Current lifestyles and technologies have inspired new ways to manage home appliances free of restrictions previously imposed by distance and time. So-called home automation technologies allow users to control and schedule common home tasks, often without human intervention. Several types of home automation systems have been proposed and classified according to their functionality, mode of user interaction, scheduling systems and cost-effectiveness. This paper reviews proposals in the smart home field from the last five years, considering both technical and functional aspects. The paper seeks to define automated or smart home systems by identifying common aspects of current such systems.