It started with an idea, continued with plans, and ended up becoming a reality. The smart home has come a long way in its development. A lot of time has passed since that first idea, and today smart devices are already a part of ordinary consumers’ homes. Let’s take a look at the history of this still-futuristic concept.
Every development has its beginnings, and in this case, it all started with “home automation.” This went hand in hand with the introduction of electricity and the connection of the first appliances. In 1907, it was the practical vacuum cleaner, followed by other appliances such as the refrigerator, dryer, washing machine, and more. While these devices certainly cannot be classified as “smart,” they laid the foundation for future technologies.
To trace the origins of the idea of creating an interactive home that can function without human intervention, we have to go surprisingly far back. It is often said that one of the pioneers of this concept was Ray Bradbury and his short story titled “The Warm Rains Will Come.” In it, a solitary house carries out routine tasks as part of its daily routine, thus taking care of itself.
This concept is already close to today’s understanding of a smart home—or rather, it looks even further into the future. However, attempts to completely eliminate the human factor were already underway before Bradbury’s vision. Robots developed by innovative American companies in the first half of the 1950s were already capable of following simple instructions, all with the aim of handling daily tasks.
In 1966, the first device was manufactured that we can already describe as “smart.” It was a massive computer weighing around 360 kilograms. ECHO IV was capable of tracking shopping expenses, monitoring room temperatures, and turning on individual devices. Although it never went on sale, it served as a source of inspiration. Subsequent similar modules gradually began to add more and more features.
In 1984, the term “smart house” was officially recognized. This step was merely a harbinger of things to come. The 1980s laid the foundation for future technologies. As home computers became more widespread, the automation of other devices—primarily thermostats—also advanced rapidly.
In 1999, Microsoft unveiled its vision for the smart home. It wasn’t all that different from today’s concept. The home was to be controlled via a computer, and voice control was even a possibility. The system was designed to control locks, televisions, lighting, heating, and communication with visitors—and on top of that, it could even create a shopping list by scanning barcodes. Thus, the foundation for the true “smart home” was laid. The new millennium had arrived, and the race among leading technology companies to create the perfect home could begin.
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