When the animated television show The Jetsons first aired in 1962 it showed a futuristic world of robots, flying cars and labour-saving devices. Nearly 60 years later we may not have flying cars just yet (although companies like Uber Elevate and Volocopter are currently testing models) but we certainly have some cutting edge appliances and devices that are transforming home life.
Home Automation
Using technology to automate or remotely control various household functions, such as window coverings, lights, watering systems, climate control, entertainment and security is one of the key features of a smart home. Home automation can have a variety of benefits, not only convenience and comfort, but it can also make your home more energy efficient, for example switching off lights when you don’t need them and closing the blinds on a hot day. Home automation systems are controlled via a smart device or remote control, and can be altered by a touch of a button, set to a timer, or can even be triggered by the environment. Another upside of home automation is that it can be customised to suit your lifestyle, from a simple keyless front door to a surround sound home entertainment system.
High tech kitchens
When it comes to saving time, improving convenience and keeping on top of supplies in the kitchen, new developments in refrigeration is where it is at. Samsung have recently launched the 2-Door Family Hub, packed with intuitive features and smart technologies. From revealing what’s inside with the swipe of two fingers on its touchscreen to being able to customise the home screen to suit your family’s needs, the new 2-Door Family Hub offers 656 litres of space with premium design and a fingerprint-resistant finish that is easy to keep clean. The 2-Door Family Hub also includes updated 5.0 software which includes enhancements to some of the most popular features such as the Meal Planner and Food Reminder apps. “We continue to innovate and redefine what stunning design and connectivity in the kitchen can provide Australian households through a continued expansion of the Family Hub range,” says Andrew Wand, Head of Home Appliances, Samsung Australia. “We know that the kitchen is the heart of the home for so many of our customers so that’s why it is so important that we provide the best in refrigerator design and smart technology across a range for sizes and formats. The matte black colour and sleek design has been popular in Australia and with the added features of Family Hub, like its interactive family board, the ability to see what’s inside your fridge, and endless entertainment, it’s the ultimate gateway to simple and modern connected living.”
Saving time in the laundry
While we are still waiting for an invention that takes dirty washing from the floor of the bathroom and delivers it clean and pressed to the wardrobe, there have been exciting developments made in washing machine and dryer technology that can save us time in the laundry. Samsung’s new Washing Machine and Dryer Simple UX Range has Artificial Intelligence Control, which allows the new Samsung washing machine to familiarise itself with user preferences to provide automatic suggestion of wash cycles on its display. Paired with a simple user interface, AI Control eliminates the need for users to scroll through cycles to find the right fit, or to input their individualised settings each time. The new range has premium design with personalised settings that can adapt to a person’s lifestyle via machine learning. It also ‘talks’ to the dryer so you can remove a load from the washing machine, put it straight in the dryer and via remote learning it will select the appropriate setting.
Smart Clean
With hygiene being such a major focus for 2020 and beyond, how we clean our home is also evolving. The new Samsung Jet Stick Vacuum and Clean Station is powerful, lightweight and with its HEPA Filtration system it is a really hygienic solution. But what is new for the industry is the Clean Station – the first contactless disposal of vacuum dust. The Clean Station uses air to extract the dirt and dust into the dustbin which stops it from releasing back into the air, offering an innovative end-to-end cleaning solution. A particularly important benefit if you have anyone suffering from asthma or allergies in your home.
Fresh Air
What 2020 has also shown us that is vitally important to our health going forward is air quality. While many of us are aware of the pollution in our modern lives, very few are aware that indoor air quality can be worse than outside air containing common airborne particles such as gases, dust, chemicals, bacteria and various odours that come with everyday lifestyles. Airborne particles can be 70x smaller than the diameter of a single strand of hair, with items smaller than 2.5 μm potentially having serious health consequences. Air Purifiers can capture up to 99.97% of ultrafine dust and bacteria in the home and they are constantly developing to improve air quality within the home. Samsung’s new range is designed specifically to purify air in all types of living spaces quickly and powerfully. For large rooms, the AX7500 and AX5500 utilise a 3-way air flow and dual power fan. The front air inflow draws in air from the front, which ensures it operates just as effectively even if it’s placed against a wall. It then goes through three distinct filters to offer a multi layered purification system that is designed to capture airborne particles, harmful gases and inhibits the spread of captured bacteria. Packed with intuitive features and smart technologies, the new Air Purifier range demonstrates Samsung’s industry-leading technology with modern design, to create meaningful solutions for real problems consumers face at home.
