Home Automation in the Kitchen

The real explosion in the home automation category will be – figuratively, that is – in boomers’ kitchens.

That was the opinion offered by Specialty Electronics Nationwide executive Jeannette Howe in a presentation to integrators at the Long Beach, Calif. Fall EH Expo.

“IP-based appliances – appliance control -- is where it will all take off,” she said, citing ABI Research stats that show the worldwide home automation business bringing in $14 billion in revenue currently and ballooning to $85 billion by 2011. Products like the IP-addressable TMIO IO intelligent oven, which doubles as both an oven and a refrigerator, are bowling over the women who see it, she said.