Get smart with a hi-tech home by connecting to the 'internet of things'

Lighting, heating and entertainment systems are just the start of it as David Gilbert shows how to connect up your home to ‘the internet of things’

You walk from your office to your car. The door automatically unlocks as you approach. At your home 20 miles away the oven clicks on to heat up tonight’s dinner in time for your arrival home while the thermostat checks to make sure there is enough hot water for a shower. As you approach the front door, a camera automatically scans your face, recognises you and opens the door. Simultaneously, the lights come on, your favourite Spotify playlist kicks in, and you can relax.

This may sound like a scene from a science fiction film, but this is not a vision of the future. This is technology which is available today as companies like Apple, Google, Samsung and Amazon want to make everything “smart” — from your fridge that automatically reorders milk when you are running low, to the toothbrush that warns you when your children haven’t brushed their teeth for long enough.