Illustrated Guide to Smart Home Basics and Mechanisms | Smart Home Special Vol. 2 | NEXTY Electronics, an Electronic Components and Semiconductor Trading Company

Vol.2

Illustrated guide to the basics and mechanisms of smart homes

This article can be read in 7 minutes.
This column will introduce how to use smart home appliances in line with new lifestyles, security measures, simple setup methods, and more, offering tips for living a comfortable and safe life. It also provides technical explanations of the latest smart home technology, aiming to provide information to a wide range of users, from beginners to advanced users.
This book explains not only the history of the development of smart homes, but also basic knowledge and mechanisms in an easy-to-understand and simple manner using illustrations.

Smart Home Overview

First, we will explain the concept and mechanism of smart homes, their history, and future development directions.

IoT

"IoT" is an abbreviation for Internet of Things, which means "Internet of Things" in Japanese. It is a system in which physical devices and sensors connected to the internet collect data and communicate with each other. This enables collaboration and automation between devices.
IoT is used in a variety of fields, including industry, medicine, and transportation. In Japan, it is currently attracting attention in connection with Connected Industries, which is being promoted by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, and Society 5.0, which is being advocated by the Cabinet Office.

Smart Home

"Smart Home is a branch of the IoT domain that uses internet-connected devices and systems to automate and remotely control various functions and equipment within the home, improving the comfort, safety, and energy efficiency of the living environment.

The history of smart homes

Smart homes may seem like a recent technology, but the development of this technology began 80 years ago.

How a smart home works

In this section, we will use a diagram to explain how a smart home works.
By reading this together with the examples below, you will be able to understand the full picture of a smart home.

Examples	Automatic air conditioning control
request	Automatic control of air conditioning is achieved under the following conditions: Temperature > 28°C ⇒ Cooling operation, Temperature < 18°C ⇒ Heating operation Operate for a year, record power consumption, and visualize it Weather forecast information can be used to predict power usage for a certain period of time (for example, one week) in advance.

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Steps	Explanation
Information acquisition	TEMPERATURE SENSORS ^(*) acquires the temperature as digital data. Currently, TEMPERATURE SENSORS are installed in many devices (such as smart LOUDSPEAKERS and air conditioners).
Data Transfer	The data obtained from the sensor is transferred to the Internet via a gateway ^(1) ^(2). 1 The gateway acts as a bridge between devices and between devices and the cloud. 2 Please be aware that there are various communication standards for devices, and some combinations may not work properly.
Data Retention and Processing	The data transferred in real time is stored and checked in the cloud. If the temperature is outside the range of 18°C to 28°C, it will send a command to the air conditioner. The accumulated data can be visualized using a dashboard, etc., and can be viewed from anywhere via the Internet. Using AI models, it is possible to learn weather information data and past power usage data and predict future power usage.
Control and Automation	The gateway receives commands from the cloud and reflects them on the air conditioner, enabling device control.

Smart home technology elements

We will provide a comprehensive explanation of the main technological elements that support smart homes.

Sensing Technology

Sensing technology refers to the technology that detects the physical environment and conditions and acquires them as digital data.
In the case of smart homes, information such as room temperature, humidity, and brightness is collected as data and used to control and automate home appliances, making devices smarter.
Here we introduce some commonly used sensors in smart homes.

Types	Explanation
TEMPERATURE SENSORS	THERMISTORS, RTDs, thermocouples, etc. are used to measure temperature.
HUMIDITY SENSORS	There are capacitance type and electrical resistance type, and they measure humidity in the air.
Presence sensor	Infrared (PIR), ultrasonic, microwave, and camera-based detection of human presence and movement
PRESSURE SENSORS	There are resistive film type, electrostatic capacitance type, piezoelectric element type, etc., and they measure pressure
PHOTOSENSORS	There are mainly transmission and reflection types, and they measure the intensity and wavelength of light.
Sound sensor	It has microphones and ULTRASONIC SENSORS that detect sound waves.
Chemical Sensors	Gas sensors and pH sensors are available to detect specific chemical substances.

Network Technology

Smart home networking technology is a key element in enabling communication between devices, which send and receive data using a variety of communication protocols and network technologies.
We will introduce technologies that are currently widely used in smart homes and IoT.

