Google has started testing a new smart home that it thinks we will all like. The company is setting up a model smart home in San Francisco that’s fully outfitted with every Google device and connected to some of the best smart home gadgets that we have seen yet. The demos were designed to give people a picture of just how such smart homes could look like. It highlighted an assortment of new features on Google Assistant that will actually be publicly available in the coming week. From recipe recommendations on smart displays in the kitchen to customized alarms for kids recorded by the voices of their favorite cartoon actors, this home simply has it all.
The house demo also offered a chance for us to see how Google sees the future of living. The idea of sleeping surrounded by devices would have been unimaginable a few years ago. But as the concept of smart homes continues to become more and more popular, a lot of peoples are starting to entertain this prospect. Voice Assistants, in particular, have really been striking accord with many homeowners. Several tech companies including Google, Amazon, and Apple have piloted and deployed smart home assistants. The companies are fighting for a share of this expanding smart home market and in the process, they are introducing new concepts and new features to the existing technology.
In the new model launched by Google in San Francisco, it looked like all the appliances were either connected to the Internet or plugged into a smart plug. The smart plug allows the homeowner to turn on and off the appliances using a voice command. There was also another feature that allows members of the home to communicate with each other from anywhere. For example, someone out for groceries or for work can send a message to people at home telling them that he or she will be back in say ten minutes. It’s more like a call you’d make when you want to keep someone updated on your whereabouts but instead of going through the traditional mobile phone, the message is broadcasted through speakers located in all parts of the home.
There are also new features on parenting. For instance, parents could easily ask Google Assistant to read their kids a bedtime story. But if you want to create magic during story time without losing the one on one communication with the kids, you can ask Google Assistant to play amazing background sounds as you tell the story.
There’s also the option of alarms that are customized specifically for kids. The model home allows you to set your phone on silent mode through voice commands as you go to sleep too. In the morning, the alarm will go off and in the process, it will trigger a routine. For instance, the coffee pot automatically starts as the speakers recite the top headlines of the day and the weather. This is a future that looked way too far a few years back but now we’re closer to it than ever, and the voice assistants will be at the center of this revolution.