Internet of Things (IoT) is a buzzworthy topic, no question. But what we refer to as the “smart home” actually contains a lot of disconnected technologies. Just because a device has technological capabilities, doesn’t necessarily mean we’re receiving a true smart home experience.
It’s estimated that the number of connected devices in existence is expected to grow to 20.4 billion by 2020, meaning pretty soon, your IoT devices could know more about your home than you do. However, what good is that knowledge if these devices aren’t connected to leverage it comprehensively across the entire house?
What we have right now are advanced, but disparate, technologies that allow users to make smart decisions more effectively. A truly cognitive home links sensing with actuation to provide an experience that is seamless, automated and takes the onus off of the consumer.
To make smart decisions, devices must be able to sense what’s going on in any given room and then automate the next action based on the interpreted context. However, if only one room has motion sensing capability, that won’t go very far for true home automation, which is why a mesh network is necessary to support IoT devices working together.
MESH NETWORK: THE SMART HOME’S PLUMBING
A mesh network in a home connects disparate Wi-Fi clients together. Our Aura WiFi Motion™ technology leverages the distributed access points of a mesh network for RF sensing to localize motion and provide context for the whole home.
As the number of IoT devices in a home grows, so will the resolution of the mesh network and therefore the ability to automate household settings and tasks with precision. RF sensing allows a home with Aura WiFi Motion to sense when someone enters or exits a room, and provides analytics to understand what the motion means or what action should be taken.
While we may not have achieved a truly smart home yet, we’re well on our way – through Cognitive’s technology, we’re a major step closer to connecting our devices for a cognitive, automated home.