FX.co ★ Innovative technologies for smart home

The modern world is full of surprises which every day are presented by the innovative sphere of high technologies. In the near future, people will live in smart dwellings, where innovative technologies will be responsible for the creation of a comfortable environment. Important steps in this direction have already been taken.

Smart bedrooms

Many scientists are concerned about the problem of sleep which adversely affects the health of residents of megacities. This year, the Sleepace Chinese company developed the Dreamlife technology, the project of a smart bedroom. It consists of sensors built into the bed which collect data on the user's sleep and analyze them. Based on them devices work: curtains close, the light turns off, the temperature and humidity of the air optimize. According to experts, the number of people using technology for sleep will double in 2019, and by 2025 it will reach 20% of all households in the world.

Printed furniture

According to the forecasts of Allied Market Research experts, by 2020 the capitalization of the world market of 3D printing will reach $8.6 billion, and by 2022 the volume of this market will amount to $33.6 billion. The possibility of re-using 3D materials to create new items will be a huge advantage. Currently, 3D printing of interior elements is gaining momentum. Due to the high cost and slow production speed, 3D printing has not yet entered the mass market, but in the near future it will reach these heights, experts believe.

Independent walls

At the moment, scientists are looking for technologies that can extend the life cycle of concrete structures. Microbiologist Hank Jonkers at the Delft University of Technology proposed the technology of self-healing concrete, Basilisk. Its essence is that the bacterium producing calcite (limestone) is evenly distributed in concrete and fills the cracks when it is filled with water. In addition to reducing the cost of repairs, smart concrete can significantly reduce carbon dioxide emissions, experts say.

Smart windows

According to Freedonia Group, by 2020, more than 8.3 billion square meters of glass will be installed in new buildings. Scientists are trying to give them the function of solar panels reducing the cost of electricity. In 2017, researchers at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory of the US Energy Ministry managed to create a glass that darkens when heated from the sun reducing the proportion of transmitted light in the visible spectrum from 68% to 3% and also produces electricity. Developers have so far achieved transparency of the windows at a level of 30% which is comparable to sunglasses.

Smart kitchen

According to experts, about 1.3 billion tons of food are thrown out every year. The problem was solved by manufacturers of household appliances, Whirlpool. The company acquired Yummly, a platform for culinary recommendations. By the end of the year, the application will be able to make delivery orders, offer recipes depending on the contents of the refrigerator, etc. Previously, Whirlpool offered "kitchens of the future", where the surfaces can work as a heating element, and storage containers can track the quantity and freshness of products. Based on these data, recipes are offered.