The smart home has always been a solution in search of a problem. Why do I need an app to turn on my lights when a switch works just fine? And is talking to your house really the behavior you want to model for your kids

Be that as it may, the technology to seamlessly make our homes more energy efficient, more secure, and more convenient without demanding conspicuous devices—and awkward AI interactions—has yet to fully arrive. Instead, we have a disjointed collection of gadgets for which “actually works” is a feature, not a guarantee. But a new wave of systems and devices promises to target these pain points, claiming to play well with others, stay out of sight, and require you to say “hey” to fewer dubiously helpful virtual friends. Here are four of the most interesting—and occasionally terrifying—innovations you might consider bringing home this year.

1. Rules of Engagement

Thanks to a rare moment of cooperation among rivals, you no longer will be limited to choosing products exclusively on Team Siri, Team Alexa, or Team Google. This year, you’ll be able to buy almost any smart home device and—post-configuration, of course—it will work with everything else in your home. A new standard, Connected Home over Internet Protocol, or CHIP, has been developed by the major tech players to allow all those disparate gadgets to talk to one another via any of the three major virtual assistants.

2. Disappearing Act

Voice controls may cut down on the need for screens, but a chain of bulbous speakers in every room is a disappointing alternative. Now, companies have begun to release another option: very low-profile microphones that practically disappear into the background. Josh.ai’s wall- or ceiling-mounted Josh Nano is 3mm thick and only slightly larger than a quarter, to name just one launching this year. But even older technologies can be edited out by aggressive minimalists. For example, SapienStone now makes a porcelain counter with an integrated induction cooktop that’s invisible until summoned by a touch.

3. We Are the Robots

The multitasking robot valet may still be just a science fiction cliché, but this year will see the introduction of a number of single-purpose, more-or-less intelligent machines for everything from chopping vegetables to folding laundry. None are more nosy than Ring’s Always Home Cam. When you’re not at home, this indoor, camera-mounted drone can dislodge from its countertop dock and hover in any part of your home you’d like visuals on. Is it less intrusive than having a camera in every room? Only if the idea of a flying surveillance Roomba doesn’t freak you out.

4. Living in the Light

One of the unfulfilled promises of the smart home—lighting that dynamically supports the circadian rhythm in an easy-to-use, inexpensive format—could finally arrive this year. Apple’s HomeKit platform now supports automatic adaptive lighting that adjusts the color temperature of smart light bulbs throughout the day to boost mood and promote well-being without your having to open a mood-killing app. The way Apple goes, many will follow, and we predict that by the end of this year human-responsive lighting will be the norm, not the exception (which, let’s face it, after nearly a year spent stuck indoors, we all could have used a little sooner).

Illustrations by John Devolle

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