There are those that are in love with technology and those that are in love with technology more than their spouse. I think technology is great, but sometimes a simplified life like those of Robinson Carusoe, Brian Robeson of Gary Paulsen's "Hatchet," or a Gilligan of "Gilligan's Isle" would appeal to me more. Having such a perspective helps keep the focus that technology is meant to simplify our lives, not gum them up. HOWEVER (and that's a big however), technology is sometimes cool enough, that we just have to talk about it and its possibile impact on our lives. 
What is Home Automation Technology?
Like digital signage, home automation technology has been around for some time. Also strikingly coincidental is the fact that both technologies are maturing at about the same time. What do I mean by maturing? Both industries are being forced to adapt business strategies away from the elite and focus them on on the emerging "long tail," the mainstream, so to speak. Home automation is a term that should be at least somewhat self-explanatory. But to more get specific, home automation seeks to simplify the digital landscape that often clutters the American family household. Specifically, home automation systems simplify, integrate and automate (doy!) home theater/audio, HVAC, security, sprinkler, and lighting systems.
In doing this, automation systems generally have a centralized management interface with a remote control. Home automation represents the peak of convenience, and even laziness. Imagine that you wish to watch a movie on your home theater. You can have the lights dim, the curtains close, the TV and DVD player turn on, the phone muted and the popcorn popper start with the touch of one button. Another obvious benefit is the security feature of a home automation system. Home auto systems replace a standard security system, but in a unique way. A home automation system allows you to look into your home remotely from anywhere in the world and you can have a phone call or SMS sent to you if something goes awry. In fact, apart from alerting you of an intruder, the system(s) can also wake you in the case of a fire, shut off the gas, turn on a lighting path for your escape, and automatically alert the fire station of the issue. It would seem that the only application left out would be the "dish doing" app. Don't worry, that'll probably show up on the iPhone sometime in the near future. But seriously, these systems are pretty cool.
Companies like Control4, have done very well catoring to higher-end clientelle. Most often the cost ranges around $10K to $20K (and that doesn't even include a high instal price tag), which is generally rolled into a home mortgage. As a result, unless you're building your own home or planning ahead, home automation never really is taken into consideration. Over the next few years, we'll see prices drop here as SaaS solutions become available much like we have seen in the satellite television and mobile phone industries. The mantra will be "give them a discount on the system, along with a contractual service obligation." However, the actual and viable business models for home automation system providers is a discussion for another time.
Symbiotic Relationship Between Home Auto and Digital Signage
Americans seem almost completely obsessed with entertainment and almost equally obsessed with the technology that delivers it. Hence the sucess of the iPhone. This is why the media center portion of a home automation system is so critical. It is the "sizzle" that sells the stake, so to speak. The "brains" of a home automation system manages not only the media, but the entire system itself. However, this piece is very similar to many digital signage systems: it plays dynamic media; there are zones for control of particular areas; touchscreen can be implemented; role-based admin can be used; mobile phones can be used as control devices; and media, lighting, and HVAC can be placed on a defined schedule.
Interestingly, Roku is one signage company who has their fingers in not only the hardware of digital signage media players but they are also partnered for inexpensive set-top boxes for media playing devices. When these devices are eventually integrated seemlessly with home automation, it will be interesting to see more cross-over technologies, for they certainly already exist. Yahoo's ConnectedTV is another example of a home entertainment system that is signage-esque which would integrate nicely with home auto.
Whatever eventually emerges in both spaces will certainly have cross-over capabilities that will not be surprising--especially for those paying attention to both sectors.
