The next few years are going to be a whirlwind as far as home automation goes. Google (among others) has been snapping up some exciting home automation and robotics companies - and there are big hints and suggestions all over the place which paint a seriously intriguing picture of how technology's going to change the way we think about our homes over next few years.

Clever home automation has the potential to bring some valuable improvements in terms of efficiency, comfort, convenience and even health and safety. Check out our feature story to find out more about what's in store...