Decades ago, many magazine and journals would publish their thoughts on what the future would hold in terms of technology. By now, of course (according to many of those predictions), we should have flying cars, robots that cater to our every need and an array of other ill-thought out concepts that just never happened as quickly as some thought. In the near future, though, we can expect a lot of smaller changes and it is much easier to see what things will look like in 10 years than 20 or 50 years. For those who are wondering how technology will impact home life, this article will outline some of the very likely changes that we will see over the next decade.
The Yard and Driveway
One trend we have noticed picking up steam is the production of electric cars by a number of big-name manufacturers like Ford and Nissan. Having an electric car will become much more common in the next decade as prices come down and conventional fuel prices continue to increase. Some of the ideas that companies are considering revolve around charging panels installed directly into driveways, giving vehicles cordless charging capabilities. With the development and success of devices like the Roomba (probably the closest real thing to ‘in-home robot’ we have), expect similar devices that can mow your yard to begin surfacing within the next few years as well.
Bathroom Pleasures
Much of the technology that will become common in the bathroom will revolve around personalisation and energy efficiency. Low-flow water faucets and shower heads will become more common as technology begins to further monitor the amount of usage of water, and custom settings for water temperature and duration of shower will be able to be programmed into these devices, giving each person a more customised bathroom experience. As screens and computing power continue to skydive in price, expect a “control panel” of sorts that will provide basic information and stream television directly into the bathroom.
Living Room Comfort
Over the past decade or so, the living room has been the area of the home that has received the most renovations when it comes to technology. This trend is expected to continue over the next decade, as more and more media devices are introduced that give families even more access to data and entertainment. We expect that everyone will be able to control their televisions and media devices with their hands as opposed to remotes, televisions will develop more multimedia capacities (video calls, more sophisticated social networking integration) and most basic gadgets such as thermostats, wall outlets and even the basic wiring of the home will be designed with fully integrated tech in mind.
Over the next decade, many elements of the home will be revolutionized to give residents full access to all forms of technology the world has to offer. Newly constructed homes will take into account smart hard-wiring and construction, while homes built earlier (now) will take some time to catch up to all the integration that will soon be available. As the home is a reflection of the human being, our technological ambitions are slowly transforming where we live into what we do.
