The smart home is on its way. Intelligent consumer devices, such as interactive wheelchairs and self-controlled appliance systems have been working well for families with disabled members. The investment has been worth it. However, as smart cars are about to make it big, consumers are finding themselves face-to-face with technologies like Android 8.0 Oreo and voice-based response systems.

Sensor-based intelligent devices interact with a host of data points including the human body, weather forecast, enterprise systems, and cloud. The user’s data itself is a huge set, with smart appliance systems building on the knowledge of the person’s finance, lifestyle, health and all that is relevant to the environment, products, and technology services.

The mobile device
A technology transformation is all about a new generation of operating systems, which is universally accepted for user friendliness, access, and affordability. Android phones were hard to ignore when it came to conceiving a single point of interaction (touch point) for the individual. Managing work, entertainment, purchases, schedules, and communication from a single device is where we already are! Android users will be heading to the new realm now, where their device can pick up their physical movements and voices to deliver vital data. It may concern bills to be paid, repair requests to be approved, best tips to maintain the appliances, and automated processing of the basic tasks.

What makes it practical
Imagine the 1980s, just before mobile phones became mainstream. The mobile boom was a loud one in the early 90s, but had it been a gradual one, much like in the developing world, the first users would be seen among families who cared for the aged and the physically challenged—especially as they would have to step out some time or the other—or fetch something from the fridge. Managing a home without moving an inch is a realistic solution for the aged and the handicapped already even before smart homes and IoT converge fully and transform the face of our planet!

The scale of operations will simply make Android Oreo a must-have and quite cheap.

Benefits of machine learning
The Internet of Things is going to be a solid outcome of the technology race because it will be based on the idea machine learning and infinite storage. Artificial intelligence being the key to interactive intelligence in a human world, the voice-and-gesture “interface” is likely to be a single device—that interacts with not just its immediate environmental intelligence, but intelligence of all relevant machines at the same time.

A large set of data points are available already for the entire world to tap into. However, with an operating system that allows intelligent interactive capabilities, the device can become the individual’s tool of choice, when it comes to organizing a party to setting up official meetings. All from one location. The machine learning process is fast, continuous, and efficient—and it allows people to ultimately interact with machines in a very advanced level—be it language, humor, complex ideas, etc.

What to expect in the coming years
The smart home, which will include the smart garage, smart TV, date reminders, automated shopping and other types of notification systems, will try to keep the user out of the chores of the world. Devices like TVs and refrigerators can practically use sensor-based systems to notify cloud-based vendors about the favorite programs you want aired again and most frequently bought groceries once they run out.

Indeed, we are looking at a future threaded with excitement.

Author: Vidya Krithivasan, Manager-Portfolio, Product Engineering Services