Set The Festive Mood With An Intelligent Lighting Control System

 While earthen diyas and lamps were a given in traditional Indian homes, shrinking square footage and fire risks make it difficult to light them inside the house. The short-lived glitz of incandescent or halogen festive lights generates excessive heat, increasing your electricity bills and carbon footprint. Why not create the perfect ambience for your home this festive season with smart lighting and IoT solutions (Internet of things)?

Intelligent lighting control systems allow you to control lights remotely via a smart device like a tablet or smartphone. Synchronise lights with music or home theatre systems and even the security surveillance at the door. For example, the Lutron lighting control systems for homes seamlessly integrate electric light and daylight control and the audiovisual and HVAC systems while saving energy.

During the festive season, the IoT and AI (Artificial Intelligence) operated devices make life a tad easier. Imagine no more messy wires or bulbs that don’t last the night! At the command of your voice or the flick of a finger, your home illumination goes from meh to mesmerising! You can pick from a range of colours, intensities and even effects. With preset modes, you can automatically activate or turn off these lights.

Set up a festive acoustical experience with music. Thanks to IoT, you can now integrate your music system with the lights or even motorised shades. You can even pre-set different festival playlists based on the lighting effects. Occupancy and daylight sensors work in sync with the HVAC to keep the thermostat at a comfortable level. 

While decor plays a critical role in the run-up to the festive season, don’t forget safety. Smart security surveillance includes doors with digital locks that provide access based on biometrics like fingerprints. Some even feature face recognition. You can also opt for an IP-based video door phone available from Samsung or Panasonic. It enables the consumer to identify the visitor and grant access via the smartphone.

With kids and adults alike enjoying the festive flair, IoT and home automation offer a blend of comfort and safety. Over time, they also enable you to reduce your carbon footprint and have an energy-efficient home. Once the festivities are over, they continue to make everyday tasks a tad easier. A bonus is that you can upgrade and update these technologies with minimal installation hassles. With the plethora of extended possibilities and nuanced sensibilities, give your home a smart makeover.

Versatile Automation Fits Anywhere: Here's How

Automation defines the automatic control of Electrical & Electronic devices at our residences, commercials, or hospitality, etc. areas. They are connected to a centralized network and rely on the hub, which is also referred to as the controller or server. For instance, Lights, Curtains, Security Cameras, Audio Speakers, etc., can be controlled via a smart device like an iPad using the touch of fingers or through Alexa using voice commands.

 

Let's dig deeper into the flexibility Automation offers:

 

Convenient & easy to operate

By performing rote tasks automatically and interfacing multiple devices, it is possible to elevate the customer experience. Numerous smart gadgets are compatible with one another — just set up specific triggers based on your requirements. For example, the Entrance Lights turn on when we unlock the front door. Similarly, we can simply use voice commands via Alexa to operate the lights or curtains instead of using switches or bring in more natural light with motorized shading solutions.

 

Versatility for new devices and apps

 

As we all know, state-of-the-art technology is advancing day by day and interfacing present Electrical & Electronic systems is very tough but Automation systems through Lutron or Crestron have made them flexible when it comes to accommodating it with the new technology. For example, If we have to add HVAC or Security Camera system in the present set up then we can easily interface with the automation system, and also if we are planning to upgrade our lighting system, then also it is easily accessible through automation systems. Once we will become familiar with the apps or smart devices, we can tap into countless functions and cut back on the learning curve. We can seamlessly integrate multiple devices through one interface and keep upgrading as required.

 

Few installation hassles

 

One doesn't need to refurbish or redecorate the home to bring in automation. Considering the high installation costs, one can integrate home automation into different environments without burning a hole in your pocket. Automation systems can be retrofitted or installed into existing decor with relative ease. For example, the customer experience can easily be elevated with a Lutron touch panel.

 

Space-saving

 

Why clutter vertical spaces like the walls with switchboards when you have home automation? Though it doesn't eat into your square footage, one can use the wall as a backdrop of decorative accents or simply added storage like shelves. Aesthetically designed automated switches like the Palladiom Keypad fit into any space without cumbersome wires. The sleek control features multiple functions, which ups the ante of our interiors too.

 

Automation today has become seamless and sleek to fit into urban homes. With clean-lined designs, easy-to-operate interfaces, and smooth upgradation, it’s now easy to simplify automation usage for the peace and comfort of the end-user.

