Most of us have had to pick our jaws off the floor because of technology at some point in our lives – the first time we held a remote control, received an email, put on a VR headset…the list goes on.
So we should’ve been more prepared when we were invited to check out a Home Automation system, something that sounded far less cool than the reality we were presented with.
This Smart Home in Mae Jo is the Show House for iControl, which all sounds terribly fancy (and is), but to leave the tech-talk behind for now, is essentially a house which has orchestrated all of its devices – thermostat, lights, audio speakers, TVs, security cameras, fans, locks, appliances, even blinds, so that with the press of a button, you can both set and control the mood, temperature, lights, security and all the bells and whistles within your home.
As we arrived, the gates swung open and the driveway lights came on; closing and turning off in a most environmentally responsible manner as we passed through. The front door unlocked at our approach, closing safely and securely once we had all come inside. We found ourselves walking into an empty home which looked as though it had just been set up to welcome us; the lighting was sexy, and the music as chilled as the temperature.
We soon realised that every space in the house had all of its devices activated by voice control (thanks Alexa!). As we wandered around, our host issued commands, which the house — like a genie — responded to immediately. At one point our host talked into his smart watch, et voila!, the outside pool fountain began to gurgle then gush its way to the skies as red, blue and green pool lights started to dance in sync. He explained that apart from voice activation, there were discreet control pads in all rooms and when he is away he simply uses his smart phone to control the house or check up on his CCTV stream.
Instead of wandering around the house turning off all of the switches every night before bed…then groggily doing the reverse process again each morning, you can either pre-set timers for pre-programmed settings, or make one simple command to your genie and your house will obey. Let’s say you bring some friends home for an impromptu late night party. With one press of a touchpad, the scene is set; lights are dimmed, shades are drawn, air-con is on and your favourite playlist pipes through the speakers…leaving your hands for such important tasks as shaking those cocktails. If you are looking for a cosy night in with your sweetheart, then the true 7.2 surround home theatre system, similarly controlled in the same way through your touchscreen or iPad, could line up your favourite movie, draw the curtains, dim the lights and all you have to do is lie back, snuggle up and get carried away to a Hollywood fantasy world.
While a smart home may still be a dream for many of us, similar to the ubiquitous remote control, one day in the near future, most homes will have integrated some type of automation system into it. So why not get ahead of the curve?
As the gate swung shut behind us and the lights dimmed in farewell, leaving us to find our way back to the city, we couldn’t help but be a tad envious of the thought of how marvellous it would be with summer just around the corner, to be able to leave work and have a cool and welcoming home to return to after a long hard day, so that all you have to do is get home, kick off your shoes and start watching your favourite TV channel.
iControl is the first company here in the north to offer such an integrated and sophisticated technology and the best part is that you can request a viewing so you can see, and feel, for yourself what the house can do.
iControl are approved dealers for Control4®, the global leader in Whole Home Automation Systems, and there is no better time than now to start smarting up your house. In practical terms, whether you are building a new home or wishing to retrofit your existing home, iControl products are not off the shelf, but bespoke, so each Smart Home will be designed to suit your particular needs.
Control all this in your home from your fingertips.
- Home Theatre
- Multi Room
- AudioMulti Room
- VideoSmart
- LightingVideo
- IntercomShades & BlindsAir
- Conditioning
- CCTV Cameras
- Alarms and Sensors Door
- Locks access control
The show house is in Mae Jo Chiang Mai — contact iControl for an appointment to view and experience the latest that the future has to offer.
Contact Details:
Facebook: icontrolsmarthomes
Website: icontrolsmarthomes.com