I need some input!

My hubby and a colleague of his are looking into starting up a business wiring up smart homes for people. He asked if I could help him compile a list of things people might want a smart home to do. I've been thinking on it, reading up on what's available, and yikes, the possibilities seem endless. Here are some of the things I've come up with, and I'd love to hear what other people would like done as well...

-Alert when a car pulls in/out of the driveway. (A good friend in a rural area had this and it was really nice to get a notification on his cell when someone pulled in...because if we were out in the backyard we woudn't know someone was at the door.)
-Allow me to check remotely that doors were locked and appliances were off.
-Allow me to unlock doors remotely. (If, say, my pet-sitter lost their key)
-Remote climate control.
-Turn on the porch light when I'm coming home at night.
-Turn a home security system on or off remotely.
-Turn on a night light if I get up to use the bathroom at night.

My hubby is really into some of the more high-tech potential of a smart home, and I know that they sky is the limit really, but I think the average person is going to be more in the "Warm up the bedroom before I get out of bed" and "turn off lights when there's no motion in the room for five minutes" camp. :)

Anyways, I'd love any ideas or input...I know smart homes are definitely not everyone's thing, but we live in the Silicon Valley and they are HUGE here. People here love their gadgets. :)

If underfloor heating can be installed, warm the floorboards on cold mornings especially under the kitchen table or wherever you drink your coffee.

Start coffee brewing when my alarm goes off, or remotely.

"Panic Button" capability for elders or children in case of emergency.

As you are in Silicon Valley (and get way more sun more often than we do) ability to remotely control window blinds/shades, or control on a timer.

Turn solar panels with the sun's direction.

Thank you Karen! Hubby is a coffee nut and he likes your coffeepot idea especially. :D

I think a panic button for older adults is a terrific idea. One in the bathroom, one near the person's bed and maybe one she carries around or wears on a pendant.
For mobility-limited people, how about a door opener like the grocery store has? When I step on to the pad, the door swings open.
Program every clock in the house to the same time (daylight saving time or after power outages).
Cut power to my iron after a few minutes if I forget to unplug it.
Turn on not only the porch light, but a lamp inside the house as well (so I don't walk into a dark house).
Smart smoke and carbon monoxide detection systems. A thermostat that adjusts the heat and humidity in the house automatically.

My dear departed brother was an electronics and gadget nut, so he installed quite a few things in his home.

When a door to the outside was opened, a voice would alert so that anyone in the house would know it was open. He had one on each of the 4 doors, and it would say which door - "side door opened", "front door opened", etc. He had a rural style mailbox at the entrance to the driveway, and when it was opened, either by the carrier or someone else, a red light and a beep would be activated on an alert box inside the house to let him know either mail had been delivered, or someone that shouldn't be, was messing with it. Outside lights were motion activated so you wouldn't have to be in the dark when outside in the yard at night. He had closed circuit video monitoring of the house and property with 7 different cameras at strategic points, and a flat screen monitor on the bar between the dining room and kitchen, so he could see if anything was being tampered with outside by anyone who shouldn't be there. It paid off when the guys trying to break into his motor home were arrested. He also had a commercial ADT type security system too. He had other gadgets and alerts that are slipping my mind right now, but those I mentioned are what comes to mind right now. He loved his toys!:)

One thing I'd love around here is a notice when someone (or some critter) is messing around the garage. Even though it locks, I'd like to know if someone was trying to get in.

An alert on the back gate would be great too as well as a sensor to alert us when jerks are throwing trash over our fence.

These are great ideas everyone!! I'm adding them to the list I've compiled. :D :D :D Thank you soooo much!

Security cameras would be a good idea for the outside of the house.

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Originally Posted by snakemama

Thank you Karen! Hubby is a coffee nut and he likes your coffeepot idea especially. :D

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The funny thing is, I don't even drink coffee, but growing up with a Swedish dad, know its importance very, very, very well. And to this day, the smell of coffee brewing smells of home to me!

Oh, and a display of the outside temperature (maybe inside/outside) might be handy - I would add "weather forecast," but where you are, I have a feeling that's not as vital as it is say, around here, where the need for an umbrella or a heavy sweater is important if the weather is going to change drastically in a few hours, or ever the course of your workday!

Snakemama, we had a storm come through today and I thought of this topic! I just went from room to room and reset the clocks that were blinking because the power went out ... my alarm clock in the bedroom, the one on the hall table, the one on the microwave, my kitchen clock, the one in the living room ... and reprogrammed my cordless phone, which is a nuisance because the date and day go out along with the time. I'd love my smart house to pick up on when the power has gone out and reset them all when it comes back.

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Originally Posted by cassiesmom

Snakemama, we had a storm come through today and I thought of this topic! I just went from room to room and reset the clocks that were blinking because the power went out ... my alarm clock in the bedroom, the one on the hall table, the one on the microwave, my kitchen clock, the one in the living room ... and reprogrammed my cordless phone, which is a nuisance because the date and day go out along with the time. I'd love my smart house to pick up on when the power has gone out and reset them all when it comes back.

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Oooh, we don't lose power here often, but what an absolute pain when we do! I wish I knew how to reset the clock on our oven, it has been off for a long time...

I don't have any suggestions, but I really enjoyed reading all the things others have listed!