7 Interesting Gadgets for Homes of the Future ...

So this technically isn't one of the gadgets for homes, but it will be able to power them. Following new research into the new 'miracle material' called graphene, soon houses could be painted with a power generating paint which will be able to generate electricity from sunlight. This material was first discovered in 2004 and earned the researchers a Nobel Prize. Acting like a super-powerful solar panel, the material will be able to generate enough electricity inside the building to run our appliances in the home.

Mowing the lawn is usually something I leave to my partner but soon, women across the globe will be able to give their partners another task to do because their manual input will no longer be required! A robot lawnmower will be able to navigate its way around your garden, unmanned, trimming the grass. I must confess, I fear for the life of my flower beds as one false move and my pansies will be reduced to pulp! They are actually on the market now but are a little on the expensive side, with the cheapest retailing at around $1,400.

Food is running out. It's sometimes hard to believe that when we look at the stacked food shelves in some of our supermarkets, but scientists estimate that by 2050, population growth and changing weather patterns will mean that there may be a shortage of food even in the more economically robust countries, places where we feel pretty immune. This has forced researchers and scientists to look at alternatives. Insects, which have been eaten in many cultures for years due to their high protein content, may soon be a staple part of the western diet. Meat will be grown in laboratories and the test-tube burger may be served at your local fast food chain. Japanese researchers have also created 'meat' from human feces, soya and steak sauce. Yummy. I may turn vegetarian.

We're used to getting up in the morning, looking woefully at the dark circles under the eyes and sleepily gazing at that new wrinkle as we brush our teeth. But how about a mirror that not only shows your reflection (as mirrors do) but also gives you information such as your weight, BMI and the weather and news? Powered by the internet, this mirror of the future will also be able to detect changes in your health and will be able to report these changes to your doctor via email. Maybe the doctor doesn't need to know about that impromptu night of excess!

What if it only took a few seconds to freeze your food? What if it only took a few seconds to make ice creams and sorbets? Flash freezing has been used in the food industry to help maintain the freshness of perishable foods for many years. Mini liquid nitrogen tanks may soon be available in the homes to make such luxuries as ice creams and sorbets in seconds and will save you the agonising wait for that homemade vanilla ice cream.

Fashion is ever changing. Although designers have dabbled in the futuristic 'look' for many years by experimenting with metallics and futuristic looking geometric shapes, fashion could change considerably, with spray-on disposable garments being a possibility. How about an outfit that responds to temperature changes around you and clothing that monitors the body's health and responds accordingly to alter your mood?

Giving the concept of mind games a whole new meaning, brainwave controlled video games could soon be entering the living rooms and bedrooms of the future teen. The idea of controlling anything with your mind is both exciting and a little disconcerting. It's no wonder the concept of the mind controlling electronic devices has been used by science fiction writers and filmmakers for years.

These are just a few of the things that may be entering our homes of the future. Inventors are already thinking about how we'll be living 100 years from now, when we won't be here but our great grandchildren might be, tucking into the freshly flash frozen yoghurt and donning a brain-wave reading headset. What gadgets would you love to see in your home to make your life that little bit easier? You never know, it just might happen!

sources: telegraph.co.uk, fashion.telegraph.co.uk, bbc.co.uk