Cartoons and fictional TV shows have a history of predicting the technological future. Think of Dick Tracy (1931 debut) and his two-Way Wrist Radio; Richie Rich (1953) and his video phone; Maxwell Smart (1965) and his shoe phone and The Jetsons (1962) with flat screen TVs; Tablet computers and Robotic vacuums.
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Batman (1939) with his belt may have been the first device that could legitimately lay claim to being tagged as a 'smart' something. If you launch a new product today, it seems almost compulsory to precede it with the word 'smart'. We have smartphones; smartwatches; smart homes ... but Batman had his smart belt, with electronic tracking devices; a mini-camera; recording devices; a bat beacon and sonic disruptor and a communicator to allow him to contact other heroes.
The 'smart' things market is predicted to grow at 25 per cent each year for the next five years. There is no set technology rule to define what makes something 'smart' but it is generally accepted that it should have some autonomous capability or artificial intelligence and have the ability to communicate externally and probably be a part of the Internet of Things (IoT).
The list of 'smart' products seems almost endless.
You can currently buy: a smart plant pot that has a self-watering system that also tracks soil nutrients, sunlight and temperature and notifies your smartphone when the plant needs attention. A smart umbrella that notifies you when you are leaving the house that, according to the forecast, you are going to need your umbrella today. A smart toaster that allows custom messages to be printed on your toast, including the weather forecast for the day and, just in case you aren't standing in front of your toaster when it finishes, you will receive an alert on your phone once the toasting is done. A smart mirror that gives you your calendar for the day along with status updates from other smart devices in the house. I am sure you can even ask the smart mirror on the stand who is the fairest in the land - but I can't guarantee the legitimacy of the answer. If you love your eggs for breakfast, then you need a smart egg tray. You will receive a notification when the number of eggs is low and also when any of the eggs in the tray are nearing their expiration date. The bathroom doesn't miss out, with smart toothbrushes that feature video feeds and notifications to your phone on your brushing technique. The smart toilet automatically opens, closes, flushes and combats smell with a built-in catalytic deodoriser.
And, of course, you knew it had to exist. A smart belt.
This one isn't quite as impressive as Batman's but it does have a 2000mAh power bank to charge your phone when it has been too busy connecting to your other smart devices.
Tell me what smart device you would love to see next at ask@techtalk.digital.
