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FEATURE TECH

TOP TIP If you have smart lighting, it’s important to leave wall light switches in the on position. If you turn them off, your lights won’t be smart.

What inspired you to embrace a smart home lifestyle? I use smart home devices to reduce my cognitive load, empower my children and automate some of the daily to-do list. During COVID home schooling, I set alarms to remind my children when classes were starting and alert them when it was time to eat and play. An interesting experience was observing my youngest child working very hard to articulate commands to the smart speaker. She practiced her syntax and pronunciation until the speaker did what she wanted, and she was thrilled when it worked. I also have lights that turn on and off at dawn and dusk, so that we never find ourselves sitting in the dark. The kids like to play games like quiz shows and musical chairs using the smart speakers. Oh, and we have a smart thermostat which has reduced our energy bills, too. What was the very first device you bought that started you on your smart home journey? A Google smart speaker. Which particular smart home ecosystem do you use? Google, Apple, SmartThings, LIFX. What are some of your favourite smart home devices, and how have they changed your daily routines? I think it’s more of a general sense of convenience. The lights are good because I enjoy being able to set lighting scenes and not have to think about it. Most recently, a smart sensor for our compost bin has helped us reduce our emissions from food waste, and produce high quality compost in four to-eight weeks for growing our own food. This has been very satisfying! Have you encountered any challenges setting up and integrating multiple devices into your home? Yes! Sometimes light bulbs just won’t behave. Sometimes older speakers just don’t want to connect. How has smart home technology influenced the way you interact with your home environment? The kids and I have very little energy for doing things "the hard way". If there’s a way to automate a chore or make a task more fun then we will always find it. Olivia Sackett is a Melbourne-based independent consultant in the data and AI industry, and an avid user of smart home tech. We asked Olivia about her smart home experience and the benefits of automated living. Smart living

routine can be easily set up by inputting a sequence of preset instructions: set a routine that opens the garage and front door when you arrive home, and turns off the lights and TV when its bedtime. 10. Expand and enjoy Once you’ve got a handle on how smart devices work in unison to make managing a household

8. Protecting your privacy Concerns over the security of your smart home network can be allayed by following easy steps like using strong passwords, changing a device’s default password and name, and installing system updates promptly. 9. Learn to set routines Smart home devices can be scheduled to activate and deactivate at certain times with a single command. An automated

so much easier, it’s time to open the floodgates and further simplify your domestic life with smart thermostat controls, a robot vacuum and lawnmower, a smart fridge and laundry, and automated roller blinds. Whatever part of the home you want to automate, there’s likely to be a smart device that’s right for the job, including smart tech to feed the dog!

Smarten up the nursery and keep a watchful eye on baby, wherever you are. These innovative baby care devices will reduce the stress of a constant vigil and give you the peace of mind that bub is safe and sound. Babies will toss, turn, and shift in the crib, and the eufy Baby Monitor can tilt, pan and Smart parenting

video streaming, this smart monitor will also alert you to any changes in temperature and noise levels within the room. Even a baby sock can be smart! The eufy Baby Smart Sock Monitor will keep track of real time sleep data,

Based on your own experiences, what advice would you give to someone who’s considering setting up a smart home? Buy a robot vacuum. I will never live without one again!

monitor heart rate and blood oxygen levels, and alert you when vital stats change or if baby slips off the sock.

zoom to follow their every move in crystal clear 2K resolution. As well as live feed

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