Alexa! Switch off the light. Alexa, set night mode on the bedroom TV. You may have heard these phrases if not used. Technology brings several jaw-dropping innovations from time to time to incorporate convenience into our everyday lives.
Home automation is one of the wonders of technology that automatically controls the electronic devices in our homes. Automating several things in your home, such as connecting your smart light bulb to the internet, will allow you to turn it on or off remotely.
Home automation using cloud-based IoT devices has also taken the internet by storm. However, home automation via cloud computing seems complicated.
Therefore, we will take you through the home automation guide, including how cloud computing can further the home automation process.
What is Smart Home Automation?
Home automation is when you automatically control your home electronic devices. When you connect smart home devices to the internet, you can remotely control them, eliminating the need to operate them manually.
You do not have to use or operate an app via voice assistant. For instance, you can put your lights on a schedule so they turn off automatically when you normally go to sleep.
Similarly, you can schedule your thermostat to turn A/C on before you come home, so you don’t have to enter a stuffy house.
Home automation smartly adds convenience to your life and reduces your cooling, heating, and electricity bills. Moreover, you can enhance your home safety with the help of IoT security devices.
IoT Devices & Home Automation
To understand home automation using cloud computing, you must first know about IoT devices. Internet of Things (IoT) refers to any device connected to the internet via different communication protocols, such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, etc.
These devices can be remotely managed using any controller, such as Alexa, Google Assistant, or any app. These devices automatically trigger others to automate your home.
In recent years, IoT, especially cloud computing, has got enormous popularity in every sphere of our lives. Today, the interconnectivity of nearly every object is possible, whether it is human social networks or a machine to machine connectivity (M2M).
In smart home automation, IoT integrates smart devices and embeds these devices with actuators and sensors connected to the internet. This leads to an intelligent interconnection between humans and machines and between machines.
Cloud Computing in Home Automation
Cloud computing enhances home automation where this system is not based on high-end computers or a dedicated IP Address. Instead, the home automation system is based on the cloud.
Cloud-based home automation is a cost-effective and simple solution to automate your home via IoT devices.
You do not have to invest in IT infrastructure to automate your home when cloud-based home automation is attained. You can connect your IoT devices to the cloud for easy data storage.
For instance, your security camera would not have a storage card as all data will be uploaded to a cloud server. It means your recorded data will not be stored locally or on a single device but on a cloud server that will be easily accessible.
Azure, AWS, and Google are some of the popular companies that offer cloud computing IoT to automate your home or business. For instance, an IoT system, such as Alexa or Google Nest, will collect energy consumption data of your home and send it to the cloud server.
Afterward, cloud computing will analyze data and provide homeowners with recommendations on how to reduce energy consumption.
Benefits of Cloud Computing in Home Automation
Cloud computing provides many features to increase convenience when dealing with home automation.
The use of smartphones and related mobile devices is increasing, so coupling cloud-based solutions and smartphones will be an easy way to remotely automate your home.
Universal Availability of Data
No matter where you are or what device you have, you can easily access your data without any hassle. Cloud providers have significantly higher accessibility and reliability of data than private Web servers.
Cost Reduction
Homeowners would not have to splurge on a permanent online web server. This also means your money will be saved as no purchase or maintenance will be needed.
Though you have to pay the bill for computing time and bandwidth to the cloud providers, it would be much smaller than the risks involved in running the system on your own.
Easy and Efficient
With a top-notch cloud platform, users can interact with home devices easily and efficiently and can robustly automate certain tasks of their daily routine.
Reduced Risks of Data Loss
Cloud storage is replicated, which means your data is secured.
Advanced Use Cases of Cloud-Based Home Automation
By leveraging the massive processing power and high availability of the cloud, users can enjoy several advanced features, such as face and speech recognition, automatic alarming, burglar detection, and many other features that can be made available to the customer.
Automate Burglar Detection
The system can potentially detect intruders and can inform the homeowner.
User Recognition
With the help of voice or appearance recognition, the system can help automate individualized services. For instance, it can play specific music based on the voice or appearance recognized.
Inform Emergency Services
In response to the data, the cloud can inform fire brigade, Police, or emergency medical services.
Smoke detectors can help inform the fire brigade, motion sensors or security cameras to detect intruders, and wearable electronic devices can detect vital signs and notify emergency services.
Pitfalls of Cloud Computing in Home Automation
Though the technology has resulted in a better life with enhanced functionality and convenience, it has certain drawbacks. Cloud-based home automation can pose a few security or privacy risks.
Your privacy is extremely compromised when you deliver your data to a company server. The company may sell your data to third parties or use it for marketing purposes.
Moreover, when your home is overwhelmed with connected home automation devices, the authorities can monitor your activities, posing a real threat.
However, several cloud providers use data encryption to protect your data from unauthorized users. Therefore, you should be vigilant in choosing a service provider for your home automation.
To Sum Up
IoT has become a central part of a smart home. Home automation is today’s go-to source for embracing comfortable and modern living, from making coffee and opening a door for a neighbor to set the lighting schedule.
With enhanced flexibility, affordability, and functionality, cloud computing has emerged as a great way to interconnect and automate your IoT devices.
Though security and privacy are always a question when using internet-based platforms, your choice of cloud service providers and due diligence plays a huge part in making your life seamless and secure.
