What is a smart home and how to assemble it

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

You don't have to be a billionaire genius to make your own J. A. R. V. I. S.

What is a smart home

It is understood as a system that ensures the interaction of consumer electronics, lighting and climatic equipment, which is designed to increase the level of energy saving, safety and comfort of the home.

In the classical sense, it is an autonomous control complex for all building systems without human intervention based on specified conditions. In a broader sense, a smart home is considered any system that allows you to control equipment remotely and set up automatic scripts tied to certain events.

Due to the very high price, complexity and the need for implementation at the construction stage, the first option is not very common, so we will consider the second.

Why do you need a smart home

Energy saving, safety and comfort are the three main tasks of a smart home.

The efficient use of energy resources is achieved through the operation of lighting, climatic equipment and other equipment only in the presence of a person. Various sensors are responsible for security, detecting water leaks, smells of smoke and gas, as well as capable of detecting an intrusion into the house and informing the owner about it. Comfort is provided by the ability to control from a smartphone and the operation of automatic scenarios.

How does a smart home work?

A smart home includes dozens of different components, but they are all divided into three types: controller, smart technology, and sensors. The heart of the system is the main unit, which is also called a hub, or gateway. Sensors, buttons, cameras and various home gadgets are connected to it via cable or wireless communication protocols.

The gateway connects to the server where all data from devices is stored and scripts are executed. Servers are local and cloud-based. The former require installation on a separate PC, but they work without the Internet. The second - they get rid of an additional link in the chain, but are dependent on the connection to the Network. In addition, some local solutions support multiple types of hubs, which allows smart devices from different manufacturers to be combined into a single infrastructure.

After the initial setup, all of the above remains behind the scenes and interaction with the system is carried out through applications on a smartphone or computer that communicate with the server.

What a smart home can do and how it works

Depending on the installed modules and configured scenarios, the possibilities of a smart home are almost endless. Typically, basic systems have lighting and socket control, as well as intercom and burglar alarm functions. More advanced complexes boast the implementation of climate and ventilation control, fire alarms, control of water and gas leaks.

Scripts make it easy to set up coffee brewing in the morning, use the blinds on a sunny day, and open the garage door when you arrive home. The smart home will automatically water the houseplants depending on the condition of the soil, and when you leave for work, it will instruct the vacuum cleaner to clean up.

All the magic happens on the server, where data from the hubs are collected, to which, in turn, the components of the smart home are connected.

Processes can be controlled through a mobile application, using a universal remote control, or simply by voice, using the integration with Siri, Google Assistant or other virtual assistant. At the same time, there are almost always duplicate mechanical buttons for manual control of devices.

How to assemble a smart home

1. Select a controller

There are dozens of different smart home systems available on the market, which differ from each other in price, device ecosystem and scalability. Choose based on these parameters.

The most popular are solutions with an affordable price tag, an extensive base of supported devices and a friendly community. In Russia, the following systems stand out among all others.

Xiaomi

A well-known Chinese brand has several hubs at once in the form, devices, as well as special ones with support for certain platforms, for example, Apple HomeKit.

The main advantages of the Xiaomi smart home are the largest ecosystem of devices and the best value for money. Among the disadvantages is the binding to the Chinese language and services.

Buy a set of devices from Xiaomi →

Rubetek

A relatively affordable domestic development with a not very extensive family of smart devices. The latter is partially compensated by the possibility of scaling due to components operating on the common Z-Wave protocol.

The advantages include, although not official, integration with Apple HomeKit right out of the box, as well as Russian-language support.

Buy a set of devices from Rubetek →

Yandex

The smart home version of the Russian Internet giant cannot boast of a large number of branded devices. In addition to the column, there is only a light bulb, an outlet and a remote control. But the solution "" has support for sensors and devices of third-party manufacturers, including Xiaomi, Rubetek, Samsung, Redmond and Philips.

The undeniable advantages of the system are excellent voice control in Russian, as well as the ability to use as a gateway not only Yandex. Station, but also any gadget with Alice - for example, a smartphone with the Yandex application. True, nothing will work without the Internet.

Buy devices from Yandex →

Raspberry Pi

A more complex, but flexibly configurable and affordable option, involving deployment on the basis of a single-board computer, a platform or other software hub.

By installing plug-ins and physical extension modules, Malinka allows you to add support for almost any communication protocols and devices. However, you have to dig around the command line, study the documentation, and perhaps even write a few lines of code.

Buy a set of devices from Raspberry Pi →

2. Decide on a set of sensors

To make your home smarter, you will need,, various and other devices. It's better to start small - basic components that are sold with the hub. Such delivery options are the most cost-effective and are available from most manufacturers.

If an understanding of the requirements for a smart home was formed even at the implementation stage, you can immediately purchase all the necessary sensors and devices for automation. However, this is not at all necessary, since any platforms, if necessary, can be easily scaled within their ecosystem.

3. Install and enable the components

All modern systems work over wireless communication channels, so they are easy to install without compromising the repair and design of the home.

Most cells do not require an electrical connection and are powered by lithium coin-cell batteries, which last for about a year. Small modules are attached to double-sided tape, larger devices remain in the socket or mounted on the wall with screws.

The procedure is extremely simple and takes a couple of minutes. All you have to do is follow the instructions. In some cases, before attaching the components, you need to scan the QR code on the back using a proprietary application.

4. Configure the system

As a rule, all settings are made via a mobile application, which is downloaded using a QR code. Follow the prompts to add a hub and other components. Usually you need to hold down the button on the device and select it in the application from the list.

Once connected, select a Wi-Fi network and specify the location of the current device in the house.

5. Add automation scripts

Just plugging and unplugging sockets or lamps is not fun. In order for the system to truly justify the title of smart, it is necessary to set up action scenarios that will be launched under given conditions.

To do this, there is usually a special tab "Automation" in the application or a separate item in the menu of each device. All scripts work according to the principle of simple logic: if (condition) → then (action). There may be several conditions for this. For example, when the room is dark and the motion sensor is triggered, the night light turns on.