Smart Home: Development and Trends

Remote control of a smart home using mobile applications The

convergence of information flows within the framework of three well-known services (data transfer, IP-television and IP-telephony) has been almost completed by broadband Internet providers. We see how disparate services began to be offered in the form of packages. The integrated product allows the consumer to use the usual channels of information in the most common formats: video, image, sound and text.

It is easy to guess that this kind of integration will continue to gain momentum. It can already be argued that telecommunications operators will provide telemetry data transmission services - information that is exchanged at the hardware level with devices and automation devices for everyday human activities within the framework of the Smart Home project.

A smart home is one of the priority areas for the development of the Internet of Things (IoT), in which a huge number of companies are working, which are beginning to actively include in their decisions functions to manage consumer equipment and exchange data between devices.

There is no doubt that operators providing communication services have great chances to conquer the Russian market of smart homes, since they are able to provide an integrated approach to organizing work: a communication channel, special equipment, as well as a decent level of service.

The likelihood of success of such companies increases due to the fact that it is these services (PayTV, mobile communications, broadband Internet access) that people are already used to paying regularly. Communication service providers have an audience ready to pay for a smart home as a unique service added to an existing package, while equipment sellers and security companies will first have to educate the market and attract first customers.

Among these companies, market participants are also large mobile operators. First M2M(Machine-to-Machine) Beeline solutions from the categories of “Smart Home” and “Smart Office” for corporate clients and individuals appeared several years ago.

These were complex M2M products, which consisted of a set of sensors (movement, opening doors, smoke, warning buttons and a light and sound indicator) combined with a central control module - a special web interface made it possible to configure and control the system.

Back in 2013, the mobile operator MTS introduced a system for remote monitoring of an apartment or a country house for prompt notification of incidents in the home “Smart Home - GSM Camera”. The Smart Home kit was controlled using a special application for smartphones and tablets and consisted of a camera with a motion sensor and the ability to receive calls, SIM cards and wireless indicators for opening doors and windows, leaks and smoke.

When the sensors were triggered, the system sent SMS alerts to the user despite the fact that he could make a call to the camera at any time and listen to what is happening in the house, as well as request pictures of the home and the status of the sensors.

There are other companies that offer comprehensive solutions to protect their homes, for example, Caesar Satellite, which offers satellite-based real estate security services. Its Cesar Guard mobile app for iOS and Android allows you to remotely control and monitor what is happening in your home in real time from anywhere in the world.

Such solutions, obviously, make it easier and safer our lives for you, because we can expect that with the development of technology there will be a gradual adaptation of smart homes on a large scale. Market participants argue that the volume of orders for such systems is small today, but still tangible.

There are several reasons for this. In the first place is the overall reduction in the cost of automation and microprocessor technology. The first cell phones cost more than $ 3,000 dollars, because units owned them - today almost every student or schoolchild has a smartphone. Equipping buildings and premises the same story awaits.

Secondly, the most useful ideas and decisions are consolidated at the legislative level, which contributes to their mass dissemination. For example, today, building codes require the implementation of engineering systems that implement mandatory fire response algorithms.
Thirdly, extensibility and ease of use can be noted. The capabilities and cost of a smart home depend on the number of functions chosen by the user that he considered necessary. Fourth, extensibility and ease of use can be noted. The capabilities and cost of a smart home depend on the number of functions chosen by the user that he considered necessary.

At the same time, no one forbids buying additional equipment: you can start with a small number of smart home components, gradually increasing its capabilities and functionality - the smart home system is modular, easily expandable by adding new devices and sensors. Thanks to the centralized smart home control system, various components and systems of home equipment can be easily connected independently and made to work in an orderly and coordinated manner.

By pressing one button on the control device, a programmed sequence of actions is started, for example, opening the gate, turning on the lights in the yard and in the garage, etc.

Another reason for the spread of smart homes was the emergence of smart home systems based on wireless technologies - this opened access to smart products for new categories of consumers. The most popular wired platforms are EIB / KNX (European Installation Bus - European Installation Bus), Smart-bus (open protocol based on RS-485 interface), X10 (electrical appliance control protocol), but in recent years they have been circumvented by systems based on Wireless technologies RF, Bluetooth, WiFi, ZigBee and Z-wave.



