Not Just for the Tech-Savvy: 6 Ways a Smart Home Benefits Everyone

Smart devices have a place in anybody’s home regardless of lifestyle!

Technology has come a long way. Now, all it takes is a voice command or a press of a button on your smartphone, and you can switch on the lights, get the air-conditioning going, and way more.

With its undeniable ‘cool’ factor, many homeowners seem to think that it’s just for the young, tech-savvy people. In reality, however, it has the potential to benefit so many groups of people – like the elderly and young children – and free up time that you can spend doing more meaningful things.

Here are some examples:

1. Smart home hub paired with smart switches

Good for: everyone (literally)

The neat thing about smart home hubs like the Aqara M2 Smart Hub is that it comes with an infrared (IR) emitter. Because of this, it can be programmed to function as a remote control for traditional non-smart devices, like your television and air conditioners.

That means no more scrambling to search for your remote control when it’s missing or stuck between your sofa cushions.

However, when paired with smart switches, you gain even more control and options over your smart home system. Using the Aqara smartphone app, you can programme any device to turn on at specific times, or turn off anything you may have forgotten to switch off before leaving the house. Talk about convenience!

Plus, the Aqara M2 Smart Hub also supports voice assistants like Siri and Google Assistant, both of which in turn supports a wide range of languages like Mandarin Chinese.

So, don’t worry about any language barriers preventing your elderly parents from using it. All it takes is a little set-up beforehand, and you’ll be able to control any device with just your voice, without needing much physical effort on your part.

2. A combination of smart sensors and switches

Good for: households with seniors and children, or for homeowners who wake up early/stay up late

Another highlight of smart devices is that they can be programmed to work seamlessly together.

For example, you can pair a smart switch (that controls your hallway lights) together with a motion sensor, where any motion detected in the night will automatically trigger the lights to switch on.

With this combination, anyone up late (like a child or elderly parent waking up at night to use the bathroom) can freely find their way around without any risk of falling, thus keeping them safe.

3. Smart door locks

Good for: homeowners who don’t like carrying around a physical key, or households with elderly or young children

For those of you living with seniors that require a wheelchair, or often forget to bring out small items (like house keys), having a smart door lock can be a godsend.

With this combination, your loved one will have a much easier time entering and leaving the house. As they can be unlocked using voice commands (and even your face!), you don’t have to worry about them forgetting to lock the door, or struggling with the fingerprint sensor.

Plus, this is one of the few smart door locks that is enabled by Apple Homekit, as well as a dedicated smart ecosystem backing it. So, if you’re an Apple device user, unlocking the lock using your face or PIN enables it to recognise you and automatically turn on/control your devices according to your preferences.

4. Smart home sensors

Good for: households with seniors

No matter how independent your loved one is, there’s always that nagging concern that something (touch wood) may happen to them while you’re away.

Well, with a smart home sensor, perhaps you can alleviate those worries. Devices such as the Aqara Presence Sensor FP2 is able to detect different movements – like sudden falls – and send an alert to you, letting you call for first responders immediately.

In the event that your loved one is out of range of these sensors, having them carry around a wireless switch (or have it mounted) in a convenient location, such as by the bed or in the bathroom) can be useful. These switches can be programmed to send a notification to you and your family after being pressed, thus alerting you to their situation ASAP.

5. Smart cameras

Good for: households with pets, children, or elderly

When you’ve got dependents living with you, there’s always the underlying fear of coming home from work only to find them sick (or, worse). So, rather than worry about them all day, installing smart cameras (like the Aqara G3 Smart Camera) lets you periodically check in on them throughout the day.

But what really stands out about this camera is a) its smart gesture recognition, and b) its IR emitting capabilities. Using five recognisable hand gestures, you can control various compatible devices around your house, like your air conditioner or TV.

It’s not only a fun way to automate your home, but it’s also easy enough for anyone, regardless of technical knowledge, to learn. It also allows those with mobility issues (e.g. wheelchair users) to be more independent, as they can do things by themselves without needing help from their loved ones.

6. A combination of smart temperature sensors

Good for: households with pets, or those with seniors that may not be familiar with technology

Weather in Singapore is as fickle as it gets – just because it’s raining in the morning doesn’t mean it won't get hot in the afternoon. And rather than leave your pet babies or elderly parents to the elements, you can automate a combination of smart devices to ensure that they remain comfortable.

For example, if the temperature sensors detect a temperature of 32ºC or more, they can activate the air conditioning and close the blinds/curtains to cool the house down, or automatically turn on the fan when the room becomes overly stuffy. This can be especially useful for animals that require cooler temperatures, like huskies and chinchillas.

Note that for this to work, you’ll need to pair these devices with an existing smart home hub (like the Aqara M2 Smart Hub mentioned above), as its IR blasting abilities are key to activating/deactivating your devices.

Smart Living Gallery: the one-stop-shop for all things smart home-related

Now, if you’ve had your eye on any of the smart devices listed throughout this article, you’ll be glad to know that they’re all available in a single store: Smart Living Gallery.

As a neutral platform for smart devices, they are dedicated to bringing you the best smart home devices around the country, at affordable prices. And, as a full-service one-stop-shop, they can also assist in everything from installation to on-site services.

Simply swing by their 4,000 sq ft experiential store, and their staff can bring you through the ropes and introduce you to their vast array of devices, all of which have been categorised by rooms for easy consideration.

Or, if you’re unsure of how to go about setting up a smart home, feel free to set up a consultation with them. All you need to do is to share your floor plan and an overview of your day, and leave it to them to plan what you need.

Interest piqued? Swing by their store today to find out more!

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