The world’s first home automation system was invented in 1966 by Jim Sutherland. ECHO IV, or Electronic Computing Home Operator, allowed users to control their home’s temperature, store recipes or shopping lists, and power appliances. However, ECHO was never commercially sold.

It would only be until the 1970s when general-purpose home automation technology would be first introduced to the public. At first, the technology was only simple enough to make appliances and light fixtures in homes run more efficiently. Since then, home automation has evolved into smart-home technology and integrative systems for climate, entertainment, security, and more. One such system is the 2019 DARWIN Home Wellness Intelligence platform, the first of its kind ever.

DARWIN is a network designed to be integrated into the home and target respiratory, cardiovascular, and immune and cognitive health through methods including air purification, water filtration, circadian rhythm lighting, and comfort-focused technologies to simulate the outdoors. According to Delos, the company behind DARWIN, the system uses algorithms and sensor technology to help reduce stress, improve quality of sleep, and increase performance.

Delos believes that our environment, or our homes, are the places that contribute the most to our health--up to 70%, they claim.

Consumers are considering their health and the ways in which they can upgrade their homes with new technologies more than ever before, especially while many are self-quarantining due to the COVID-19 pandemic. One of the more popular and readily available automation devices is the Amazon Echo, which is a smart speaker that allows users to answer questions, play music, and control home devices. Amazon said in January of 2019 that more than 100 million “Alexa” devices had been sold, highlighting the demand that has risen towards these types of systems.

One Miami-based company that has been the catalyst that simplifies complex innovations in personalized solutions is the tech integration company HEDSouth, which has been installing wellness technology in homes and other spaces since 2018.

HEDSouth is now one of the first 50 accredited and approved dealers for DARWIN, and the only Miami installer for it. HEDSouth, which has expanded into Southern California, also carries electronics and luxury brands such as Lutron for lighting and custom motorized shades, Sonos for Music, Sony for premium video entertainment, and Crestron, Savant, and Josh.ai for complete and simple control.

Developers, real estate leaders, and design professionals alike are thinking ahead about the future of at-home wellness technology, with much of South Florida welcoming its first wellness residences. These include private single-family homes and Coral Gables’s Villa Valencia, the first U.S. condominium development to debut DARWIN. Projects by HEDSouth with wellness elements are underway in Boca Raton, Weston, Fort Lauderdale, and Miami.

By Isabella Zimmermann