High-tech HomesBy: Jose Alvarez, Elise MacGuidwin, Peter Bruen, Mike Wood

Objectives

• Introduce the high-tech home technology.

• Discuss specific gadgets within high-tech

homes.

• Discuss “green” high-tech homes.

• Evaluate potential drawbacks and risks.

• Forecast industry growth and the strategy to

succeed of one particular company.

History of Houses

•The first brick house was built before 7,500 BC.

•In 1880 electricity was first introduced to houses.

•In 1914 air conditioning is first introduced to houses.

•In 1987 homes have access to the internet for the first

time.

•In 1997 the internet access in houses becomes wireless.

•So what’s next?

The House of The Future

•http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9DJr8QwgLEA

• Worth about $26 million.

• Most of these technologies already available for home

installation.

• The rest are about 1 to 2 years away.

• Time Magazine: “50 Best

Inventions of 2011”

• Can check:

o weather

o calendar

o email

o news

o health

• Suggests tips about grooming,

hygiene, and fashion

http://brianhouse.net/works/reveal/

Magic Mirror

Virtual Dressing Module

• Allows you to select

outfits and

accessories

• Outfits are projected

onto your image

• The outfit moves

with you

The New Dining Room • Tell Table:

o Uses Microsoft Surface

technology

o Educational use

o Sharing purposes

Connects to your

Windows Phone

• Digital Picture

Frames

o Pictures

o Videos

Technology in Wallpaper and Kitchens

• Many people are using

technology to take their

homes in a “green” direction

• Levels of “green” can range

from a few gadgets, to

monitoring systems, to

complete customization

Eco-Homes

• Extreme example of

an “Eco home”

• Generates 5x the

energy it consumes

• Moves with the sun

The Heliotrope

• Nexus EnergyHomes includes iPads used

for regulating house functions in the

sales of their homes

• Monitor and control energy use

Energy Conservation

• Climate Control

• Lighting Control

• Breaks the home into

“strategic circuits” for

easy energy monitoring

• Mobile alerts/updates

available

• “Net Zero” homes are

the goal

Nexus EnergyHomes

• Bi-Annual college

competition to build the

“greenest” home

• Different colleges used

different technologies to

adapt to their

environments including...

“Solar Decathlon”

• Using ice as A/C

• Solar Panels

• Recycled Building Materials

• Water Reuse/Rain Capture

• “Living” Walls

• Monitoring via Mobile Device

• Limited availability

• High upfront costs

• Reliance on technology

• Constantly evolving technology might

render home “obsolete”

• Not a guaranteed “break-even”

Potential drawback to Eco-

Homes

• Hacking high-tech homes not very difficult.

• Hackers can access locks, cameras, lights, even toilets.

• Daniel Crowley, a Managing Consultant for SpiderLabs said ““It’s a

pretty bad scene. We looked over somewhere in the range of 10

products and only found one or two that we couldn’t manage to

break. Most didn’t have any security controls at all.”

• Unintentional malfunctions.

• Villanova dorm app CBORD Mobile ID.

Security

• The market for high tech homes is predicted to be worth about $2.5 billion in just

a few years.

• By the end of 2014 9.3% of homes in America will be automated.

• Logically this has pushed many large companies to jump in:

•Time Warner Cable

•Verizon

•Lowe’s

•Sears

•AT&T

• Competition will reduce prices and lead to more inventions. Both expanding the

market and increasing market share will require companies to address issues like

pricing.

Industry

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJiyJD9O6aI

AT&T Digital Life

• new campaign started last year, recently major advertising push

• set to compete with established security providers

o ex: ADT, LifeShield

• also added benefits outside of security realm including:

o water package

o energy package

o door package

o camera package

The Basics

Market Availability

• smart homes have often been seen as luxury, bringing to the masses

• set up just like a cell phone package

• monthly service charge and installation fee

o prices vary depending on plan

• not overly expensive, manageable for most families

• allows for access at home and on the go through

smartphone

Bringing Smart Homes Mainstream

• turns smartphone into all purpose “remote” that controls all aspects of

the home

• ability to set up programs to automate series of actions, schedule tasks

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SU8PDySrKok

The Digital Life Application

1. Do you think that AT&T and other companies will be successful in

bringing smart homes to the average homeowner through their Digital

Life campaign?

1. Would you invest in new green technology in hopes of being

environmentally friendly/saving money over the long term, even though

there may be a financial risk?

1. How do you think life would change if you lived in a high tech home? Is it

a positive or negative change?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8SC6bny1SA

Discussion Questions