Today there is a new trend in home automation – Smart Lighting systems. Riding on the back of technological advancements in the domain of smart devices, new-age homeowners are now able to consider quite many smart lighting systems available in the market. Smart Home Lighting Control has the ability to be controlled by hand gestures, voice commands, mobile applications, or remote control devices. This gives the controlling power into the user’s hands which makes it easy to control the lighting system and also helps in reducing electricity consumption as unnecessary usage can be curtailed.
What is a smart lighting system?
Smart lighting comprises two devices – smart switches and smart bulbs. The smart bulbs can be fitted into the existing fittings. These smart bulbs can be altered in terms of luminosity, warmth, and color. These features can be controlled using mobile applications and pre-defined settings can be set as per the time of the day or the activity you are indulging in.
On the other hand, smart switches can be used in place of existing switches and these can be controlled using a remote. There is no need to change the existing light fittings to use smart switches but in this case, only limited features (such as color alteration or dimming) can be controlled.
How do smart lighting systems work?
Most of the smart lighting systems run on mesh networking where smart bulbs are interconnected to each other. A hub is used to control the entire network. This hub is connected to the internet router and can be paired with other devices (such as tablets or mobile devices) on the same network. These tablets or mobile devices are used to control smart bulbs. Some smart lighting systems can also be controlled from outside the confines of your home or office as these systems do not require a hub. Additional accessories like motion detectors or dimmer switches can also be added to the light settings. Users can create complex rules to control newer and modern devices so that particular lighting settings can be activated for particular activities. You can even trigger a flash of fancy colors through a notification on your smartphone.
Today even speaker systems (such as Google Home, Amazon Echo, and Apple Homekit) can be used to control the smart lights in your home or office. The speaker-controlled access allows the voice assistant to use voice commands which relays information to the smart lighting network installed. Most smart lighting systems are compatible only with Android and iOS-based smartphones. If you are using a smartphone with any other OS, you will have to either use alternate devices or wait for cross-compatibility to be activated with your OS.
What is the cost of installing a smart lighting system at home?
If your only goal of installing a smart lighting system at your home is to reduce costs associated with electricity consumption then you might get disappointed. Although, it has become quite cost-effective to install smart lighting systems at homes these days. Smart lights can vary greatly in their price although the cheapest you can buy will cost you $20.00 per bulb. The prices move upwards from this value. The cost of Home Lighting Automation Services for your entire home will be a big number although since the bulbs are LED, their life span is considerably longer and the long-term running costs outweigh the initial lighting costs.
Are smart lighting systems worth the cost?
Whether to install a smart lighting system at your home or not is a completely subjective choice. For cost-conscious people, normal LED lights will be more efficient as they significantly reduce the upfront installation expenses. For homeowners oriented towards getting a good experience, smart lighting systems will be wonderful.
Conclusion
Smart lighting systems have taken the world by storm and are being considered positively by homeowners around the world. It is worth giving it a shot as you have many options to choose from based on your preferences and budget.