The supply of wireless equipment in Russia is carried out by both world famous brands and new manufacturers. One of these young companies promoting low-cost smart home wireless systems is SmartTone. The company is developing controllers for remote control of devices based on ZigBee technology.

Low-Power Global Networks (LPWA) are opening up new possibilities for using M2M technology, when connection costs are expressed in dollars per year rather than per month. LPWA networks conquer wide consumer segments, such as modern healthcare, freight and people tracking, utilities, security and fire protection systems. The technology of wide-area networks with low energy consumption opens up new possibilities for the emergence of “non-cellular” operators of global networks offering unique services, for example, monitoring with low energy consumption.

Popularization of smart home

Currently, not only end consumers, but developers are not always aware of the usefulness of implementing smart home control systems. Experts believe that the concept of an intelligent building is not yet widely known, and for its popularization it is necessary to use “adjacent” channels for promoting integration solutions.

Pedro de la Horra Calomarde, Eaton product manager for buildings, says working with designers, installation companies, architects, etc. will have a good effect. Building automation is new, there are few specialists, architects and builders old schools do not have complete and clear information about it. Representatives of Schneider Electric claim the same thing, noting that word-of-mouth radio is a good contributor to smart home promotion, especially among private customers.

A situation where a customer gains experience in interacting with elements of a smart home and, having appreciated their convenience, begins to develop the system he uses, can be considered as a popularization - each customer needs his own approach.

Russian market

According to the IAA "Rustelecom", the Russian market of smart home systems at the end of 2012 was estimated at about 4 billion rubles. The market for security and response services in the private segment, which can already be considered the forerunner of the market for integrated home automation, was estimated at a slightly larger amount - about 76 billion rubles.



The market in Russia is quite developed and large, therefore, products and technologies here appear almost simultaneously with the markets of Europe and North America. But here the requirements of Russian users can differ significantly from the wishes of Europeans, and this is very noticeable with the example of a smart home.

Experts note that the "green functions" that are in demand in the Old World are not popular in Russia, we have security in the foreground. It all started with light sensors: by turning on / off the functions, adjusting the sensors to different light indicators, changing the position of the curtains depending on the state of artificial lighting and room lighting, you can ensure the effect of the presence of people in the house.

Meanwhile, private security organizations offer individuals and commercial users security fire alarms that can be equipped with sensors for leakage of water, gas, heat and others. Such systems are easily scalable and (depending on the needs of the user) can be supplemented by various functions of a smart home. In addition, security agencies are actively introducing services that allow customers to manage the security of their home from a smartphone from anywhere in the world.

However, the rapidly changing economic situation forced us to reconsider the attitude to what Russian operators can offer their customers within the framework of the smart home concept - the importance of energy savings is becoming increasingly relevant for the Russian consumer. This factor increases the demand for automated systems for monitoring and managing the resources of housing and communal services.

An automated accounting system allows end users to optimize energy consumption in the face of rising tariffs, ensures the accuracy of the data used to pay for services consumed, and increases comfort by informing and automatically managing resources. So, the homeowner gets the opportunity not only to see the current water consumption, but also in the event of an emergency flow, automatically shut it off with the help of an electromagnetic valve.

Market development

Market development in different countries can be compared by the penetration of smart technologies into the homes of citizens.



Currently, slightly less than 10% of households in the United States and slightly less than 3% of households in Europe have installed smart home systems, the number of which should double or triple over the next few years.



The penetration of smart technologies into Russian homes is less than 1% (0.7-0.9%). If we compare this indicator with the western ones, then we are 3-5 years late. However, there is every reason to argue that the smart home market of the Russian Federation will gain popularity and will begin to develop at an accelerated pace, since a smart home is comfort and safety, saving time and energy, saving energy and family budget.

PS On June 10-12, Technopolis GS holds the first competition for specialists from various areas of software development in the Kaliningrad region .