatic shading: related to the smart window, it presents a protection to the sun's rays. A touch-sensitive system adjusts the room's luminosity control with simple hand movement.
- Security system: remotely controlled alarm systems in order to prevent the action of attackers and burglars. When doors and windows are forced, the shutters are closed and an alarm is triggered automatically.
How does the home automation system work?
Although we see the concept of home automation quite strong today, it emerged in the 1970s. More specifically in the United States, and has been evolving ever since.
However, the creation of an automated system requires electrical connectivity devices, Internet and another device that allows the user to control other devices remotely, either by wi-fi or bluetooth.
In a way, the main purpose of automation is to connect several equipment in a single device. This system provides comfort, practicality and optimization of time, as well as managing expenses and bringing more security to the environment.
What can be automated in the residence?
Everything in a residential environment can be automated; from appliances to windows and doors. The system can also be programmed to identify failures in the operation of appliances, such as water leakage. The main ones are:
- electrical outlets;
- windows and doors;
- household appliances;
- furniture;
- irrigation systems;
- lighting systems;
- security systems (cameras, smoke detectors, alarms);
- temperature systems (heater, air conditioning);
- ambient sound customization;
- control of electronic locks;
- presence sensors in doors and windows;
- cameras integrated with other objects (doorbells or lamps);
- air conditioning management;
- automation of curtains and blinds;
- smoke sensors;
- control of water and energy consumption.
But how to control so many devices and systems in a simple and practical way? Just use the following tools:
- smartphone apps;
- web interfaces;
- wall keyboards;
- touchscreen displays;
- voice command;
- devices such as Echo Dot or Google Home.
Equipment for home automation
For automation to be done efficiently, it is important to evaluate the structure of the house, its internal and external areas. Only then will it be possible to obtain a satisfactory result. However, there are some solutions that work generally. See below.
System managers
The options of intelligent equipment for the control of domestic activities are numerous. The most common are those that control lighting, room temperature and locks. For this, it is necessary to have:
- fixed panel;
- remote control;
- computer;
- mobile devices (smartphones/tablets).
Communication system
Some technologies that integrate electronic equipment make it easy to control tasks remotely. These systems allow you to activate music, for example, control lighting and check who arrived at the door of the house. They are:
- Smart Home Automation Hub;
- Zigbee;
- Lutron Clear Connect;
- Kidde;
- Bluetooth;
- Wi-Fi.
Security
The main equipment and technologies that enable access control, and increased security around the house are:
- cameras;
- remote access blocking;
- internal and external monitoring;
- fire and invasion sensors;
- pool alerts;
- monitoring of rooms (babysitting).
Ambiance
In addition to the functions of safety and optimization of tasks, home automation also serves to improve leisure and entertainment in the rooms of the house. The main technologies that allow this are:
- remote temperature control for each environment;
- remote ambient light control for each room;
- sound of the residential environment;
- automated video and sound system;
- smart appliances;
- remote cleaning system (smart vacuum cleaners);
- Smart devices( smartbands);
- external appliances (pool cleaner, lawn mower, spraypers, etc.).
What does it take to open a home automation business?
As you can see, automation has become a reality for many Brazilians. Consequently, this generates great business and growth opportunities for several companies.
However, to open a development in the home automation sector, it is necessary to complete some steps. First, you must define the location, personnel, raw material, equipment and your legal requirements.
After defining what you want to offer to the public, seek to regularize the products as soon as possible, with the anatel (National Telecommunications Agency) approval.
This certification is mandatory for all communication devices, as well as the peripherals essential for its operation.
This standard aims to ensure that the devices are within the quality standards required by the agency.
Advantages of investing in home automation
By now, you may have understood what automation is, its main equipment and how it works. Now, let's show you its greatest benefits.
An automated home represents more comfort, practicality, safety and saving time and money.
Easier management
Managing all household appliances in one place is such a convenience.
With automation, you can use technology to keep the house connected through an interface available on a single device.
This is a big step in home management.
Better feature of the device
Automated homes help manage appliances. A good example is smart TVs that allow you to find the best applications and channels for the user, optimizing time.
In addition to this ease, connecting devices to other automated technology systems improves the efficiency of the device in general. This makes the day to day in the residence more pleasant and simple.
Increased flexibility in devices
Smart home systems are completely flexible when it comes to adapting to new devices and appliances as well as other technologies. No matter how advanced your equipment is today, there will always be new models popping up.
As you replace older devices or discover new technologies to track your indoor and outdoor spaces through home automation, you're likely to expand your device set.
The ability to integrate new devices will make your day-to-day life easier and keep you up to date with the latest modern lifestyle technology.
More energy efficiency
Depending on how you use technology, you can make your space more energy efficient, you know?
For example, if you use a programmable smart thermostat to more accurately control the heating and cooling of your home, you can set the desired time and temperature to set the best energy efficiency throughout the day.
Another example is electric lights and blinds that can be programmed to switch to night mode when the sun sets.
Or, to turn the lights on and off automatically when you enter or leave a room, so you never have to worry about wasting energy.
Increased home security
The protection of your home is even more prominent when you incorporate intelligent security and monitoring features into your home.
There are thousands of options, but a good example are home automation systems, which can connect motion detectors, surveillance cameras, automatic locks and other tangible security measures.
So you can activate them on your mobile device before going to bed or when you're away from home.
You can also choose to receive security alerts on your multiple devices, depending on when the alert is activated, and monitor activity in real time, whether at home or elsewhere.
Still, there is protection against domestic accidents, which usually occur by human failure.
With automation, this can be minimized through AI (Artificial Intelligence), such as automatic gas and electrical current shutdown, in cases of leaks or short circuits, for example.
More control of functions
The ability to control your home from a distance is something no one can take away from you after experiencing it.
On a very hot day, for example, automated systems can make the environment pleasant by ordering your home to cool down before you get back from work.
Increased investment in sustainability
Investing in automation contributes to the preservation of important resources for nature, such as water —installation of showers and automatic faucets.
Home automation can be applied to lighting, installing sound system in the house (or parts of it) and irrigation of a garden, saving time and money.
Another big point of automation is that it reduces the number of decisions you need to make throughout the day, which helps you become more productive in other activities, such as work.
How to invest in the home automation market?
Initially, we mention that the automation market has been growing exponentially. Investment by large companies such as Google only supports this premise.
But how to make the necessary investments to open a business in the sector? If you have no experience with entrepreneurship, a great alternative is to bet on professional home automation franchises.
This business model involves less risk, bureaucracy and knowledge. That's because the company already exists and has a defined tag. In addition, franchises have gone through the entire strategic planning process.
All you need to do is enter the capital, which will be converted into marketing action to attract new consumers to the newly opened franchise.
Who can work with home automation?
In general, professionals trained in Control and Automation Engineering are the most qualified to work in the area.
This is because, during his training, he learns to design machines, develop technologies and manage their operation.
In practice, he is a professional qualified in mechanics, computing, development of electrical systems and electronics.
Conclusion
Have you seen how the home automation industry offers numerous opportunities for those who want to invest in the industry? With the democratization of the technologies responsible for this solution, it will become even easier to develop a company in the segment.
However, it is important to remember the Anatel homologation, before opening and marketing products for automation.
Did you like this article? So find out how Master Certifications can help you issue your Anatel Certification!