Read article : Smart Devices in the Washroom? It's Not as Crazy as You Think
For centuries, the washroom has arguably been the most private room in the house. You could shut yourself away inside, lock the door, and escape from the trials and tribulations of everyday life.
Not anymore. Hundreds of companies are trying to join you in there, ready to log, record, and advise on every aspect of your bathroom routine.
Whether that’s for better or for worse is highly debatable. However, I’m not here to discuss the relevant merits of smart devices in the washroom — I just want to let you know about the best gadgets available right now.
Here’s what an average day could look like in a smart bathroom.
Morning
First, let’s take a look at a typical morning routine.
7:00 AM: Empty Your Bladder
Time to get real. The first thing we all do in the morning is head to the toilet. And at that ungodly hour, the last thing you want to be doing is dealing with cold surfaces, loo roll, and toilet seats.
It’s easier to get a smart toilet and let technology do the hard work.
The Ove Smart Toilet offers all the bells and whistles you could ever want. It has a heated seat, a five-jet bidet, water temperature controls, an automatic flush, a self-cleaning feature, and an automatic seat. Models from other manufacturers might even offer foot warmers, overflow protection, nightlights, and Bluetooth speakers Best Bluetooth Speakers Under $25 and up to $300 in 2016 Best Bluetooth Speakers Under $25 and up to $300 in 2016You can't beat the convenience of going wire-free. Great audio quality may always need wired speakers, but for music on your phone Bluetooth speakers are a must-have accessory nowadays. Read More.
7:05 AM: Weigh Yourself
Once you’ve emptied yourself, it’s time to get on the scales. If you weigh yourself before you start eating and drinking, you’ll get the most accurate results.
However, if you’re striving for a 21st century bathroom, an old analog scale isn’t going to cut it. You need a high-tech body analyzer Use Automated Health Tracking to Lose Weight and Live a Healthier Life Use Automated Health Tracking to Lose Weight and Live a Healthier LifeHealth tracking is about taking care of your food, your workouts, your productivity, and your moods. Modern fitness trackers can now automate it all to help you lose weight and live a healthier life Read More.
Check out the Withings Smart Body Analyzer Wi-Fi Scales (UK). Obviously, these scales can tell you what you weigh, but they will also display your body fat measurements, body mass index (BMI), heart rate, and information on the air quality in the room.
Withings Ws-50 Smart Body Analyzer, White Withings Ws-50 Smart Body Analyzer, WhiteHeart rate measurement by stepping on the scale Buy Now At Amazon$119.007:15 AM: Shower
Opinion is split on whether a steamy bathroom is a good thing. On the one hand, it is great for your lungs and offers some welcome warmth on cold winter mornings. On the other, everything gets saturated (including electric plug sockets), and you then have to wipe down the mirror.
If you prefer a stream-free washroom environment, get a humidity sensor such as the Aeotec MultiSensor 6 (UK).
Rather than powering up the extractor fan every time you turn on the bathroom light, you can combine the two so it only runs whenever excess humidity is detected. This little sensor can save you power and cut back on unnecessary noise.
Aeotec Multisensor 6, Z-Wave Plus 6-in1 motion, temperature, humidity, light, UV, vibration sensor Aeotec Multisensor 6, Z-Wave Plus 6-in1 motion, temperature, humidity, light, UV, vibration sensor6-in-1 Z-Wave Plus MultiSensor: motion, humidity, temperature, light lux, UV, vibration sensor. Buy Now At Amazon$58.997:30 AM: Get Out of the Shower
Once you get out of the shower, you’ll need a towel. And, if you’ve installed a humidity sensor, it’d be preferable if the towel was already warm since there’s not going to be any hot steam in the room to keep you toasty.
Sounds like you might need a heated towel rail. However, if you want a smart heated towel rail, you need to connect it to a smart switch The Automated Outlet: What Can Smart Outlets Really Accomplish? The Automated Outlet: What Can Smart Outlets Really Accomplish?Here are seven creative and useful ways you can make smart outlets work for you. Read More. It will let you program your towel to get warm at the same time every morning.
Consider pairing the VonHaus Electric Towel Rail, which has an AC adapter, with a Belkin WeMo Smart Switch (UK).
