One of the features to hit homes of the future is the ability for your home automation system to know and recognise who is actually in a room, Crestron have announced the  introduction of airConnect, a technology that works on using Near Field  Communication (NFC) or in other words, who’s nearby, by detecting their mobile phone.
The system will use NFC tags, paper thin tags that can fit behind keypads etc and then monitor anyone who’s present when triggered by their NFC based phone, the system then knows who you are and can be set to turn on preset room settings like lighting scenes, favourite radio or TV channel, or even preferred heating settings. The options are pre-programmed for any number of users or family members.
Currently only Android supports NFC technology, with Apple due to be adding this soon, so it has its limitations at present, but as with any emerging technology it will find its place in the homes of the future.
Home or Commercial?
So Crestron airConnect will be a great automation add-on that makes your home even more automated, but then consider the commercial application that could work.
Employees can have their own settings for meeting rooms, door entry etc and with NFC it could be possible to create no end of useful, time saving and efficiency gaining set ups throughout offices and commercial buildings
Further detail on Crestron airConnect
