Michael Rogers, Practical Futurist

Late last week I visited the CEDIA conference--a long-time gathering of “custom integrators”--the professionals who, traditionally, installed high-end whole-house audio-video systems.  Think home theaters with huge screens, floor-shaking sound, custom leather seats and a popcorn cart.  But over recent years, CEDIA members have increasingly found themselves also installing smart homes.  And this year, their conference, previously called CEDIA Expo, was renamed Future Home Experience.

I found an audience very sensitive to the shifting under their feet--the entrance of giants like Google and Apple into territory, as well as ambitious young start-ups that aim to build the voice-activated intelligences that will control everything in the home from the front door locks to the window shades.  

It’s going to be an interesting few years for everyone in the industry, but it’s clear that the long-promised smart house is finally arriving and the business opportunity is enormous. 

Here’s an interview I did recently with seven predictions for the home of the future.