In today’s world of smart devices, nearly everything in your home can be controlled and operated with just the sound of your voice. With this new “hands off” technological shift, we wanted to give you some ideas on how you can voice-control your home going forward.
1) Purchase an Amazon Echo.
This wonderful little Alexa-controlled speaker allows you to power many of the smart devices in your home with simple voice commands. It’s also easily compatible with Control4 smart systems which can really make your systems “hands free.”
There’s no longer any need to pull out your smartphone when you want to change some of the settings in your house. Instead, you can simply tell your Echo what you want and it will take care of it.
Many companies are now building Echo-compatible smart devices which can be operated directly through your Echo speaker. And the best part is that this trend shows no signs of slowing down, so if you’re looking to start creating a smart home, an Echo is a great first step.
2) Install smart light bulbs.
When it comes to voice activation, light bulbs make your job easy as well. With smart bulbs like those from Philips Hue, simply tell your Echo to turn certain lights on or off. No more having to walk across the room and turn them on manually.
With smart lights, you can also choose from certain preset combinations of colors in the bulb to give your room a certain atmosphere. These lighting systems can also be customized with Control4 technology to be tailored to any room or ambiance you can imagine. With lights like this, actual light switches may soon become a thing of the past…
3) Voice activate your thermostat.
Recent smart thermostats like the Nest allow you to set the temperature with a simple voice command. And in addition to being voice activated, with each command your smart thermostat learns more and more about your habits and begins scheduling your desired temperatures at certain times automatically.
For a truly personalized design, smart thermostats can also be integrated into an entire climate controlled system utilizing the latest in Control4 smart home solutions.
4) Add smart locks.
Home security is another area where Control4 smart technology is changing the game. You can now install voice activated door locks around your home in addition to being able to monitor them with your smartphone. With these locks, you’ll never again have to spend your morning commute worrying if you forgot to lock up before you left.
5) Voice activate your entertainment.
How about being able to tell your Echo to turn your TV on and off or adjust the volume whenever you’d like? With the Logitech Harmony remote you can do just that. Couple this with Control4 voice-activated lights and hidden speakers and you’ve got a real smart theatre right in your home.
These are just a few examples of the ways you can voice-control the smart systems in your home. To learn more, contact us below and let us know what kind of smart home project you have in mind.