By Vanessa Saunders, MBA, MIMC , Broker Owner, Global Property Systems Real Estate.

The Covid pandemic is about to officially enter its second year next month. (In March 2020, the World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 outbreak officially a pandemic.) Who knew we'd be spending so much of our time in our homes? But now that a year has passed and home is still the place to be, many of us are looking for ways to make out lives a little better place through smart home products.

Smart devices are common household objects that are connected to the internet or another smart device using wireless connections like WiFi or Bluetooth. This is referred to as the "Internet of Things." You probably already have a smart device - your phone is one, your TV may be another. Smart things are designed to eliminate certain jobs around the house, automate daily routines and give us improved security.

The things developers are coming up with are truly amazing. In Japan, there are already smart toilets. What you do in the loo can be used to track your health through urinalysis to check for diabetes, pregnancy or colon cancer. Of course, other smart features like automated deodorizers and flushing systems, or heated seats are also pretty high on the list of preferred functions.

The future of smart technology will reach far beyond devices that let you adjust the heat and turn on the lights at night. Smart home products will blend with wearable technology like the FitBit or the Apple watch, which already let you monitor your health, sleep, exercise and body temperature.

Wearables can unlock your front door, or turn on and of room lighting as you move around the house. In the future, they could track your mood and set the lights to calm you down or wake you up. Your bed could be controlled to adjust for your body's pressure points so you have a better night's sleep. Your device could be connected to weather data and give you options on what to wear based on the weather, what your agenda is, all blended with your personal style.

Smart homes are definitely here, and getting smarter all the time. Soon, they'll be running facets of our lives we haven't yet dreamed of. What could be better?

Just don't forget your password.