Smart everything everywhere – one year on

Just about a year ago I was writing a blog about the Internet of things (IoT) and some of its stranger permutations (you can read it here: Smart everything everywhere). And, 12 months later, again I find plenty of intriguing to outright weird contraptions which connect to the Internet. Admittedly, some of these applications are quite intriguing, such as the self ordering fridge: just imagine not having to do your groceries anymore because your fridge knows what you need and gets the stuff delivered to your door. Or maybe you’re wearing a smart watch, which is recording and analysing your exercise routine? Or your using a smart thermostat, allowing you to regulate and monitor the temperature in your home while being out and about? Or you use a smart doorbell, which allows you to see and talk to people at your front door even when you’re out?

Smart devices have become commonplace and many of them we couldn’t do without anymore. The smart doorbell and Wi-Fi-connected security cameras are a great way to keep an eye on your home while you’re away. We can set now the alarm of our house using a mobile phone app while pulling out of our driveway, and, when we’re on holiday or out and about for an evening, switch on and off lights so it looks as if someone was home. All very convenient, wouldn’t you agree?

But then there devices where I really wonder whether they really add much if not any value to our lives! It starts already first thing in the morning: imagine singing in the shower to your favourite tunes, under a showerhead which comes with a built-in Bluetooth speaker, which can be connected to your smartphone to stream your favourite tunes. But, if you are like me and you sing out of tune, the people you live with will suffer even longer each morning.

Then there is the smartest pet food dispenser: If you forget to feed your cat or your dog it allows you to fill their bowl with dry food at any time using your smartphone. It can be set up to regularly dole out up to 12 meals a day and even has a “Slow Feed” option that dispenses food gradually for fifteen minutes so your pets don’t eat too fast. But then I wonder: should you really own a pet if you forget to feed your furry friend?

Those of you with babies may be interested in the Smart Diaper Monitor, which sends an alert to paired smartphones when the diaper needs changing. It also records when and how frequently an infant urinates and defecates, which can be helpful when it comes time to toilet train. And when your babies grow up they will start saving money, potentially in a Smart Piggy Bank, in which every coin deposited registers through an app, so you can track the balance and set savings goals.

Other weird items include smart belts (that tell you your waste size and how it changes), rings that tell you your mood (how many of us don‘t feel themselves when they are sad or happy) or even smart cutlery: a smart fork, which may be useful in tracking and monitoring how often and how much you eat. But it probably won‘t to stop you from overindulgence.

Sometimes I can’t help feeling that the main purpose of the ‚smart‘ add-on to an item‘s name or description is to make a mundane item more appealing and more importantly to enable it to be sold for more, much more money. As far as I’m concerned, you may call me a bit of a nerd (my wife and my son definitely do) and I admit, I do like my gadgets, but if I felt the need to own some of these weirder items, that would definitely be an unmistakable sign of dementia.