BRICKS THAT HEAL, PAINT THAT NEVER STAINS AND AIR
CONDITIONED BEDS, LET US SHOW YOU AROUND THE
HOME OF THE TOMORROW YOU COULD BUILD TODAY...
WORDS: LUKE EDWARDS ILLUSTRATION: DANIEL BRIGHTYOUR FUTURE
SMART HOME
SC CE
76 Vol. 8 Issue 5ENERGY
Renewable energy sources are what the future is all
about. They help homes become self-reliant and go
off-grid. That’s great if you’re expecting the zombie
apocalypse, but renewable energy is also practical,
saves money, helps the environment and increases the
value of a property. Some energy suppliers even pay
you to pump juice back into the grid.
The Smartf lower POP is one of the most attractive
and efficient examples of solar panels yet. Smartf lower
POP will ‘bloom’ open in the morning and close up at
night. So it’s space-ef f icient, too. Best of al l, you can
take it with you when you move!WALLS
Self-healing is no longer reserved
for video game characters: buildings
can do it too. Scientists have created
a coating that contains
microcapsules. When a coated
concrete surface becomes damaged,
the capsules break open and release
a solution, which fills the crack and
turns into a water-resistant solid
when exposed to sunlight.PAINT
Self-cleaning paint is one
development aimed at keeping
houses looking new. One
company, StoLotusan, has
developed a paint that won’t let
water adhere to it. Slap it on your
property, then when it rains, any
dir t wil l be lifted from the sur faces
of the walls and washed away. Plus,
as the paint doesn’t get damp,OUTSIDE
microorganisms such as algae, fungi and bacteria
can’t survive, so it’s cleaner and more hygienic than
most normal walls. The fact it’s available in 500
colours is just a bonus.SECURITY
Mark Zuckerberg, creator of Facebook, has
announced he’ll be spending this year creating his
own version of Iron Man’s artificially intelligent
butler, Jarvis. Zuckerberg wants the butler to detect
faces when people ring the doorbell, to determine
whether or not to open the door. So if you’re busy
and a Facebook friend shows up it can determine
whether or not to open the door.
Here’s hoping there aren’t too
many evil doppelgangers out
there...
If you don’t fancy giving
Facebook access to your home,
then there’s August, a smartphone-
controlled lock that lets you share
virtual ‘keys’ to your friends’ and
family’s phone numbers.LAWNMOWER
A lawn takes a lot of time and effort
to maintain... unless you employ
the services of a robot lawnmower!
Thanks to laser markers, the
Husqvarna Automower 305 can
sense boundaries in your garden, it
recharges itself and it’ll never bring
muddy boots in the house. Better
yet – you could preorder an
EcoMow, a robomower that turns
the grass it cuts into biofuel pellets,
which it can use as fuel.The mower
1986
Remember mixing
together diesel and oil
for two-stroke? Or
pushing a heavy, noisy
and smelly mower
about?2016
Autonomous mowers
can charge themselves
and stay within
boundaries to keep the
plants safe.2036
Genetically modified
grass that grows to a
uniform length could
eliminate the need
for mowing.SCSCIENCECCIEENNCCE
76 Vol. 8 Issue 5