This week’s SmartWorld Series features the future of home automation, the UK’s effort in the IoT movement, new partnerships for connected cars, and smart devices to keep your smartphone from dying.

For those who missed this week’s SmartWorld Series, here’s a chance to catch up on the exciting developments happening in the connected world. Each week, SiliconANGLE rounds up the best of apps and services for health and fitness, smart homes, smart cars and anything related to the Internet of Things.

Smart TVs may soon control your connected home

Home automation may get more interesting as companies are now pushing the trend to play a huge part in controlling different aspects of your smart home.  Samsung and VTouch are working on a deal that would deliver gesture control to future Samsung Smart TVs, but that’s not all.  The deal will also integrate gesture control to be tied with home automation so users can dim or turn lights on or off, adjust the temperature, lock the door, and control any other connected home appliances.

Find out more about Samsung and VTouch’s deal, as well as other home automation news, in this week’s SmartHome roundup.

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UK Prime Minister leads IoT effort

The Internet of Things is only going to get bigger and now, governments are taking interest in this growing industry.  At the CeBIT 2014 in Hannover, UK Prime Minister David Cameron announced that £45 million (close to $75 million) in funding will be available for IoT researchers in the UK, while a £1 million grant will be available for European products developing for the sector.  It was also announced that Sir Mark Walport will be leading the review of the Internet of Things in the UK.

Find out more about the UK’s effort in the Internet of Things as well as new IoT products in this week’s Quantified Self roundup.

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Smart cars pushing new deals with gadget makers, network carriers

Volkswagen CEO Martin Winkerhorn is calling for further collaboration between tech giants and car manufacturers to support the effort of Internet connected cars.  He believes that tech companies such as Google and IBM are better suited in developing technologies that allows vehicles to connect to the Internet.  Aside from that, the CEO is calling for a voluntary agreement between manufacturers to protect sensitive information about the car’s users and the cars themselves, as he believes that personal data should be protected and not be used for commercial gains.

Read more about Winkerhorn’s call for collaboration as well as other partnerships for connecting cars to the Internet in this week’s SmartCar roundup.

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Smart chargers that won’t literally won’t leave you hanging

If you’re constantly losing your smartphone charger, forgetting to unplug it before you leave for work, or keep forgetting to pack it when going on a trip, then you might need a ChargerLeash.  ChargerLeash is a USB cable that can be used to charge a smartphone or sync a smartphone to a computer, but what makes it unique is that it has a built-in alarm that sounds off when a device is unplugged, alerting you to either unplug it from the power source, or remind you that you need to pack it in your bag.

Find out more about the ChargerLeash, as well as a wearable solar charger and a Bluetooth tracking device, in this week’s SmartDevice roundup.

Tune in next week for more interesting stories, discoveries and innovations in the world of smart and connected things.