Smart home technology is on the rise, but is this a good thing?
Did you know that in just four years time, more than 35 per cent of Australian households will be “smart homes”? That is, they will be run by automated technology. Did you also know the global smart home market is forecast to reach a value of more than $50 billion by 2020? That’s roughly seven million Australians living with a built-in, electronic servant.
No longer will you have to pick up the remote control to change the TV channel; or lean over in bed to switch off the lamp. The smart homes of the future will simply act on the sound of your voice.
Right now we have Alexa, Siri and goodness knows how many other vaguely female-sounding devices to do our bidding. But in the not too distant future, all of these apps will be rendered obsolete in favour of a more streamlined option, a mirror named “Embrace”.
According to the media release, Embrace is hung on a wall in your home, and looks like an ordinary mirror – that is, until, you command it to do something. You can also touch it, as you would if using your own smartphone, or indulging in a Tom Cruise Minority Report fantasy.
Embrace appears like any ordinary mirror. Photo: Embrace Smart Mirror
Feeling particularly lazy? Even gesturing towards it will activate it.
“You can use a simple voice command and touch to fill a bathroom with music and take a Skype video call hands-free at the drop of a hat,” says its inventor, Steven Baxt, founder of Smart Mirrors Pty Ltd.
What Steve is saying is that you shouldn’t let something as private as going to the toilet stop you from appearing at a work meeting, complete with your own soundtrack.
Speaking of meetings, you needn’t ever worry about missing one – your work calendar will be on full display in a large mirror in your family home!
Check your calendar on full display. Photo: Embrace Smart Mirror
Just imagine…
“Meetings can be scheduled and synchronised throughout all devices with Google Calendar. While in the bathroom, a smart plug connected to an electric kettle in the kitchen can be turned on through Wi-Fi and an app so the water is boiled and ready before the shower is even finished”, reads the media release.
“Walk down the hallway past another Embrace Smart Mirror and the screen will flash to life automatically and display unread emails along with the latest news headlines.”
Ever since I over-identified with the wicked stepmother in Snow White, I’ve always wanted a mirror to double as a servant slash frenemy.
Don’t say it can’t happen. If we’re already living in a world where smart technology is in full swing, how long will it be before we get to ask inanimate objects the truth about our lives?
Care to watch a video tutorial as you do your makeup? Photo: Embrace Smart Mirror
“Hi Embrace! Does my hair look OK like this?”
“Good morning, Natalie. Your hair is fine but you might want to cut down on the high-fructose snacks. I calculated your weight via the mattress sensors, cross-referenced it with a million different samples of women your age and concluded you’ve put on two kilograms overnight – more than the national average.”
“Embrace! That’s not very nice! It’s probably just water weight!”
“Natalie, according to the intuitive weighing system installed in your toilet bowl, this is incorrect. Your 157 followers on Instagram might not know you’ve been using two types of filters but you have a meeting with your manager next Monday at 9.30am Eastern Standard Time and according to your Google searches you want to make a good impression”.
“You know what? This conversation makes me want to eat last night’s pizza. Open the fridge door, Embrace.”
A mirror that doubles as a servant slash frenemy. Photo: Embrace Smart Mirror
Check-mate, Embrace! See, I can’t smash my servant/frenemy into a million bits and pieces or I’ll be locked out of my fridge forever. To say nothing of that soundtrack in the bathroom.
I know; I’m dooms-daying technology when what I should really be doing is understanding that technology is my friend. Why, look at the name of the mirror – Embrace! It doesn’t in any way insinuate an accelerated level of intimacy and eventual sentience.
So let me say: I embrace Embrace! And when I’m 75 years old and stuck in the bath because of my osteoporosis, brought on by a total lack of ordinary physical activity, I’ll be glad I had an Embrace installed to call the paramedics.