Technology changes day by day .You can see new innovations each new day you open your newspaper.Also there is a rapid growing popularity in automation devices in everyday life. The way of life has become more efficient and in this venture, smart bulbs and lighting have become extremely popular. You might already have heard of smart bulbs and other smart home devices being sold in the market. But what is a smart bulb and how does it work? Here in our article we will try to clear your each doubt.
What is a smart bulb?
A smart bulb is an internet-capable LED light that allows lighting to be customized, scheduled and controlled remotely.They ,in a more precise way,are lighting fixtures that can be controlled wirelessly. These are different from regular bulbs as you can eliminate the need to control them manually. With a smart bulb, you can control it using a remote or through a mobile device. If the bulb glows dim, you can also control the brightness with ease and without lifting anything more than a finger.
Smart bulbs, when paired with the right smart switches can also be intelligent enough to come on when you schedule them. You can trigger scenes, create customized settings and also schedule for the smart bulb to come on at a specified time in the day. Using regular bulbs,it was indeed very tedious to turn off and on the lights ,out of your special cosy sleep.But now with these new gen lights, you do not have to bother with getting out of the comfort of your blanket just to turn off the lights, or even turn back from outdoors simply because you cannot remember if you turned off the lights or not.
Working of a smart bulb
A smart bulb also works as a regular, standard bulb. But for a smart bulb to work you need a smartphone, a tablet or a mobile device of some kind. In most cases, you will require a home automation hub that will allow you to operate the smart bulb wirelessly.
Most home automation hubs use communication standards like Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Z-Wave or ZigBee.ZigBee.
Zigbee, is a local wireless network for your smart home gadgets. Lots of smart lighting products use Zigbee to send their signals — if so, then you’ll need a Zigbee hub plugged into your router in order to translate those signals for your home network. Most Zigbee bulbs offer their own version of a hub, and setting them up typically isn’t complicated at all, but it does add a little extra expense into the equation.
A few brands may also require you to invest in a special gateway to get the best wireless use. This is typically a separate box that needs to be bought separately and which is able to communicate with the smart bulb and give it commands. For example, the Philips smart bulbs typically work with Philips Hue Bridge. Other brands like KASA require you to invest in Smart Bridge, which enables you to use their line of switches and other smart devices.
With a smart bulb, you can connect to the system using multiple methods — Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or Z-Wave and ZigBee networks.
This gives you more reliable performance and provides a backup in case one mode of connection fails. Most people who are inching towards building a smart home tend to go with a home automation system like SmartThings or Nest to make their smart bulbs and other smart devices more efficient. You can also choose to use voice-activated systems like Google Home, Amazon Alexa, etc. to control the smart bulb. Each company and smart bulb manufacturer, however, has its own requirements when it comes to hubs that are compatible.
The automation hub can then be connected to through an app on your mobile device, tablet or PC.Smart lights use wireless transmissions to send and receive their signals, and different bulbs use different methods to get the job done. Some use built-in Wi-Fi radios to connect directly with your router, which lets you control them remotely wherever you have an internet connection.
What are smart light bulbs compatible with?
Most smart light bulbs work with Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. If you don’t have a smart-home hub, you can control the bulb through a smartphone app. Connecting smart bulbs to home hubs like Constellation Connect can offer more reliable performance and allows the bulb to work in tandem with other smart devices in your home or business.
Are Smart Bulbs Costly ?
Smart bulbs may be slight more expensive than a regular, standard bulb. But in the long term, they are bound to make your home more energy efficient. The long-term costs of using this may even out the initial cost as they do manage to conserve more electricity, especially if you use a CFL or LED bulb. But this may take a while.
Smart bulbs can also last for a long time as compared to standard bulbs. When used efficiently, they can last for anywhere between 15,000 hours to 25,000 hours.
Besides saving energy and money, smart bulbs also last longer. Incandescent or halogen bulbs last around a year, while LED lights last 10 years on average. … From added security to cost savings, it’s safe to say that smart lighting is definitely worth the investment, especially when incorporated into smart home system
What is smart lighting?
Smart lighting is lighting that you can control from an app, usually on your Apple or Android phone. The app enables you to change the brightness of the bulbs. Also if the bulbs have coloured LEDs you can change their colours too. That opens up a whole world of possibilities, which you might call light recipes: you might have one light recipe for watching movies, another for dinnertime. And yet another for reading. Switching from one recipe to another is as simple as tapping a smartphone . Or yelling at your favourite voice-activated personal assistant.
Things To Know Before Buying a smart bulb
There are several ways in which you can connect to your smart bulb. But it is important to remember that you can access or control this,even when you are away from home only if you are connected to it through a home automation system.
If you choose to control the bulb through Bluetooth, you can only control it within the Bluetooth range. The further you move, the weaker the connection gets. Similarly, if are controlling the device through your Wi-Fi connection, its performance may also get affected by how many other devices are connected to the network. If there are too many devices stretching the Wi-Fi’s bandwidth, the performance of the smart bulb will be affected. If the internet stops working for some reason, these also will lose connection.
Do Smart Bulbs Work With Normal Switches?
You can control a smart bulb manually with a normal wall switch as in a conventional home or remotely through a smartphone. You can still have smart bulbs and smart wall switches into the same electrical wired circuit. But, there´s no much sense into using them both in the same system even when you can of course.
Are smart bulbs safe ?
According to the study, because your smart bulbs are connected to your home’s Wi-Fi network, hackers can use these to infiltrate your network and steal personal information. These are no safer or less safe than any other smart device you may own.
They are less of a safety-hazard or fire-hazard compared to other lights because they don’t overheat. This is because they remain low in voltage and waste less heat energy than other light forms.
Benefits of smart light bulbs:
Lower energy use.
Smart lights use CFL or LED bulbs instead of incandescent bulbs.Therefore they can reduce the amount of electricity needed to light a room.
Longer life span.
The average incandescent bulb has a lifespan of 750 to 2,000 hours. In contrast, the LED smart lights can work continuously for 35,000 to 50,000 hours, causing your lights to last longer.
More security.
Many of the best smart-lighting options include motion-detection features, so these turn on or off depending on whether someone is in the room. You can use this feature to send alerts to mobile devices when unexpected motion is detected, both inside or outdoors.
Easy-to-use
Whether your property is a business or a private residence, you probably use certain lights at set times. You can preset Smart bulbs to turn on when you come home from work, dim toward the end of the night or turn off at specified times.
Fun and Functional! Smart lights are as fun as they are functional. You can set smart bulbs to change color or alter a room’s mood with settings ranging from bright and efficient to relaxing and romantic.
Lower impact on environment –
They can have a lower impact on the environment, compared to compact fluorescent bulbs, because they don’t contain mercury.
No size issue
Smart bulbs come in all different sizes, light temperatures, and brightness. If you need bigger bulbs for one room but smaller for another, you have options.
More Comfort
You can lay in bed, sit at your desk at work, or even be on your phone on a remote island and still have access to your lighting. Also helps those who have mobility issues or live in a home with loud, creaky stairs and light sleepers. You won’t have to physically go from room to room when you forget to turn the lights off. With some bulbs, you’re even able to adjust the brightness, intensity, and hue from your device.
For decoration-
You can change the decor and appearance of your rooms at the drop of a hat with smart lighting. For family gatherings, parties, and hangouts with the friends, smart lighting makes setting the mood even easier.
Our Thoughts
With a smart bulb and the right home automation system, you can create a truly smart and intelligent home that does not require you to spend more energy than is needed. You can get a whole intelligent system that ensures your home is energy efficient and you get the most comfortable and smart setting to live or work in. A single smart bulb can elevate your home or room.
