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   Imagine coming back to your place to a smart home after a tiring day at work. Doors and windows open and close automatically, your favorite music plays throughout the house, and dinner cooks itself. These sound like science fiction, but more and more homes are outfitted with such capabilities. 

   Smart homes can be controlled remotely through smartphones or portable computers. Often there are also computerized panels on different walls of the home, with various functions for the house owner to choose from. Most smart homes are equipped with controls for lights, heating, air conditioning, and electronic devices. The owner may also decide which other features to include. 

   For example, people who travel frequently might be concerned about security. With a smart home, they can check cameras in and around their house from anywhere in the world. They can turn lights on and off to see better and can even get instant alerts when motion sensors are set off. For other people whose priority is convenience, a smart house might take care of feeding pets and watering plants, or it might have a smart refrigerator that can trace its contents, suggest meal options or even order groceries when they are used up. 

   Smart homes are also a great helper in saving resources. They can reduce energy consumption and manage renewable energy systems or recycling programs. They can actually calculate how much money they save for their owners each month. These modern homes provide advantages for the elderly and disabled, too. 

   They can increase quality of life by making sure people are safe and comfortable at home. They are a wonderful alternative to round-the-clock care at institutions. The smart home of a dementia patient, for example, can remind its owner about daily activities like showering and eating. It can also monitor and give medications. The house can even contact emergency services when necessary. 

   Smart home technology presents exciting opportunities that are changing the way people live. Although they are limited to some basic capabilities at this point, they are believed to be able to do almost anything in the future.