ISSUE FOCUS
Leveraging the Smart Home for a Healthy Home An Expanding Ecosystem of Smart Products is Enabling Various Health and Wellness Use Cases By Jennifer Kent, Parks Associates With more time spent at home than ever under pandemic circumstances, consumers have new concerns about the health and safety of their home environments. Subsequently, the adoption of connected health devices has grown year-over-year, with 42 percent of U.S. broadband households report owning at least one connected health device as of Q2 2020, which is up from 24 percent in 2013. The ever-expanding ecosystem of smart products that can enable various health and wellness use cases also has contributed to this strong growth. There are many device types that collect various data, causing several new connected health opportunities to emerge. From the more established use case of remotepatient monitoring for chronic condition monitoring to devices like smart mattresses, connected fitness devices, robot vacuums, smart kitchen appliances assisting in healthy cooking, and smart appliances devices, these products contribute to cleaner indoor air, healthier meals, better sleep, and improved fitness habits at home. The demand for superior air quality in particular has exploded due to the pandemic. Clean air is vital to overall home health, making air quality sensors and smart indoor climate products essential to healthy living. Parks Associates’ research reveals that 50 percent of U.S. broadband households have a health condition that is sensitive to indoor air quality (IAQ), including allergies, asthma, and COPD. Additionally, more than half of broadband
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Residential Tech Today | Nov/Dec 2021
households find a smart product that removes dust/allergens from the floor and purifies the air of viruses and bacteria as valuable. The impact of poor air quality and the need for proper ventilation extend beyond those with health conditions, so improving awareness and familiarity of indoor air quality (IAQ) will further improve adoption. Dust and allergens are consumers’ top concerns, and 25 percent are concerned about viruses and bacteria inside the household. Numerous opportunities are emerging for the connected home industries to deliver health and wellness solutions like improved IAQ, which can effectively reduce airborne virus transmissions. Parks Associates’ latest research shows that over 50 percent of U.S. broadband households find a smart product that removes dust/ allergens from the floor and purifies the air of viruses and bacteria as valuable. While an increase in pollen and allergens outside tend to keep those with allergies indoors, these substances can be found indoors. Therefore, proper filtration can help reduce and control indoor allergen concerns. Forty percent of U.S. broadband households report high intentions to purchase a smart home device in the next six months, with 31 percent identified as active shoppers. Furthermore, 20 percent of consumers are highly concerned about air quality, and around 20 percent own a smart climate control device. This illustrates that IAQ concerns are driving a key segment of smart homeowners and shoppers.
Photo: iStockphoto.com/Suebsiri
