Is Africa really backward? Or is the continent a victim of a one-sided media representation? What if we told you there are smart homes in Nigeria, what will be your reaction? These questions will plague the mind of anyone privileged to visit certain neighborhoods in Africa. The neighborhoods we are talking about are comparable to Beverly Hills and Bell Air residential neighborhoods in the US.
Victoria Island and Banana Island in Lagos, Nigeria, attest to the wealth and splendor of the continent. It is common to see first-timers gasp in wonder watching the display of wealth as each edifice tries to outdo the other. But, the feeling of euphoria from seeing these magnificent edifices from the outside, dulls in comparison to what is inside.
In recent years, the proliferation of smart home technologies has shifted our perspective on what a home should look like. There are different levels of smart homes. While some smart homes can only boast of security features, there are smart homes in Nigeria that are taking it to the next level. Today, we’ll give you a peek into smart homes in Nigeria. Below are some of the features of smart homes in Nigeria.
#1. Voice-activated Smart Home Assistant
Perhaps, this is one of the most intriguing features of smart home technologies. The voice-activated home assistant helps you to control other smart home gadgets with your voice. Many people may be familiar with this feature on their android and apple devices.
You can now give commands to your home in the same way you give commands to your phone using either Siri or Google Assistant. Top on the list of smart home assistants in Nigeria is Google and Alexa. However, these assistants require a smart hub which is a device that connects all your other smart home gadgets together.
#2. Smart Hubs
Smart hubs are what enable voice-activated automation in a smart home. Needless to say, the Nigerian smart home industry spots some of the smartest smart hubs in the market. These are the Amazon Echo and the Google Nest Hub. Each of these smart hubs has its own uniqueness. While the Amazon Smart hub offers a wider variety of automated 3rd party controls, Google smart hubs have the backing of Google’s large data pool.
Many Nigerian smart homeowners opt for Google smart hubs since it works seamlessly with most android smartphones. This makes it very easy to control your smart home using Google Assistant on your android phone. As the brain of all smart homes, the smart hubs connect to and control other smart features available in any smart home.
#3. Automated Door Locks with Facial Recognition
Another impressive smart feature found in smart homes in Nigeria is automated door locks. But we are not just talking about doors equipped with motion sensors. These smart doors have facial recognition, voice recognition, and fingerprint recognition technology. The voice recognition is synchronized with the personal assistant used whether it is Alexa or Google Assistant.
This enables the visitor to communicate with the homeowner easily. The camera used for facial recognition also doubles as a security measure. It sends a picture of the visitor directly to the homeowner’s phone. If it is a regular visitor, the system can easily recognize the face and even call out the name of the visitor during the next visit.
#4. Motion-Activated Camera
Motion-activated cameras aren’t that new and are being in use in many homes. However, with the advent of artificial intelligence, motion-sensing cameras are now capable of tracking movements. The camera is activated when there is a movement within the Geo-fencing zone. With the ability to rotate freely about its pivot, the camera is able to follow trace the source of motion. This information is also sent across to the homeowner in real-time.
#5. Smart Lighting
Motion sensing lights installed outside the house serve as an extra layer of security. They automatically turn on whenever any movement is detected within the premises. This feature conserves energy since the lights don’t have to be on all night as is the case with many other security light fittings.
#6. Automated Media Control and Home Ambiance
Control your television easily from the comfort of your couch by simply speaking to the Voice assistant. The range of commands differs and depends on the time of assistant and smart hubs in use. You can set your tv to be turned on immediately you step into the house and even preset a particular channel or music to be played if you want to.
An additional feature that many Nigerian smart homeowners use alongside media control is ambient light control. This smart feature can be used to set the perfect scene for any occasion like a date (romantic atmosphere) or movie night (cinematic atmosphere)
#7. Automated Home Gadgets
Nothing says smart home like fully autonomous gadgets capable of carrying out specific commands without any assistance. Common smart gadgets found in Nigerian smart homes are vacuum cleaners, water heaters, and air conditioning units.
Smart vacuum cleaners can be programmed by the homeowner from anywhere with just a click of a button. You can also specify areas you need to be cleaned and the device will intelligently avoid tripping wires and any other obstacle on its path.
Iniobong Uyah
Culled from africanvibes
