Long before smart speakers, connected security systems, and AI-powered homes became mainstream, Parks Associates Founder Tricia Parks was helping the industry envision what connected living could become.
This USA TODAY feature from September 22, 1986, "Computerizing All the Comforts of Home," profiled Tricia Parks and her work demonstrating one of the earliest intelligent home concepts. At a time when most consumers had never considered controlling their home through a computer, the article showcased technologies that allowed homeowners to manage lighting, security, climate, entertainment, and appliances from a single interface.
Nearly 40 years later, many of the capabilities described in the article have become standard features in connected homes around the world.
Highlights from the 1986 article:
- Remote home control: Demonstrated how homeowners could manage lighting, heating and cooling, security, and appliances through a central computer.
- Connected entertainment: Showed one of the earliest visions for integrating televisions, VCRs, and home electronics into a unified experience.
- Smart security: Highlighted remote monitoring of doors, windows, motion sensors, and home systems—capabilities that are now foundational to today's smart security market.
- Consumer-first vision: Focused on using technology to simplify everyday life rather than showcasing technology for its own sake.
- Industry leadership: Introduced consumers to concepts that would eventually become the connected home market.
The story is a reminder that the connected home industry did not emerge overnight. It has been shaped by decades of innovation, consumer adoption, and market evolution. Throughout that journey, Parks Associates has helped technology companies understand changing consumer behavior and identify the opportunities driving the next generation of connected products and services.
Today, Parks Associates continues to provide market intelligence, consumer research, and strategic insights across the connected home ecosystem, including:
- Home security and monitoring
- Broadband and managed services
- Streaming video and digital entertainment
- Energy management and sustainability
- Artificial intelligence and the connected home
The technologies have changed dramatically since 1986, but the mission remains the same: delivering trusted consumer research and market intelligence that helps companies make informed business decisions and understand where connected technologies are headed next.
Explore Parks Associates research, events, and industry insights.
