Issue link: https://resources.mouser.com/i/1442793
4 Home Automation 2018 When building my home back in 1990, home automation was limited in breadth and implementation. There were electric garage door openers, complete with wireless remotes, which I only installed on one of two garage doors (my wife's side, of course). Light timers were wonderful for conserving electricity, but also did a great job broadcasting that you were away from home. And we can't forget The Clapper ® , the pinnacle of Reagan-era home convenience devices. Then the internet happened, closely followed by smart phones. Micro-circuit communication devices got smaller, cheaper, and in the past 10 years, quite ubiquitous around the world. Home automation now encompasses any day- to-day repeatable process. The more adaptable a day-to-day process is, the more energy and cost savings homes can realize. Common applications of home automation are lighting control, security systems, HVAC, smart kitchen appliances, and lawn watering. Recently, the Internet of Things (IoT) has grabbed the attention of the home automation world. The IoT is generally defined as the connection of devices (other than smartphones and computers) to the internet. Automobiles, home appliances, and medical devices are just a few of the things that can all be connected through the IoT. Any distinctive net-connected device that can be monitored by a smartphone or similar device can claim to be an IoT device. As chips become smaller and more powerful, seemingly any energized product can be an IoT device. New Home Automation Protocols By Steven Schriber for Mouser Electronics "Home automation is quickly—no, quickly squared—showing up at any store you can buy home goods, building materials, cell phones, appliances—the list goes on. Two prevalent home automation protocols, Zigbee 3.0 and Bluetooth 5, are compared head-to-head to see how they stack up."