Home Automation Systems and Working Parents

There has been a constant evolution in man’s lifestyle, the curiosity to know more, and the aspiration for a shift in standards of living, that integrates humans with a world of technology and development. We can see how technology over the years has slowly made its way into the spaces we inhabit. The flexibility of which, can lend a helping hand to many working parents.  

The automation market of today is aiming at the absolute touch-free functioning of day-to-day activities. This revolution brought a myriad of new trends into the construction realm, which includes automated domestic help, temperatures control, facial and voice recognition, etc. Besides the fact automation that serves one’s routine, there is a rising need for integration of workspace at home. Fabricating intact communication at home, the new trends offer at-home conferences, keypad touch panels and contact of various devices, automated communication systems for a company, etc. 

From the smart clock that is automatically adjusted to one’s daily schedule to the sustainable features, these systems offer additional security and monitoring. Following are the most commonly used options available in the market : 

1. Smart Home basics

• Let’s start with the basics, with smart tv, lighting controls, and audio and video systems that can be turned on and off as per one’s need, and subsequently, a schedule can be formed for yourself and your child. Video doorbells not only sense, and alert you when someone is at the front door, but can also show you video footage of who is there and use intercom technology to talk to your visitor. Water Heaters can turn on and off based upon the time clock. Little kids can walk into the bathroom and not worry about how to turn the light switch on when the sensors turn them on automatically.
  
  

2. Automated Locks

• When your kids return home from school or if they lock themselves out of the house while you're at work, home automation systems give you the ability to unlock the door remotely. Better more, with their specific individual codes, they may gain access right away, and you'll get a notification on your phone as soon as they do. 

3. Smart Shades

• With motorized shading solutions, one can pull up or pull down shades for privacy or can be set to a schedule so that they can greet you with sunlight at the same time each morning. Smart privacy windows can be installed or a film you place over your windows. This changes from a normal window to an opaque window with zero visibility, from a remote or from your smart device. Many privacy windows also protect from harmful UV rays and work as insulators to maintain a comfortable temperature.

  

4. Saving Energy

• Kids that are too young to understand the importance of saving energy may leave fans, lights, and appliances on for longer than required. Using a home automation system makes it easy for you to handle all these controls with just a press of a button, no matter how far away you are from home. The efficiency of this system not only saves time but also helps in conserving energy. 

5. Smart Kitchens

• We often struggle with the efficiency of work that happens in our kitchens. Imagine if all the devices we use in the kitchen can be controlled and monitored from anywhere. From notifying you when the refrigerator door is left open to giving you timely updates on the load of the dishwasher or even if the stove or faucet has been left on. 

6. Smart Nurseries 

• Baby monitors incorporated with a video camera have made the life of parents stress-free. Multiple sensors when triggered send alerts to your smart device and can instantly be checked on. Whether it is a smart bed stand that acts as a baby station, and smart hub, or a changing mat that measures your baby’s weight to make sure they are properly fed, these products are changing the nursery game. A very common feature that a lot of parents use is having the maid watch over the kids at home, but with cameras that make it easy to check up and communicate with kids and the maid on your smartphone. 

7. Pet care

• Taking care of your fur-babies has been made easier than ever with smart pet care. From smart pet doors that open and close on command to the smart feeders that dispense food and water on schedule with a click on your phones. 

Further, working parents with differently-abled children can make use of home automation systems to monitor and keep track of their well-being. From a medical alert emergency button that can alert you or emergency service for immediate care, to activity-tracking that helps you schedule their food and medication on time. 

In a world where the line between work and home is blurred, it becomes quite tedious to have an organized home set-up with children around. Switching to smart homes or home automation systems can be efficient and less stressful especially for working parents. With rapid technological changes, it is quite clear that many contemporary and modish products will be introduced in the future, to enhance the scenario of what a futuristic home would look like. If you think you are ready to take a look at some Smart Home products, Anusha Technovision ( ATPL) has a lot to offer in the way of affordable and reliable Home Automation.

- The piece is written by Alok Hada, Director, Anusha Technovision Pvt. Ltd.

 

Future of Lighting

The evolving consumer tastes are currently shaping the future of lighting, and a large amount of that is owed to the pandemic. The need to spend more time at home to work due to quarantine measures means your home must now incorporate areas of work, study, and personal activity. This will lead to a rise in the number of people adapting their home lighting systems - specifically through smart lights - to adapt to the new paradigm. 

