Smart houses are homes equipped with a multitude of IoT (Internet of Things) devices that interact with each other to optimise living conditions and help increase the comfort of their occupants. Thanks to having a network of connected devices, the home system can collect a large amount of data, process it, and then directly react based on certain pre-set parameters. Smart homes are able to automate a variety of actions that could previously only be done by humans. For example, a smart home could automatically configure the lighting and temperature of a room depending on the time of day, level of occupancy, and how it is being used.
In addition to light and temperature control, the devices in a smart house could also provide various other functions, such as advising about food levels in a fridge, connecting the home security system with the occupant’s mobile phone, or adjusting windows to take advantage of natural lighting. They will also allow actions in the house to be performed remotely while not at home, such as the watering of plants.
5G technology will improve the interconnectivity of all these devices, as well as allowing the exchange of information in real-time and providing direct house-tenant communication. There are many IoT devices for the home that work with 4G, but the characteristics of the fifth generation for mobile broadband networks will allow greater integration of all the home components and more effective automation of certain actions.