Smart Home Device Types Explained

When stepping into the world of smart home technology, there are quite a few things to take in. Most fundamental is the question of what technology is out there to help me in my daily life? This post intends to call out the various Smart Home technology devices available and how, in general, you might be able to use them. We’ll walk through the different Smart Home platforms, the types of input devices and output devices.

Platforms

Throughout our website, you will read about three main Smart Home Platforms. Amazon Alexa, Google Home, and Apple Homekit. A smart home platform is an interface and communication front end to your smart home devices, similar to how you would think operating systems like Windows 10 or Mac OS X, iOS vs. Android. Some applications can work across operating systems, such as Microsoft Word, or Google Chrome. Likewise, multiple Output devices that can work cross-platform (More on output devices later) This is less to the truth with input devices as most are made directly by the platform manufacturer. Today, SmartHomeGeek has a strong preference for Amazon’s Alexa platform because of the ease of entry, affordability, and sheer quantity of available input and output devices.

Input Devices

You can think of Input Devices like a mouse to your control computer or a microphone to your Smart Home. They enable you to interface with your smart home technology. Fundamentally, input devices allow for commands via speaking, touching, or are monitor generated resulting in output or action. Input devices are segregated into two types. Platform and Monitoring.

Platform Input Devices

Platform Input Devices include stand-alone pieces of hardware such as the Echo Family, Google Home, or Apple Homepod. These devices are often also a smart speaker capable of playing music, podcasts, or providing weather info. Top Platform Input devices include:

• Alexa – Echo & Echo Show
• Google – Google Home
• Apple – Apple Homepod

Input devices can also include other ancillary hardware including smartphones, streaming devices, and tablets. SmartPhones and tablets typically use an application to act as the input mechanism or microphone. Apple or Android users can use the Alexa App or the Google Home app to interface with their smart home ecosystem. 

Monitoring Input Devices:

In addition to the above-mentioned platform devices, there’s another class of input devices in the realm of home monitoring/security. These devices can have very simple or complex functionality, ranging from a vibration sensor to a motion based security camera. Below is a short list of these type of devices:

Output Devices

Now we come to the fun stuff, now that you have a platform decided on and at least one piece of hardware to act as your command input device, it’s time to start loading up on devices that can make your home smart.  Below is a lengthy list of SmartHome Device types and examples, and how you can use them.

• Smart Plugs – See our review here on the affordable TanTan WP3. Control anything from Christmas lights, table lamps, stand up fans or anything that plugs into an outlet. 
• Smart Blub – Controlling lights that are on a switch or need to be dimmable. We use the Eufy Lumos Smart Bulb; it hasn’t let us down. 
• Smart Switch – If you have more than two light bulbs on a switch, we recommend moving to a Smart Switch. Here’s an example switch. 
• Smart Vaccum – Put sweeping your floor on autopilot with products like the Roomba 690.
• Thermostats – Control your home’s temperature and schedule with your voice. Ecobee4 is a thermostat that comes with built-in Alexa; it’s an input and an output device in one. 
• Streaming Devices – Product’s like Amazon’s Fire TV come with hands-free Alexa access and control of your TV. 
• Smart Blinds – Remotely control your window blinds, and even add a schedule to open during the day and close at night. MySmartBlinds has a solar powered option to reduce any wiring concerns. 
• Smart RF and IR Blaster – Products like BOND enable you to control various devices via Radio Frequency (RF) or Infrared (IR). Common devices using these technologies include ceiling fans and remote fireplaces. 
• Smart Locks – Lock or Unlock your front door deadbolt from anywhere or with your voice with products like the August SmartLock Pro.
• Smart Home Hubs or Bridges – Check out our article here for more information on Hubs and Bridges.

The purpose of this post was to give you a basic level understanding of all the various components that can make up a smart home ecosystem. Are we missing something? Leave a comment below