This isn't about the current generation of "smart home" technology so much as the evolution and loss of mid-20th Century futurism. The article doesn't mention declines in optimism about...
This isn't about the current generation of "smart home" technology so much as the evolution and loss of mid-20th Century futurism.
The article doesn't mention declines in optimism about prosperity, increases in consciousness about environmental impact and sustainability, or even the sheer discomfort and discommodation of these artistically shiny metal and plastic palaces.
What would your ideal "home of the future" look like, and how would it be functionally different from the way you live now?
A major point that doesn't seem to be covered as well is general disenchantment regarding technology as a whole. People aren't as flabbergasted by newer technologies anymore. We've grown up around...
A major point that doesn't seem to be covered as well is general disenchantment regarding technology as a whole. People aren't as flabbergasted by newer technologies anymore. We've grown up around the tech and now know what is generally possible. It's a common, everyday part of life. We also know now how fragile that technology can be. It frequently doesn't work as intended, constantly causing headaches when all you want to do is perform a simple task. No one wants their home to become effectively non-functional because one little piece of the tech decides to crap out, or because the power suddenly goes out. The more tech there is, the more potential points of failure.
That tech will inevitably need servicing. You not only need to be able to afford the expensive tech, but that inevitable servicing. That servicing would need to be guaranteed to be quick, too, and people have learned from experience that on-call servicing is incredibly inconvenient (see: ISPs). Odds are that you would have a late-night loss of function as well, requiring you to wait until the morning (or pay an exorbitant fee for express service).
In short: we know that the tech is over-priced, we know that servicing it is both over-priced and inconvenient, and we know how error-prone the tech is. We can't trust any part of the system. It's only natural that we've begun to temper our expectations.
And that's part of why we're no longer looking at technologizing everything now, in the second decade of the 21st Century. We've learned to distrust the intrusiveness and covert power dynamics of...
And that's part of why we're no longer looking at technologizing everything now, in the second decade of the 21st Century. We've learned to distrust the intrusiveness and covert power dynamics of tools too complex for any one person to take apart and understand.
But if you go back to the rose-tinted Utopian view, what would you want?
I want the electronic home butler I was promised when I read science fiction. I want the voice-activated smart computer they showed me in Star Trek. Instead, we're offered data-collection devices...
But if you go back to the rose-tinted Utopian view, what would you want?
I want the electronic home butler I was promised when I read science fiction. I want the voice-activated smart computer they showed me in Star Trek. Instead, we're offered data-collection devices for profit-making corporations.
But, if there wasn't some big data-hungry profiteer sitting behind the device, I would love an in-home electronic butler. He would talk to me through speakers in the ceiling (one in every room), and he could activate anything in the house on my say-so. He would anticipate my moves and desires, so (for example) he could start the air-conditioning just before I get home from work on a hot day, rather than me having to set a timer. He could take phone calls and even screen them for me. He would remind me of appointments. He could control small mobile devices around the house that pick up mess, collect dirty laundry, and so on.
And he would not share any of my data with anyone. He would be my assistant, not some corporation's assistant.
This is why I'm watching the Mycroft project with half an eye. They might actually deliver on this promise.
If you could show me that a ‘smart’ device was not wide-area-network-connected, i.e., required a flash of ROM to update its software, or require a physical swap of a memory chip etc., then I’d be...
If you could show me that a ‘smart’ device was not wide-area-network-connected, i.e., required a flash of ROM to update its software, or require a physical swap of a memory chip etc., then I’d be fine with that. But too much software today is written assuming day-1 patches so they rely on a network connection so they can shove something unfinished out the door and just push fixes over the air. But, if, say, my home appliances could form a private mesh network and report their power consumption, or be programmed to respond in certain ways to events, I think that would be neat. There could even be safety measures, like a stove that could turn itself off after x unit of time if no human is in the room. Or a smart water valve that could shut off in case of a leak. But, asking different products of different vendors to adhere some kind of standard interface in a robust and secure manner is unlikely since vendors can’t even get internet standards and security right. Apple’s HomeKit seems interesting in this regard. I have a couple AC outlet adapters that are HomeKit compliant, but they have no sensors and the only I/O they can receive is on/off instructions, and I’m not convinced of the utility vs. privacy trade-off of anything fancier. They are only hooked up to some lights.
Z-wave is this local mesh you describe. Multiple companies adhering to a standard that doesn't have internet connectivity by design. I recommend a controller stick and Home Assistant on a local...
Z-wave is this local mesh you describe. Multiple companies adhering to a standard that doesn't have internet connectivity by design.
I recommend a controller stick and Home Assistant on a local server if you desire full local control.
On the contrary, Z-Wave is an open standard that many different companies have implemented, including GE for light switches, Kwikset for locks, and First Alert for Smoke Detectors. There are over...
On the contrary, Z-Wave is an open standard that many different companies have implemented, including GE for light switches, Kwikset for locks, and First Alert for Smoke Detectors. There are over 2400 Z-Wave products.
It seems to be an open standard in theory, but that standard is only implemented on chips from a small number of manufacturers: Silicon Labs and Mitsumi. I guess the reason why this looks like not...
It seems to be an open standard in theory, but that standard is only implemented on chips from a small number of manufacturers: Silicon Labs and Mitsumi. I guess the reason why this looks like not an ideal situation is, if Silicon Labs goes out of business (or is acquired by another organization who has no interest in Z-Wave), what happens to the alliance, and what happens to the community of smart-device manufacturers using those chips?
If you happen to be somewhat technologically savvy, tools like Home Assistant can be used to put together a completely local automated home. That's a bit different from what an 'assistant' like...
If you happen to be somewhat technologically savvy, tools like Home Assistant can be used to put together a completely local automated home.
