Do We Really Need Smart Homes and Smart Bots?

December 12, 2018 – Josh Wardini, Editorial Contributor and Community Manager for Webmastersjury, is Portland, Oregon-based and works in human resource management for digital companies. His background is in both communication and community development. In today’s he discusses what is a growing phenomenon, smart homes, smartphones, and smart bots. I hope you enjoy this contribution and feel free to comment on the content.

Smart homes, smart bots, smartphones.

Everything seems to be getting a mind of its own nowadays. But do you need a Smart Home and a Smart Bot? Don’t they basically fulfill the same function? Hopefully, what follows will help you sort out the differences and assist you in a buying decision.

What is a Smart Bot?

A Smart Bot is a robot fitted with communication abilities. Humans and digital devices with a communication interface interact with it. Smart bots are equipped with artificial intelligence (AI). AI enables them to learn from both their environment and their experiences. Smart bots build knowledge this way and they don’t necessarily look like the humanoid robots of science fiction.

What is a Smart Home?

A Smart Homes contains a collection of smart devices including smart bots. A Smart Home is outfitted with sensors that communicate through the Internet or local wireless interfaces with you and the smart devices contained within and around it. Appliances in a Smart Home use the Wi-Fi network you may have installed for your computers and printers. And the products that make up a Smart Home also are increasingly equipped with AI enhanced features.

So Aren’t the Two Almost the Same?

On the surface, these smart inventions seem very much alike. But in fact their DNA and fingerprints differ. The Smart Home and Smart Bot both use AI but may use it differently. The smart appliances and equipment in a Smart Home are designed to perform within the constraint of their functions. The smart fridge still cools and the smart oven still cooks.

But Smart Bots or more than a basic appliance. They come with an AI on board that allows them to learn from the surrounding environment and through activities shown them. Smart Bots can interact with Smart Home appliances without humans present. That’s because they can talk to each other through the Internet or a local network interface. A Smart Bot can end up operating the smart appliances in your Smart Home.

Are These Technologies Nice to Have or Necessities?

For people with disability, or for an aging population, these technologies provide real value. If you need help with repeatable routine activities then a home outfitted with smart appliances makes sense. But if you need technology to learn from you about more complex tasks that may change over time, then Smart Bots may be a worthwhile investment.

Here are some Pros and Cons to Consider

Smart Home Pros

• currently, the devices and appliances to make a Smart Home are individually cheaper than buying a Smart Bot.
• there are millions of 3rd party apps and other types of support to choose from to enhance your Smart Home.
• service centers and after purchase help for smart appliances are readily available.

Smart Home Cons

• usefulness is dependent on the number of smart appliances and sensors installed in the home.
• owning one smart appliance doesn’t make for a Smart Home experience so you need to invest in many devices to achieve the Smart Home end result.
• getting all your smart components to communicate and interact may require you to hire someone with the expertise to make it all work.

Smart Bot Pros

• can be trained to perform sophisticated multi-step tasks.
• in many cases are generalists capable of being multipurpose.
• often are mobile and therefore can change locality as needed for different tasks within a home.
• can operate and function doing tasks whether smart appliances or other bots are present or not.

Smart Bot Cons

• individually are more expensive than many smart appliances and other Smart Home products.
• help with Smart Bots can be harder to find with fewer dealers, service centers and post-sale experts available when your bot isn’t doing what you need it to do.

This Town Is Big Enough For Both Of Them

You need to decide what your requirements are and then pick one of these technologies or both. They can co-exist and more than likely, in the not-too-distant future, Smart Homes will be run by a Smart Bot.