Few could have predicted that we would ever use smartphones to design and maintain our homes in 2018. However, the arrival of the Internet of Things and smart technology in interior design means that anyone with a smartphone capable of virtual reality (VR) or augmented reality (AR) – plus the right interior design programs – has that ability in the palm of their hand.
Artificial Intelligence in Interior Design Programs
When artificial intelligence (AI) invaded smartphone technology a few years ago, it was mostly in the form of games. First AI and AR applications found their way into Snapchat filters and iPhone X Animojis. Now, there are now more practical applications of AR in home design, and they are significantly changing the home improvement and furniture industries.
For example, free phone apps such as MeasureKit and EasyMeasure use AR to locate and measure an item, enabling users to measure distances, floor areas, curved objects, angles, and visualize through cube- and leveling tools. There is no longer a need for rulers, tape measures, and papers and pens to note measurements. Now, dimensions can be measured just by moving a smartphone around using smart technology in interior design.
You as Your Own Interior Designer
Other interior design programs take AI a step further. PLNAR, from Smart Picture Technologies, is a dedicated application for amateurs and professionals. Using Apple’s ARKit, PLNAR makes home renovations easier by using real-time automated measurements to take pictures of rooms and generate detailed floor plans. Data and 3D renderings are inputted into the cloud so you can check and alter them anytime, anywhere. These models can be imported into any 3D design tools. It is a fully digitized process that saves people time, money, and effort in preparing their home projects.
Said Andy Greff, CEO of Smart Picture (PLNAR) exclusively at the Dreamit Urban Tech Summit: “The bold idea here is that we’re putting the power in that homeowner-, in that renter-, in that DIYer’s hands so that can actually generate all the information they need in the form of a room plan, in the form of a floor plan, in the form of a 3-D model just using the wave of their phone.”
PLNAR empowers homeowners in generating important information required in designing spaces by leveraging AR themselves. The app is also a valuable tool for insurance claims, and for reaching out to a wider range of contractors.
Visualization of Products and Spaces Using Interior Design Programs
Another company, Marxent, uses AR and VR to turn anyone into a designer by allowing them to personalize and visualize products and spaces.
Said Beck Besecker, CEO and co-founder of Marxent exclusively at the Synapse Summit: “We’ve created a platform and set of tools that allow consumers to design a space very, very quickly and efficiently… and at the same time, visit a retail store, put on a headset, and be able to see their living room at full scale.”
Instead of physically pulling up furniture to see if it goes well with a room, you can pull up a three-dimensional representation in the virtual replica of your room. A customer can go to the furniture store, use Marxent VR, replicate their living room, and fill it with furniture. This lets people make informed purchasing decisions, and cuts expenses down significantly. It also scales down time spent on designing from hours and days to approximately 20 minutes. Marxent’s use of smart technology in interior design offers greater operational efficiency for everyone executing various home design projects.
Other Smart Home Tech
In addition to these interior design programs, . Security devices such as Nest’s Hello is a smart doorbell that has a built-in HD video camera and microphone. It lets homeowners check who is at their door – even if they are far from home – by livestreaming to their phone. It has facial recognition capability, and functions like a webcam. This allows the user to feel more secure about people approaching their home. Clearly, AI will play a big role in security. Video surveillance is coming to the market that is able to detect faces and differentiate from strangers and animals. Through this, the automation of threat detection, the system will alert homeowners of any suspicious activity only when necessary.
Inevitably, Smart devices will become more integrated, and cross-compatible, sothere will be less platform lock-ins. Soon, when you call for Alexa in your Amazon Echo to play music, your iPhone could play songs from your Spotify. There will also be central-mobile switches that can turn on your Samsung curved TV, Drift Lights, air conditioning, garage door… even vacuums and lawn mowers. Perhaps there will be platforms that will accommodate different brands, and will comprehensively connect to run a house.
Home tech will also likely be able to gather data from homeowners and businesses, creating a smart community or smart city. For example, a household may have its refrigerator automatically order food for them.
The Future is Now for Smart Technology in Interior Design
Smart technology in interior design and home management are no longer a vision of the future. They are now part of our present, and are creating bold impacts on the way we live. There are countless applications of smart tech in our everyday lives. These will only be more prevalent and integrated in the coming years.
Sources:
https://www.housebeautiful.com/shopping/home-gadgets/tips/g2050/smart-home-technology