PAN technology	Short-range communication, low power consumption, mainly used in smart home and wearable devices
LAN technology	High-speed communication, wide range, used for smart homes and industrial IoT
WAN technology	Used for wide-area communications, mobility support, smart cities, and remote monitoring
OTHERS	Short-range communication technology specialized for specific applications

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communication technology	Communication Standards	Explanation
PAN (Personal Area Network)	Bluetooth	Overview: A short-range wireless communication technology primarily used for direct communication between devices Applications: Wearable devices, smartphones, headsets, smart home devices, etc. Features: Low power consumption (especially Bluetooth Low Energy), short range (several meters to several tens of meters)
	Zigbee	Overview: A low-power, low-data-rate wireless communication protocol. Applications: Smart home, industrial automation, healthcare devices, etc. Features: Low power consumption, can form a mesh network to expand the communication range between devices
	Z-Wave	Overview: A wireless communication protocol designed for smart home devices Applications: Smart home devices (lighting, security systems, thermostats, etc.) Features: Low power consumption, mesh network support, high reliability
LAN (Local Area Network)	Wifi	Overview: High-speed, wide-range wireless communication technology Applications: Smart home devices, security cameras, smart appliances, etc. Features: High data rate, wide range (tens to hundreds of meters), easy internet connection
	Ethernet	Overview: Wired communication technology provides high-speed, stable communication Applications: Industrial IoT, smart home hub devices, etc. Features: Fast, stable, secure
	Thread	Overview: Wireless communication protocol that forms a mesh network with low power consumption Applications: Battery-powered devices and devices requiring low power consumption (e.g., smart lighting, sensors, etc.) Features: Supports mesh networking, expands communication range between devices, low power consumption
WAN (Wide Area Network)	Cellular (4G/5G)	Overview: Wide-area communication technology using mobile phone networks Applications: Vehicle telematics, remote monitoring, smart city applications, etc. Features: Wide range, high data rates (especially 5G), mobility support
WAN (Wide Area Network)	LoRaWAN	Overview: Wireless communication technology characterized by long-distance communication and low power consumption Applications: Smart cities, agriculture, industrial IoT, etc. Features: Long range (several kilometers to tens of kilometers), low power consumption, low data rate
OTHERS	RFID (Radio Frequency Identification)	Overview: Technology for identifying objects using wireless communication Applications: Logistics, asset management, inventory management, etc. Characteristics: Passive RFID tags do not require POWER SUPPLIES and are short-range
	NFC (Near Field Communication)	Overview: A short-range wireless communication technology, primarily used for direct communication between devices Applications: Mobile payments, Access control, data exchange, etc. Characteristics: Non-contact, short distance (a few centimeters)
	Matter	Overview: Technology that standardizes communication between devices using existing communication technologies Uses: Improve interoperability between smart home devices Features: Interoperable, secure, scalable

Cloud Technology

Cloud technology is the storage, processing, and management of data on remote servers over the internet.
The uses of the cloud are summarized below, but as the functions of the cloud are evolving every day, it is providing strong support for the development of smart homes and IoT.
Cloud platforms for IoT such as AWS IoT, Google Cloud IoT, and Microsoft Azure IoT are widely used.

Purpose	Explanation
Data Storage	Efficiently store the large amounts of data collected from devices. Cloud storage is scalable and flexible enough to accommodate data growth.
Data Processing	It processes data in the cloud in real time and provides analytical results. This allows for quick decision making.
Data Sharing and Access	Cloud technology makes it easy to share data between devices and systems in different locations.
Security and Backup	Cloud services offer advanced security features and automatically back up your data.

Data analysis technology

Data analysis techniques are used to analyze collected data and extract useful information and insights.
Data analytics tools such as Apache Hadoop, Apache Spark, Tableau, and Power BI are widely used.

Processing content	Explanation
Data Preprocessing	Clean the collected data and remove noise. It also normalizes data and imputes missing values.
Data analysis	We analyze data using machine learning algorithms and statistical methods. This allows us to discover patterns and trends and build predictive models.
visualization	The analysis results are visualized as graphs and dashboards and provided to decision makers.
Real-time analytics	Analyze data from devices in real time, enabling immediate feedback and action.

AI technology

AI technology (artificial intelligence technology) is a technology that enables computers to learn, reason, and make decisions like humans.
In smart homes, AI technology plays a key role in data analysis and automation.
AI FRAMES such as TensorFlow, PyTorch, and Scikit-learn are widely used.

Types	Explanation
Machine Learning	Algorithms learn from large amounts of data and build predictive models. This enables anomaly detection and predictive maintenance.
Deep Learning	This is an advanced machine learning technology that uses neural networks and is used for image recognition, voice recognition, etc.
Natural Language Processing (NLP)	This technology analyzes text data and understands its meaning. It is used in chatbots and voice assistants.
Reinforcement learning	This technology learns optimal behavior through trial and error and is used in robotics and self-driving cars.

Summary

How was it?
A variety of technologies are used in smart homes, which feel familiar to us.
Technical challenges remain, particularly in the areas of communications and the cloud. For example, there are the complexities of registering and configuring devices, the barriers to interoperating with other platforms, and security issues with communications and the cloud. To address these challenges, technologies such as a cloud service platform for IoT and the unified communications standard for devices, "Matter," have emerged.
With "Matter" at its core, smart homes are expected to continue to evolve and help people live richer lives.