Issue Focus:Healthy Home

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 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

Concerns About Air Quality

U.S. Broadband Households

Concerned Very concerned

Inside your home

Outside your home, in the area where you live

In your office or workplace

0% 10%

Smart Home Purchase Intentions

Next 6 Months

20% 30% 40%

Source: Parks Associates

Smart Home Active Shoppers

40% 31%

High intentions to purchase a smart home device hold steady at 40%

To continue this trajectory to massmarket adoption, awareness of both IAQ problems and solutions must grow. Simultaneously, prices will need to drop to become more affordable to the

average consumer.

The market also has an increasing ecosystem of smart products that can enable a variety of wellness use cases at home. Connected weight scales and blood pressure cuffs help consumers proactively monitor their health. Smart mattresses and sleep monitors improve consumers’ sleep. Smart products like cameras and voice assistants increasingly include sensors and algorithms that can give residents new insight into the health of their environment.

All these new devices and added capabilities give device manufacturers and service providers the opportunity to make the smart home a healthier home and encourage consumers to embrace this integrated vision for their household.

Parks Associates highlights exclusive research during our eighth annual Connected Health Summit virtual sessions such as new consumer preferences will increase the value proposition of smart home and wellness tech among consumers, and the implications for product manufacturers, service providers, home builders, and MDU property managers.

Register now to join special virtual networking events to connect, share insights, and discuss the immediate, near-term, and long-term impact of COVID-19 and other trends on the consumer healthcare market. For information on sponsoring, speaking or attending, visit www.connected healthsummit.com. x