It’s hard to believe but spring has finally sprung. The warmer weather and longer days are upon us following horrendously cold winters in Europe and the United States, and with the changing of the season comes a selection of connected devices which shape how consumers interact with the world around them.
From internet-connected solar energy to HD bird feeder cameras, here are devices that redefine the season and, ultimately, enrich everyday life.
Artificial assistance in the garden
With trees blossoming and early flowers pushing through the earth, spring is rightly regarded as a time of rebirth, renewal and awakening. At the same time, though, it is an incredibly busy period for gardeners as they make sure all elements are in order for the best season possible. In recent years, connected devices have increasingly entered the garden space to make the lives of green fingers a little bit easier.
One great example is the robotic lawnmower, which is out of storage and into the backyard during this time of the year. With the touch of a button, a robot lawnmower cuts the grass automatically without requiring any intervention from the user. The most significant benefit is that robot lawnmowers actually help to fertilize the lawn due to the way they handle grass clippings. Robot mowers munch as they go, meaning that the grass is cut into fine clippings and scattered on the lawn so that the nutrients are returned to the soil.
Another example of smart gardening is app-powered irrigation. Sensor-based IoT technologies can collect data about soil and transmit this information from sensors to irrigation systems. Then, smart irrigation measures flow pressure and temperature so that as soon as the moisture has reached a specific threshold, the irrigation stops. Growing a healthy garden or tending to a crop has never been this easy.
Back in the sunshine
After a poor performance in winter, another device that benefits from the return of sunshine is internet-connected solar panels. These renewable energy sources once again start to pay off in spring and leave households with a greener footprint. Moreover, when paired with battery storage, solar with IoT can play an essential part in home automation.
For example, a homeowner might want to run their washing machine during the day, but this is when electricity is most expensive. An automated home could “instruct” a washing machine to only turn on if the weather is favourable for solar electricity generation. Advanced solutions like this help users to monitor the performance of their home solar power system and their connected devices from a web browser or mobile device.
Meanwhile, in countries like my own where sometimes sunshine doesn’t automatically mean warm weather, there are other connected devices that make it easier for people to enjoy their backyard pools. Wi-Fi enabled pool heat pumps, for example, collect heat in the surrounding air and transfer it into the pool water. So, with the click of a button, users set the desired temperature and enjoy their pool in comfort.
Watching the weather
Speaking of the weather, IoT weather stations are also very handy in spring. This multi-function device helps users gauge whether spring truly has sprung, or whether it is a better day to stay inside. Driven by IoT sensors that measure a range of weather conditions, including temperature, humidity, barometric pressure, UV, and precipitation, this information keeps users up to date with the world around them.
Better yet, some higher-grade models come fully loaded with extra features like a built-in HD camera to take photos of the sky in real-time. Further, these devices can usually last up to two weeks on a single charge thanks to a low-temperature lithium battery, or pair with an optional solar panel for uninterrupted, maintenance-free weather observation.
Up with the birds
As birds migrate during the warmer months, connected devices also let bird watchers stay in touch with their feathered friends. A bird feeder camera, for example, can help users capture candid photos and, with the right camera system, be automated to “set and forget.”
Features of popular bird feeder cameras include invisible infrared LED lighting to enable use day and night, and a smart motion sensor to ensure that pictures or videos are only taken when an animal is actually present. Moreover, this device can also double as a backyard smart security camera.
Cheaper sensors, better devices
This list should go on to show the incredible versatility of the IoT platform and how it can be applied to whatever the vendor desires. It’s exciting for me, as someone who has been in this industry for more than 10 years, to see how far devices have come. Sensors are cheaper, devices more sophisticated, and solutions more adventurous than ever before. As for users, on the other hand, all that’s required from them is to sit back and relax while their springtime devices handle the rest.
