In the not-so-distant future homes will adapt to the needs of specific families, according to Samsung CEO and President BK Yoon. During the 2014 IFA (the Internationale Funkausstellung, or international radio exhibition) Tech Conference in Berlin, he said, “For many, it’s still just a vision, but change is coming and it’s changing fast. In just a few years, smartphones and tablets have changed our lives. The home of the future will be woven into our future just as fast.”
Not only will walls will be able to create more space for a gathering at your house, but the fridge will let you know when items have expired, and cooking will be made easy with recipe holograms, so home chefs won’t have to soil their mobile devices.
The IFA has deep-rooted history that reaches back to the 1920’s. Albert Einstein himself attended and spoke on innovation in 1930. Kent Larson, director of City Science Initiative at the MIT Media Lab, stepped on stage with Yoon and outlined the concept of a flexible home. The idea is still in development, but Larson and Samsung are convinced that creating a truly smart home is necessary to evolve connectivity.
According to Larson, “About 93% of patented inventions happening in cities, and these [urban environments] have qualities that people are attracted to, but young people are getting priced out of the market. Mayors are looking into housing prices so cities stay attractive to young people, but there are ways responsive housing can help.”
MIT is testing transformable elements in a tiny New York apartment that can change a living room space during the day into a bedroom at night. Another possibility, according to Larson, is the use of a table that emerges from a cabinet-like structure at dinner time.
Samsung plans to take home connectivity a step further with systems that protect privacy in the home and improve home security. Additionally, programs will be in place to reduce germs, toxins and harmful chemicals from connected homes.
Featured image via MASHABLE/JENNIFER OSBORNE