The vast array of options smart lights provide in personal customizability is expensive. An increase in work-from-home models will be an influencing factor in their adoption, as many companies are already incorporating it to continue even after the pandemic. Studies have shown a connection between lighting types and the ability to focus, which people anecdotally associate with. In that regard office space now focuses on lighting that helps improve productivity and hence the new and increasingly popular concept of “Human Centric Lighting”. Since our body clock is governed by the secretion of hormones, which in turn takes its cue from lighting. This is why we sleep at a certain time, (night) and we are alert at other times (mornings). So the effort today is to keep the body clock in sync with nature's timings of sunrise and sunsets. Since we spend more time indoors – the indoor lighting now with the help of technology follows the color temperature of sunlight and helps maintain the body rhythm. 

Additionally, smart light systems can easily be coded and controlled from home management devices like Google Nest and Amazon Alexa devices, making them substantially easier to use. The trend towards voice commands and centralized home control has been a trendy feature in recent years and is sure to propel smart lighting to even greater popularity. 

- The piece is written by Alok Hada, Director, Anusha Technovision Pvt. Ltd.

Surpassing boundaries in age, home automation rendered comfort and convenience to a 75-year-old mother

“Why did you put this system in my room? I do not understand these 'keypads with buttons'. Please replace these with regular switches,” said my mother. 

It was 2012. We had just moved into our recently bought apartment in Noida. We had been living in an apartment in the same society for the past couple of years on rent. My wife was happy that after living on rent, we had finally bought the apartment in the same society and were no longer ‘tenants’ but ‘owners’. My kids who were in middle school were happy that they did not have to move from a society, where they had their own friends. But the challenge for me was to install an Automation system that did not require the breaking of walls and ceilings - just enable minimal work that could justify to the world and to my family that I practiced what I preached - I did want to use automation in my own home. 

After some deliberation, I managed to do that by installing a Lutron system that worked with existing switches and had a mix of on/off devices (lighting, fans, Air-conditioning, and geyser) on keypads in the bedrooms and some dimming in the living and Dining Hall. My 9-year-old son loved it. I eventually had to remove the master control from the common iPad, because in the first few days he discovered he could switch off the lights in his parent's room and his grandparent's room.

The only ones who did not like the 'system' were my parents – especially, my Mom. I asked her what exactly was bothering her in the system. “I do not understand what button does what and I do not want to complicate my life anymore,” she said. I first considered removing the system completely from her room and letting it remain in the rest of the house. 

Then, I decided to try and convince her otherwise. The first thing I did was – I engraved each button. In a few days, she had a nice-looking keypad and it had buttons that were backlit and labeled: Lights, Fan, AC, Geyser, Living, Kitchen, and Master, etc. 

The “Geyser” button caught her eye. She asked if she could honestly turn the geyser on from her bedside. It meant she didn’t have to use the step stool and a stick just to switch on the geyser. (Mind you, she is quite short!) I said yes. She told me to go on. I then explained to her she could use the “Kitchen” button to turn on kitchen lights from her keypad. This meant she did not have to walk in darkness from her bedroom to the kitchen early morning, and she liked it more.

I then told her I could also turn on the geyser and kitchen lights via a time clock and the geyser would automatically turn on/off after half an hour every morning. She seemed less averse to the idea of automation in the house now.  

3 months later, I came home to find my 10-year-old daughter showing off her Living Room Mood lighting from the remote to her friends. My Mom is talking on the phone with my sister in Jaipur telling her how convenient it is that she does not have to remember to switch on the geyser in the morning and she should try it at her home too. 

My wife- well, she says she is happy that she can just check if the kids were up by checking if the room lights were on, on her phone - not only that - she did not need to nudge me anymore to go and switch off the Ac in the kids' room after they were asleep. 

“But we could put on the timer with the AC remote too!” I exclaimed

“Yes,” she says, “I could switch off their AC (after they were asleep for a couple of hours), you see, but could not turn on their fan at the same time from here - Now I can. “ 

Well - To each - their own.

The moral of the story?

A)    Do not sell something to someone that does not work for them. I could never have convinced my mom to see the benefits of using a smartphone to turn the lights on or to use mood lighting, in her room. But the geyser on a keypad or the kitchen switch next to her – worked for her.

B)    It takes time for people to adapt to new technology or even new ideas. Be patient and ask them to do the same.

C)    Keep it simple

- The piece is written by Alok Hada, Director, Anusha Technovision Pvt. Ltd.

New Trends in Home Automation

Toward the end of the year, the world wonders, “What’s next?”  The world of home automation is no different, and manufacturers have started to give us a clue about what might be coming to your home in 2024

At Anusha Technovision, we look forward to what’s on the horizon for 2024, especially in smart home automation, lighting, and voice control. We can’t wait to share these trends with you, and we hope you’ll call us to speed up your home to keep up with the dynamic year ahead.

