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Have you ever wondered what our homes might look like years from now? According to the Houses of Tomorrow show at Bluewater they could be full of robot personal assistants, holographic fans and machines controlled by how calm or focused you are, as Alex Langridge found out.
Presenter of Houses of Tomorrow explains how the gadgets work
When I arrived, the first thing to grab my attention was a holographic fan displaying a picture of a dog – mainly because it was colourful and spinning rather fast.
It has a four-ray, LED-based rotor which spins, creating a 3D image which appears to be floating in mid-air.
Known as HYPERVSN Solo, it currently only displays pre-uploaded content but I can imagine the technology taking off and being used in place of a TV, bringing the drama of EastEnders straight into your front room.
It could probably even be used for Zoom calls, although I am not sure having my boss hologramed into my house would be a selling point.
The bells and whistles did initially impress me – I am a sucker for bright colours – but practically, I don't really see the point of it.
The next item I was introduced to was Temi, a robotic, personal assistant, and I was immediately intrigued.
The Robots of London creation is voice activated, can take a photo, tell a "joke", move freely around the house safely with its built-in sensors, meaning it won't bump into your pet, and can be used to charge your phone or as a stand.
Realistically, it is an Alexa on wheels but that doesn't make it any less impressive in my eyes.
You can also call Temi when you're not in the house and control its movements to keep an eye on how things are doing, or in the event of a break-in could ask it to take a picture and follow the burglar.
There were a few hiccups when testing it out – such as not picking up what had been said and a slight delay in following a demand – but it's a robot, what do you expect? Still, pretty cool.
Now, I am not sure how I feel about this one. Straight off the bat I think it is an excellent idea but I can see it setting off a downward spiral if it was in my house.
Only launched last week and still looking for investors, Mynd Play is pitched to help you focus, stay calm and, in turn, control appliances.
Essentially, users set the box to either focus or calm and then to a certain level, let's say 60 focus. They then wear a headband and try to focus on one thought or activity. If they reach 60 then the appliance connected to it turns on.
It was created to help with mental well-being and assist people in practising calmness.
I think this is extremely clever but as the creators were not at the event I am slightly clueless on how in actually works.
But I could see this failing for me. If I connected it to my lamp and managed to hit the required level of focus I would immediately lose focus, resulting in the lamp switching off and my stress levels soaring, the cycle continuing as the light flashes on and off behind me.
But now onto the stars of the show, well for me anyway. First, a down draft extraction induction hob.
The cooking appliance by Bora, which can cost around £2,600 according to suppliers KitchenHaus, is like any induction hob but has a built-in extraction fan that gets rid of almost 100% of the steam or smoke downwards instead of upwards, meaning no more giant unit above your head.
The smoke is then either expelled from beneath or ducted through and out of the house.
I know, I am easily impressed.
Next, domestic giant Miele's WWG 660 TwinDos washing machine which is said to be so delicate it could wash a rose without losing any petals. I am not sure why you would want to, but fair enough.
The machine is built so you do not need to handwash any clothes and has a honeycomb interior to prevent snagging. Other features include washing detergent dispensers which release the right amount needed per wash, specialised pods for certain clothing like waterproofs and the ability to tell the system what colours, load or how dirty your clothes are.
I almost bought one there and then but I don't think trying to claim £1,490 back on expenses would go down well.
The exhibit also showcased a first of its kind bi-directional electric charger called a Quasar Charger.
The makers are hoping to release it in Europe next year and it works by storing electricity to charge your car which can then be used in the house if needed, for example during a power cut.
Another gadget on show was a prototype Smart Fork which vibrates when it deems you are eating too fast, too much or not chewing enough.
Overall, I was pretty blown away by many of the products even if I did not see all of their purposes.
You can find the 20-minute show at Bluewater's Spring Home and Garden event featuring the best home and garden products from a range of well-known brands and designers.
Organiser Michael Dynan said: "After the past few years, our homes and gardens have never been more important to us, so it is wonderful to be able to showcase so many great products and technologies at Bluewater.
"It is one of the country’s leading retail destinations and to be able to bring many new products to their audience presents a fantastic opportunity."
Shoppers can browse brands including Miele – which has just opened its new store at the centre – Kutchenhaus, Moda, Easy Bathrooms, Lexus, Sleep I.D, Freddies Flowers, Elmeda Grace and many more.
John Lewis will be offering its interior design services and Marks and Spencer will be running a competition to win its latest garden furniture range.
James Waugh, centre director at the Greenhithe centre, added: "The Spring Home and Garden event will be a fantastic opportunity to browse the latest products from top retailers – with Bluewater’s own brands getting involved alongside lots of well-known names from further afield."
The show can be found outside The Village area of the centre and runs until Sunday, May 22 between 10am and 6pm.
One lucky visitor will also win a Miele Triflex Power Vacuum. For more information, click here.