That's a bit different from what an 'assistant' like Alexa or Google provide, but it is a fine option that avoids the potential issues of the third-party recording devices.
I don't trust the tech, unless it's open source and audit-able. But there's another concern: this is individual and perhaps home automation is actually more efficient and a bigger improvement when...
I don't trust the tech, unless it's open source and audit-able.
But there's another concern: this is individual and perhaps home automation is actually more efficient and a bigger improvement when it's done for a neighbourhood block? Maybe home automation is an infrastructure project like plumbing and electricity rather than something that individuals should be worrying about?
This isn't about the current generation of "smart home" technology so much as the evolution and loss of mid-20th Century futurism.
The article doesn't mention declines in optimism about prosperity, increases in consciousness about environmental impact and sustainability, or even the sheer discomfort and discommodation of these artistically shiny metal and plastic palaces.
What would your ideal "home of the future" look like, and how would it be functionally different from the way you live now?
*Minor edits for duplicate phrasing.
A major point that doesn't seem to be covered as well is general disenchantment regarding technology as a whole. People aren't as flabbergasted by newer technologies anymore. We've grown up around the tech and now know what is generally possible. It's a common, everyday part of life. We also know now how fragile that technology can be. It frequently doesn't work as intended, constantly causing headaches when all you want to do is perform a simple task. No one wants their home to become effectively non-functional because one little piece of the tech decides to crap out, or because the power suddenly goes out. The more tech there is, the more potential points of failure.
That tech will inevitably need servicing. You not only need to be able to afford the expensive tech, but that inevitable servicing. That servicing would need to be guaranteed to be quick, too, and people have learned from experience that on-call servicing is incredibly inconvenient (see: ISPs). Odds are that you would have a late-night loss of function as well, requiring you to wait until the morning (or pay an exorbitant fee for express service).
In short: we know that the tech is over-priced, we know that servicing it is both over-priced and inconvenient, and we know how error-prone the tech is. We can't trust any part of the system. It's only natural that we've begun to temper our expectations.
I simply don't trust the technology. I wouldn't even be comfortable having Alexa in my house.
I unplugged my mic years ago and haven't looked back, let alone having a webcam, fuck that shit
And that's part of why we're no longer looking at technologizing everything now, in the second decade of the 21st Century. We've learned to distrust the intrusiveness and covert power dynamics of tools too complex for any one person to take apart and understand.
But if you go back to the rose-tinted Utopian view, what would you want?
I want the electronic home butler I was promised when I read science fiction. I want the voice-activated smart computer they showed me in Star Trek. Instead, we're offered data-collection devices for profit-making corporations.
But, if there wasn't some big data-hungry profiteer sitting behind the device, I would love an in-home electronic butler. He would talk to me through speakers in the ceiling (one in every room), and he could activate anything in the house on my say-so. He would anticipate my moves and desires, so (for example) he could start the air-conditioning just before I get home from work on a hot day, rather than me having to set a timer. He could take phone calls and even screen them for me. He would remind me of appointments. He could control small mobile devices around the house that pick up mess, collect dirty laundry, and so on.
And he would not share any of my data with anyone. He would be my assistant, not some corporation's assistant.
This is why I'm watching the Mycroft project with half an eye. They might actually deliver on this promise.
If you could show me that a ‘smart’ device was not wide-area-network-connected, i.e., required a flash of ROM to update its software, or require a physical swap of a memory chip etc., then I’d be fine with that. But too much software today is written assuming day-1 patches so they rely on a network connection so they can shove something unfinished out the door and just push fixes over the air. But, if, say, my home appliances could form a private mesh network and report their power consumption, or be programmed to respond in certain ways to events, I think that would be neat. There could even be safety measures, like a stove that could turn itself off after x unit of time if no human is in the room. Or a smart water valve that could shut off in case of a leak. But, asking different products of different vendors to adhere some kind of standard interface in a robust and secure manner is unlikely since vendors can’t even get internet standards and security right. Apple’s HomeKit seems interesting in this regard. I have a couple AC outlet adapters that are HomeKit compliant, but they have no sensors and the only I/O they can receive is on/off instructions, and I’m not convinced of the utility vs. privacy trade-off of anything fancier. They are only hooked up to some lights.
Z-wave is this local mesh you describe. Multiple companies adhering to a standard that doesn't have internet connectivity by design.
I recommend a controller stick and Home Assistant on a local server if you desire full local control.
Neat! I had never heard of this! It sounds like it’s been passed around to a few different companies, though, and support is not very wide-ranging.
On the contrary, Z-Wave is an open standard that many different companies have implemented, including GE for light switches, Kwikset for locks, and First Alert for Smoke Detectors. There are over 2400 Z-Wave products.
If you're interested in checking it out further, here is a repository of certified Z-Wave products:
https://products.z-wavealliance.org/
It seems to be an open standard in theory, but that standard is only implemented on chips from a small number of manufacturers: Silicon Labs and Mitsumi. I guess the reason why this looks like not an ideal situation is, if Silicon Labs goes out of business (or is acquired by another organization who has no interest in Z-Wave), what happens to the alliance, and what happens to the community of smart-device manufacturers using those chips?
If you happen to be somewhat technologically savvy, tools like Home Assistant can be used to put together a completely local automated home.
That's a bit different from what an 'assistant' like Alexa or Google provide, but it is a fine option that avoids the potential issues of the third-party recording devices.
I don't trust the tech, unless it's open source and audit-able.
But there's another concern: this is individual and perhaps home automation is actually more efficient and a bigger improvement when it's done for a neighbourhood block? Maybe home automation is an infrastructure project like plumbing and electricity rather than something that individuals should be worrying about?
Anyone else seen Beth Flanagan's O'Reilly talk? It's my default answer for these things.
Yes, Your Refrigerator Is Trying to Kill You.