Smart Technology And High-Tech Homes Here To Stay

Smart technology and high-tech homes are here to stay. Around three-quarters of UK homes now feature at least one smart device, with a typical household owning three pieces of smart tech. It seems we love the ease of voice control, with 54% of houses in the UK featuring at least one smart speaker. We’re increasingly drawn to the benefits a smart home provides, with buyers willing to pay 6.5% more for a high-tech home. The younger generation is particularly concerned with tech, with 40% of Gen Z consumers admitting they want their next home to be smart.

The interest in smart homes has also exploded on social media, with the hashtag #smarthometechnology gaining 334,000 tags on Instagram and the hashtag #smarthome producing 10.5 billion views on TikTok.

But with all this focus on high-tech gadgets that make our lives easier and our homes better to live in, some of our favourite pieces of technology from beloved films still aren’t a reality! Fitted bedrooms installer and provider, The Sliding Door Wardrobe Company, share some of the best inventions we hope will become a reality in the future.

Key findings

Around three-quarters of UK homes now feature at least one smart device.

• 54% of houses in the UK feature at least one smart speaker. · Buyers are willing to pay 6.5% more for a high-tech home.
• 40% of Gen Z consumers say they want their next home to be smart.
• #smarthometechnology has 334,000 tags on Instagram.
• #smarthome has 10.5 billion views on TikTok.
• The average Brit owns a staggering 118 pieces of clothing – 26% of which we haven’t worn in over a year.
• Recent statistics reveal that fast fashion is responsible for 10% of global carbon emissions.
• Statistics show that 57% of us have concerns about our devices gathering personal information that is then shared with third parties.
• The UK throws away around 9.5 million tonnes of food waste every single year.
• 58.4% of Brits harbour concerns that artificial intelligence (AI) will make them more replaceable at work.
• A 2023 survey shows that 6% of Brits own a VR headset.
• Mark Zuckerberg’s much-anticipated Metaverse is predicted to gain a billion users by 2031.

Clueless – Cher’s wardrobe

Who wouldn’t want a wardrobe that automatically combines your items of clothing to create the perfect outfit? The average Brit owns a staggering 118 pieces of clothing and, even worse, we haven’t worn 26% of our clothing hauls in over a year! With recent statistics revealing that fast fashion is responsible for 10% of global carbon emissions, it’s time for us to give our clothing the love it deserves and make sure we re-wear each piece as much as possible. Cher’s wardrobe would make this goal infinitely easier, showing us what to pair with that brightly-coloured miniskirt we bought over a year ago or how to style out the fluffy jumper our grandparents bought us for Christmas.

Verdict

We definitely want this piece of fashion-inspired tech. Not only would it help us look effortlessly fabulous every day, it would help us re-wear our clothes and save them from languishing in the bottom of our wardrobes. https://www.instagram.com/p/CBJpawPnAnl/?img_index=1

1984 – Big Brother

Although Big Brother seems terrifying in the world of 1984, we do live with a version of this constant surveillance today. Our Alexas, Siris, Echos and other voice-controlled helpers are always listening out for a command or request for help. Worries about our smart devices ‘listening in’ are still very much present in today’s hyper-connected world. Statistics show that 57% of us have concerns about our devices gathering personal information that is then shared with third parties.

Thankfully, unlike Big Brother, your smart devices aren’t harvesting information with the intention of using it against you. Rather this data will be used to improve your user experience. Most devices will also be set up to listen out for specific operational keywords, known as wake words, such as ‘Hey, Siri’. Yes, your smart device is listening to you, but only so it can offer you targeted ads and help make your life easier.

Verdict

Despite some privacy concerns, most of us can testify that our voice-controlled devices have been useful in recent years. However, we’re hoping that some of this tech gets a little more advanced soon so we can avoid situations like this one, parodied by TikToker Benedict Townsend. https://www.tiktok.com/@benedicttown/video/7301402928609283361?lang=en If you still feel uncomfortable about your smart device ‘listening in’, there are several ways to disable this feature.

The Jetsons – the Foodarackacycle

While The Jetsons is technically a TV show, not a movie, we simply couldn’t leave The Foodarackacycle off our list! This brilliant invention allows our favourite cartoon family from the future to create a plateful of any food they desire at the simple click of a button. It not only streamlines the cooking process but leaves the family with next to no washing up! With the UK throwing away around 9.5 million tonnes of food waste every single year, we’re on board with any invention that could help us reduce this statistic. While we’re dubious as to the flavour of The Foodrackacycle’s creations, we would be willing to give this amazing invention a go if it ever becomes a reality.

Verdict

For anyone who hates cooking, or those who want to reduce their food waste, The Foodrackacycle is a no-brainer. Instant food and less waste for the planet? Sign us up! https://www.instagram.com/p/CA2cX_Gsmop/

M3GAN – the Model 3 Generative Android

A personal robot who not only responds to voice commands but can also keep your kids entertained and help them develop both their physical and emotional intelligence sounds tempting. But since watching the Model 3 Generative Android (or M3GAN for short) spiral out of control in the 2022 film, we’re not sure we would want one!

It seems humanoid robots in our homes might become a reality sooner than we think. In 2023, Cornwall-based company Engineered Arts unveiled their robot creation: Ameca. While not as advanced as the terrifying M3GAN just yet, Ameca is capable of winking, ‘thinking’ (pausing and looking up to the ceiling before delivering an answer) and is even on its way to being able to tell jokes! An article in The Guardian highlights our collective concerns around robots who don’t do as they’re told. Columnist Emma Beddington discovered her robot floor cleaner refusing to stick to its usual cleaning schedule and deciding to clean her home at strange times in the evening! It also regularly ignores her commands to return to its storage space and sits motionless in the corridor instead.

Verdict

Personal robots are a great idea in theory, as long as they don’t get out of hand like M3GAN! But with 58.4% of Brits harbouring concerns that artificial intelligence (AI) will make them more replaceable at work, we think it’ll be a while before these robots are accepted into the mainstream market. https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cl9aZUwOj58/

Don’t Worry Darling – virtual reality homes

This 2022 horror film explores the idea of an entirely virtual home (and life). While we’re definitely not on board with the creepy actions of Alice Chamber’s husband (played by Harry Styles), a virtual home we could escape to now and then would be great fun – as long as we didn’t also have to clean it!

The idea of a virtual home is a semi-reality today with the range of virtual reality (VR) headsets currently on the market. A 2023 survey shows that 6% of Brits own a VR headset, and if we focus only on 16–24-year-olds, this jumps to 9%.

It seems this kind of tech is here to stay, with Mark Zuckerberg’s much-anticipated Metaverse predicted to gain a billion users by 2031. The aim of this fully-immersive, online universe is to recreate human interaction and give us a space where we can experience life without physical boundaries. While this might sound strange, it’s definitely intriguing and we will be giving it a try when it does eventually launch.

Verdict

As long as we were able to leave our virtual creation whenever we wanted, we would be all in! Remember when your parents used to try and limit your computer time to an hour? We think that’s a very good rule to stick to when it comes to immersive reality – it could be easy to get lost in your virtual world. 

Whether your dream home of the future features sustainable food systems, fashion-friendly tech or is itself entirely virtual, we’re sure you’ll still be calling ‘Hey, Alexa’ if you need some quick answers. Whether Alexa will walk into the room as a humanoid personal robot, only time will tell.

Source : Sliding Door Wardrobe Company

Image : peshkov / iStockphoto.com / 1364192757

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