Sensors have long been present in many devices around the home. However, it is the expansion and incorporation of that sensing fabric, away from use within that specific device, into a connected intelligent management platform that will provide the foundation for a new generation of self-adapting smart home systems. 

Sensors, and the connected devices they will be embedded within, will increasingly provide a dynamic, real-time understanding of the smart home, and the data they collect will provide essential operating information for a range of systems. This sensing fabric will drive a range of business opportunities and applications—from extending the value of smart home security services to integrating healthcare provision, and from personalized entertainment control to smart city management.

This report examines the types of sensors that will have the greatest impact on smart home adoption and development over the next five years and beyond. Sensors are considered for their functionality and the devices they will enhance. The Future of Sensors in the Smart Home looks at applications that will adapt due to the potential that the considered sensors offer to expand and adapt those application and service offerings.