What are 'ICT-enabled Homes'?

This post is in continuation to one of our recent posts -- 'Design Guidelines for Bathrooms & Other Sanitary Facilities for Elderly and Disabled People' wherein we discussed about design parameters for bathroom design for the elderly and disabled people. 

While all of us are usually well aware of good, beautiful, strong, long-lasting & valuable homes; but very few of us know about 'ICT-enabled homes', a recent survey has found out.

How about you? Do you know what are 'ICT-enabled Homes'?

The term 'ICT-enabled homes' typically stand for 'Information and Communication Technologies - enabled homes'.

ICT-enabled homes in far-flung but connected areas may prove very useful

This term is usually used for homes that are, in general, electronically well equipped and  centrally connected in multiple unified ways by means of latest information technology equipment & techniques.

The underlying scheme of such homes essentially stresses the role of unified communications and the integration of telecommunications (telephone lines and wireless signals), computers as well as necessary enterprise software, middleware, storage, and audio-visual systems, which enable users to access, store, transmit, manipulate, customize and use electronic intelligent information.

Advantages of 'ICT-enabled Homes' for Elders & Disabled People

Consider this. An elderly couple is living alone in a home that is quite far away from their children, relatives and loved ones. The near and dear ones of such an elderly partially mobile couple cannot attend to the needs of this elderly couple on a minute-to-minute basis unlike how they could have been in case they were living together in the same home. But, in case the home is well connected by means of suitably enabling gadgets and live data serving connection across the intelligent information technology network; one can remain connected and be aware of the day to day well being of the elderly couple.

There are numerous gadgets, applications, software, etc. available in market today which can be utilized in making the homes efficiently ICT-enabled. For example, Apple iPhone and other android apps can track the home security and system functioning automatically, and can report any untoward incident and/or abnormal occurrence of an event or functioning of system. A relation can keep a track of his/ her parents or small children by means of efficient ICT-enabled gadgetry.

Share your experience

How about you? Have you experienced being ICT-connected and thereby benefiting by means of technology? If yes, do share your experience with us. One or more of us may feel motivated to adopt such a technology which is easily available these days, but which need intelligent planning and installation in one's home to avail its benefits.

Technology if used properly and intelligently, may prove very beneficial for mankind. Lets give it a try!
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Suggested reading: ICT for elderly

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