WeMo Switch Smart Plug, Wi-Fi, Works with Amazon AlexaWeMo Switch Smart Plug, Wi-Fi, Works with Amazon AlexaWorks with Amazon Alexa for voice control (Alexa device sold separately) Buy Now At Amazon$42.008:00 AM: Get Ready
After breakfast, it’s back to the bathroom to prepare for the day. For most people, that means a lot of time spent looking into the mirror.
Smart mirrors are becoming increasingly popular. For example, in October 2016, Panasonic debuted its Smart Mirror at the Combined Exhibition of Advanced Technologies conference in Japan. It can do everything from offering make-up advice to recommending what outfit you should wear in light of the weather forecast 5 Apps That Make the Weather More Entertaining 5 Apps That Make the Weather More EntertainingWeather apps with jokes and GIFs; with pixels and profanity. Your morning will never be the same. Read More.
I covered smart mirrors in more detail when I described a smart home of the future 10 Future Technologies You'll See In Your Home in 3 Years 10 Future Technologies You'll See In Your Home in 3 YearsWhat technology do experts think you'll have in your house by the turn of the decade? I'm going to walk you through a typical day in the smart home of the future. Read More elsewhere on the site.
Another option is the Tech2O Cyber Mirror. It’s a mirror, TV, and web portal all rolled into one. It boasts a 32-inch screen, and it’s got an IP65 waterproof rating, meaning it’s safe for using in damp conditions.
Evening
After a long day at the office, a smart bathroom can offer you everything you need to unwind.
7:00 PM: Bath Time
If you thought running a bath was as simple as putting in the plug and turning on the tap, think again.
You can now get baths that offer “chromotherapy.” For those that don’t know, chromotherapy attempts to use colors to make your body healthier 4 Subreddits You Should Read For Tips To Stay Healthy and Fit 4 Subreddits You Should Read For Tips To Stay Healthy and FitI will tell you right now that I couldn't possible write an article about living a healthy life. I'm a self-confessed Taco Bell connoisseur. However, I can certainly tell you where you can find some other health tips.... Read More and more harmonious. Pegasus offers a bath with 11 different colors and five preset energizing programs. And if you’ve already got a Whirlpool bath, you can buy chromotherapy lights directly from the company’s online store.
If you’ve not got time for a bath, don’t worry. There are plenty of smart showers to choose from as well.
KOHLER K-9245-CP 2.5 GPM Moxie Showerhead and Wireless Speaker, Polished Chrome KOHLER K-9245-CP 2.5 GPM Moxie Showerhead and Wireless Speaker, Polished ChromeIncludes showerhead, wireless speaker and micro USB charging cable Showerarm and flange not included Buy Now At AmazonToo low to displayOne example is the Moxie showerhead. It has Bluetooth speakers that can play music, podcasts, or the radio for up to seven hours continuously. You can also adjust the water flow from a bill-slashing 2.0 GPM to a full-force 2.5 GPM.
If you want to go more upmarket, check out the offerings from Moen. Its “U” product has a connected app that can program the shower to start at the same time each morning, adjust the temperature, and even set which nozzles are used.
10:00 PM: Freshen Up for Bed
As the evening wears on, you might want to freshen up your hands and face in a bid to relax yourself before bed. Your splash-and-dash wash will be much more enjoyable if you have a digital electronic faucet.
They are touchless (and thus reduce germs), they have digital flow controls (saving you water and money), and frequently come with digital temperature control settings and programmable flow configurations. The programmable flow is especially useful when you’re brushing your teeth. The water won’t cut off if you take your hands away from the infrared sensor.
Check out the offerings from Grohe if you want one in your washroom.
Would You Like a Smart Washroom?
In this article, I’ve shown you 11 devices and appliances that can turn your boring “dumb” bathroom into a washroom from the future.
But is a smart bathroom right for you? Would you enjoy having all this tech around you while you shower, or do you appreciate the bathroom’s value as one of the last bastions of tech-free living?
Whatever your opinion, I’d love to hear from you. You can leave all your thoughts and opinions in the comments section down below.
Google Home Now Supports Multiple Users By VoicesHow to Use Siri With Your Smart Home Devices
Smart Body Analyzer " />
