3 . Four homes built using everyday objects

Can newspapers and bottles be used as building materials? After touring these four homes built using these objects, you might just believe the answer is yes.

One man’s trash is another man’s treasure. Truer words could not describe Robert Bezeau’s project which began in 2012. After collecting tens of thousands of bottles, Bezeau recruited a team of locals to construct a building using the unwanted materials.

The Bottle Houses on Prince Edward Island, Canada, are the creation of Edouard T. Arsenault and his daughter Rejeanne. The father and daughter began construction in 1980. Over the months, they collected empty bottles, and by 1981 they opened the house to the public. Since then, the building has remained open to visitors, with sunny days being the best time to visit.

Michael Reynolds built his first Earthship when he was 23 years old. Starting out with nothing more than empty bottles, Reynolds set out to create a home that was not only sustainable, but also easy enough for someone without a construction background to build. Earthship Biotecture offers nightly stays. Self-guided tours are also available.

When Elis F. Stenman built his summer home in 1922, he turned to paper for materials. The design has proven to be quite durable, as it’s still standing nearly 100 years later. The home has been open to visitors since the 1930s, and only began charging 10 cents per person in 1942 when it became a museum. Today visitors can experience the Paper House for themselves for $2 for adults and $1 for children.

4 . The era of intelligent home is on the way... A smart pet-flap based on lift door technology that lets pets in — but keeps foxes out —has been made public at the world’s largest tech conference. The MyQ Pet Portal is the latest tool to promise to revolutionise petkeeping.

For $2,999 owners get a new door featuring sliding doors that are unnoticeable when closed. The family pet is equipped with a Bluetooth collar that sends a signal to the sensor hidden in the door which then informs the owner.

A smart phone app allows the owner to choose whether to open the door, with a video and audio stream (音频流) enabling the owner to see and talk to their pet. “ It is a solution for homeowners who want to keep the security and the appearance of their home in good condition while providing their pets with the freedom to   play on demand,” the company claims. MyQ is owned by Chamberlain Group, a US company specialising in garage doors.

The door comes with an   “auto-close and lock system” that triggers after the dog goes through to ensure that no other pets or foxes can use it. There is also the option to let a dog open the door automatically when it approaches, without the need for the owners’ approval.

Samsung revealed a robot called Bot Handy that can, it is claimed, pick up laundry, load the dishwasher, set the table, pour wine, and fetch drinks. There was also an app or voice-controlled bathtub from Kohler, a US maker of bathroom products, which attempts to make the spa experience at home possible. The tub, costing up to $8,700, can connect to voice assistants such as Alexa that will tell it to run the water, adjust the temperature or release scents.