Components and applications

Forecasts concerning market development have already shown that networking of consumer electronics is the biggest digital home segment. This is also underlined in the question of the future importance of networking of different components in the home (Figure 22). Around 77% of experts assume that integrated home entertainment networks and their central management via a control unit will be of high (ca. 54%) or very high (around 23%) importance in the future home.

Figure 22:		Future importance of networking different components in the home (digital home experts)

Around 67% of those surveyed assess the networking of home automation and its central control to be highly significant in future. The complete integration and central control of all digital home elements (entertainment, household appliances, home automation and home surveillance) are classified by a good 40% of digital home experts as highly significant (ca. 22%) or extremely significant (around 19%).

Which applications will be particularly important for the digital home? After all, comprehensive networking driven by fast broadband Internet offers a range of possibilities. So what is to be done in the digital home? What will it be used for?

Figure 23:		Future significance of selected interactive applications in the digital home (digital home experts)

In the experts’ opinion, social considerations are at the forefront, i.e. interactive communication between users (Figure 23). Around 78% see interactive communications applications as a key application in the digital home of the future. These will also be used for keeping in touch with friends. 37% of experts also say that digital home applications will be seen by consumers as highly relevant to the expansion their social networks.

The classification of the potential of interactive entertainment and learning applications is comparatively low. Only around 22% and 11% of digital home experts respectively assume that interactive entertainment offerings or virtual learning applications will be highly significant in the area of digital home. Integrated home and security technology makes various applications available for the user, primarily contributing to his or her convenience and security as well as a reduction in energy consumption. Digital home experts have assessed different security and convenience applications with regard to their significance for the digital home (Figure 24).

Figure 24:		Significance of various security and convenience applications to the digital home (digital home experts)

The surveillance of buildings and personal security by webcams and sensors can be identified as key applications. Other applications include the online surveillance and maintenance of home automation by service providers as well as the automatic adaptation of heating and lighting to the respective situation. In addition, a third of experts see the possibility of remote control of home automation via the web or PDA (mobile Personal Digital Assistants) as being of high to very high significance. Only a few experts on the other hand — just under 19% — attach great importance to remote medical surveillance. This remote medical surveillance includes monitoring a person’s vital functions and triggering an automatic emergency call if required.