Smart Mirrors:

The famous scene from the movie “Minority Report” where Tom Cruise’s character manipulates images on a screen with his hands is now one step closer to reality thanks to smart mirror technology. Mirrors can now display news and weather updates, show you your social media feeds, interact with other automation systems in your home and much more. Having that smart technology in your bathroom may be a little disconcerting for some, but the added convenience and sheer “wow” factor will likely persuade many people to bring these smart screens into their homes.

MORE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE CAPABILITIES

It may feel strange to admit, but we are firmly in the age of artificial intelligence. AI is poised to make a big impact on the world of home automation in 2024.

One major example of this trend is AI-enabled security devices. Security companies are in the process of rolling out smart door cameras with machine-learning technology. These devices will be able to identify specific faces, autonomously determine who’s at the door and then let them inside if they recognize a familiar person. There are also smart sensors with advanced AI systems that can detect fires and potential burglars as well as alert you if your carbon monoxide levels are too high

WHOLE-HOME AUTOMATION

When your whole home automation runs as scheduled, it feels as though your entire house falls at your feet and facilitates your most carefree lifestyle. If that didn’t feel seamless enough, we have heard that even accessing the technology will get progressively easier.

·       More Scheduling: How? All signs point to further automation via programming on devices — no touch necessary. If you want your lights to turn on and off at a set time each day, that is a time-event. A non-scheduled event would be lights that come on when the door to the room is opened and go off when it closes

·       5G Creeping In: 2024 might not unveil a fully capable 5G, which will nearly eliminate our reliance on Wi-Fi. But 5G, projected to emerge in the next couple years, will usher in robust, high-speed connectivity, which will enhance every area of home automation.

·       Demand for Design: We’ve also found that new tech shifts toward a more diligent focus on design, adding more hidden speakers, architectural details, smaller (or hidden) devices and fewer cords. The smart home integrators at Elevated Integration care about how design and tech integrate, an area in which we’re proud to be ahead of the curve. 

User Interface

User Interface in the present world refers to the visual interface of any technology, application or service that is being accessed, interacted with and used by the end users. At Anusha Technovision Pvt. Ltd., we provide our clients with optimally designed user interfaces for services, both for hard products and applications running on smart devices.

Examples of User Interface

1. Keypads- To complement and help enhance the beauty of interiors, we provide wide range of keypads in a variety of colours, finishes, style and function. The keypad is easy to use, readable, with custom engraved buttons in both wired and wireless options. We can set any mood lighting, control of shades/ HVAC on the keypads. 

2. Touch Screen- The in-house GUI (Graphic User Interface) software is developed in a way that it will be easy to understand icons, that allows end user to control and monitor lights, shades, audio video, security through a touch panel anywhere and anytime. We develop own own GUI and it can be customized according to the requirement of the customers. The various touch screen panels are available in multiple sizes. 

3. Voice Command- Now you can control the entire home with your 

voice. Amazone Alexa or Google home provide the device but we are here to integrate the lighting controls, shades, audio video, security, HVAC system with voice commands. We configure each command according to user’s specific words and choices. 

We at ATPL provide customized keypads that complement the existing interior design of the space, keeping in sync with the existing tone, our panels contrast the colours and finishes of the wall. It provides easy to use, readable buttons and comes in both wired and wireless versions. Lighting moods, controlling of shades/HVAC and multiple other functions can be done using these keypads. The touch screen interface is designed by an in-house UI design team ensuring easy understandable icons with distinct buttons that allow users to control and monitor lights, play audios and videos, and control our phones through the same. The user interface can be customized according to the user, and the touch panels are available in multiple sizes. An interesting inclusion is the addition of voice controls to the panels. Intelligently integrating services with devices like Amazon Alexa or Google Echo, our panels integrate lighting controls, audio and video playback, air conditioning and security features by bringing into one roof all appliances in the house. Commands and order words are customized according to the client’s demands.

Each component in this system viz. the keyboard, touchpad, and voice commands hold their own importance. While keypads enhance the aesthetic appeal of the wall, users also might choose to simply use their personal phones to control the settings. The inclusion of voice control facilities in the system help users to work with both their hands while controlling the various parameters of your home. Integrated with devices like Alexa and Echo, this brings in the next generation implementations in home automation.

- Alok Hada, Anusha Technovision Pvt. Ltd.