Consumer Automation is Now Part of Everyday Life

All you need to control the temperature in your home is a smartphone, tablet or computer – that is, if you have a Wi-Fi thermostat. Energy efficiency is just as important at home as it is in the factory. The Internet of Things (IoT) is leading to smarter control of HVAC systems, appliances, and monitoring the safety of an entire house. Homeowners can take control even when they're at a ball game, the library, or out for dinner.

The growing popularity of smart home devices and apps points to the expanding use of automation that makes home more user-friendly than ever. Consumer robotics includes robotic vacuums, lawn mowers and pool cleaners as well as social robots with more purchases projected in this space. According to market research firm Tractica, the number of consumer robots sold will jump five times from 6.6 million in 2015 to 31.2 million units in 2020.

What's the attraction? Simple. Consumer robots meet a variety of needs and since smartphones are in just about everyone's hand getting them to function remotely is a snap. Pressing an app is just as easy as dialing a number.

Comfort

Controlling the thermostat is one part of a larger home automation strategy. Lights, wireless door and window sensors and appliances are all programmable for remote control. Energy-conscious consumers who don't want glaring inside lights and inaccurate ovens can set their environment to a mode that's just right depending on the time of year and whether they're at home or away.

Cleanliness

Floors will always need vacuuming and scrubbing since no one has figured out how to make dirt and messes go away. Robotic vacuum cleaners are programmed to remember the layout of a house to increase efficiency and find their way back to the charging station. This is a far cry from industrial robots that didn't have the capacity to perceive their surroundings.

An article from the Robotic Industries Association, Intelligent Robots: A Feast for the Senses, described their behaviors as "uniform and predictable. No variations, no deviations." No longer. Sensors and software are giving both industrial and household robots a higher intelligence.

Companionship

Now get ready to welcome a personal assistant robot that's equipped with artificial intelligence. It can recite recipes, tell bedtime stories to the kids, dim the lights and monitor the house while you're away. A 2015 article on Techcrunch.com, Robotbase Wants to Put an Intelligent Robot in Every House, reveals the capabilities and the personality of this new robot. Advanced algorithms are applied to a home's connected devices so the assistant takes in surrounding data.

After a Kickstarter campaign to raise funding in early 2015, the robot is now being sold under the brand Autonomous and retails for $1499. Initial orders are ready to ship mid-2016.

Convergence

What's occurring today is similar technology is being used at home and the workplace, albeit for different purposes. Developments in one sphere benefit the other sector. The smart home doesn't need data collection for the same reasons as the smart factory with applications that are described well in the write-up Making the Intelligent Factory Today on motioncontrolonline.org. Data captured in a residence has more personal benefits like comfort and personal safety.

Both home and work, though, benefit from intelligent technology. As noted in the Tech Crunch article, the goal of the personal robot assistant is "to proactively alert you and handle tasks quietly in the background" using "plenty of sensors, advanced computer vision, and a good dose of artificial intelligence."

Sounds like those collaborative robots working alongside people in the plant. Maybe advances will soon be so closely related that the personal robot that recites a recipe while you're cooking is one that can offer strategic advice to get your company ahead in the marketplace.

In the developing world of robotics and artificial intelligence, there's no need to research information on your own and apply it by trial and error. Connect with respected automation professionals and other companies through the resources offered on A3.