IoT, Internet of Things at the Salone del Mobile
Technologies based on the Internet of Things are used more frequently than one might imagine. The objects we use on a daily basis are often those that are based on this type of technology, which connects the objects of our daily lives to a device or directly to each other via an internet network.
A sensor that warns us if the window is open based on the room temperature detected by the thermostat, a video camera that sends us an email thanks to motion sensors and an app that manages the lighting in the house. These are some of the examples that can be given to explain the possibilities offered by the Internet of Things.
At the Salone del Mobile in Milan, several manufacturers took the opportunity to present the new technologies implemented in household appliances (browse the gallery here). The stand dedicated to new technologies, FTK (Technology For The Kitchen), is the focal point for these innovations, such as the app that allows simultaneous management of all the appliances in the home.
This platform is useful if we want to start the oven pre-heating from the office or switch on the dishwasher from the bedroom. Even the coffee machine can be controlled remotely with the possibility of creating a playlist of different coffees. Imagine you're having dinner with friends and everyone has different coffee preferences; thanks to the playlist, all you have to do is place the cup and the machine will start delivering the different drinks in sequence.
The integrated cameras are what we are most curious about: there is the fridge that takes a photo every time it is closed, which is sent directly to our device so we can consult it from the supermarket, or the oven whose door is a touch screen that allows us to watch the cooking situation without having to open it.
We have been following the Smeg case closely and the app that allows you to send commands to the oven and dishwasher directly from your tablet. Thanks to this platform it is possible to start the oven by simply selecting a recipe, which can be loaded quickly and easily, or send a washing programme to the dishwasher and monitor its consumption.
All these objects have in common that they use the Internet connection to be efficient.
Usability is at the heart of these types of applications that allow the user to understand the functionality of the appliance and make the most of it.
The technology applied to these kinds of products has a huge potential and more and more everyday objects will implement the use of connections through IoT.