This week’s Smart World Series considers how connected cars can hold people hostage, smart switches for retrofitting the home, ways the connected world is transforming healthcare, a smart oven that makes cooking easy, and when we can expect smart cars to hit the streets.

For those who missed last week’s Smart World Series, here’s a chance to catch up on the exciting developments in the connected world. Each week, SiliconANGLE rounds up the top news trends regarding smart homes and cars, smart data centers and IT, smart infrastructure and all things related to the Internet of Things (IoT).

What Amazon Dash really means

When Amazon introduced Dash earlier this year, it seemed so futuristic it was mistaken for an April Fool’s prank. But lo and behold, the device is a real product. It allows people to directly order from Amazon to have items delivered as early as the next day with a simple touch of a button. Some see the technology as something doomed for failure, but is it?

Read about what MuleSoft founder Ross Mason thinks of the Amazon Dash here.

Smart world problems: Cars could hold you hostage

The connected things we use today could put our lives in danger. A study conducted by AV-TEST GmbH revealed that fitness trackers could be leaking your information without your knowledge and could lead to hackers holding your vital information for ransom. Fitness trackers aren’t the only connected devices at risk, as connected cars could also hold people hostage.

Read more about the hazards of the connected world in our Smart World Problem roundup.

Best smart light switches for renters and more

One of the easiest ways to get into the smart home trend is by fitting your home with a smart switch. Smart switches allow homeowners to monitor and control their lights with the use of their smartphone to save on energy consumption.

The question is, which smart switch fits you best?

Read more about our smart switch roundup here.

Smart drugs: Where IoT meets healthcare

The Internet of Things could possibly revolutionize how people receive healthcare. With the use of smart pills, smart pill bottles and even smart contact lenses, healthcare providers will be able to assess how patients are adhering to medication, as well as how they are reacting to the therapy, not to mention be able to assess vital information even if the patient is just at home.

Read more about these revolutionary healthcare products here.

An oven that sees, thinks and teaches you to cook

The Juno Intelligent Oven is a unique oven that can help turn anyone into a chef with its smart features, such as a camera that is able to determine what you are cooking and how long you should cook that meal, a built-in scale, a touchscreen panel that doubles as a screen for cooking instructions and more.

Also featured in this roundup is the Notion home security and monitoring system and GasWatch, a system that allows you to monitor how much propane is left in the tank for your gas grill.

Read more about these exciting new products in our Smart Living roundup.

Mend reimagines house calls for the smartphone age

Doctors used to make house calls at all hours of the day or night, but as the population grew, that practice changed. Now, with recent advancements in technology, house calls are coming back with Mend. Mend is a healthcare service that allows people to schedule a house visit with a doctor to suit their needs. Mend provides services such as stitching, applying splints, tending to allergies and writing prescriptions, and more.

Read more about how Mend can help you and how to sign up here.

New apps focus on LGBT community health

The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community may have unique health needs and this is what the new Pride study aims to determine. The Pride study will gather information from the LGBT community using an app developed through Apple’s ResearchKit to determine how its members’ health is being affected by their sexual orientation.

Also featured in this roundup is Wildflower Health, Inc., which is raising $5 million in funding, and an app that focuses on addressing sexually transmitted diseases among teens in Philadelphia.

Read more about these apps and services in our Smart Health roundup.

Casio to enter the smartwatch market

Casio Computer Co., Ltd. is said to be entering the smartwatch market and will compete with the likes of Apple and Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. What makes this entrance somewhat unique is that Casio will stick to its watch origins and make it smart rather than creating a device that is smart and also serves as a watch.

Read more about how Casio plans to approach the smartwatch market here.

Self-driving cars: When can you get one?

There is big talk about self-driving cars from major car manufacturers, and some have already showed their prototypes at tech events and car shows. The big question now is, when will consumers get their hands on these self-driving vehicles? Will it be as early as the end of this year or could it be in the next five to 10 years?

Find out when self-driving cars will become a reality for consumers here.

Forget smart cars, just geek up the steering wheel

Forget about purchasing a connected car that could cost thousands of dollars more than regular cars. The answer to your connected woes may just lie in turning your steering wheel into a connected one with SensoFoil.

Also featured in this roundup is a partnership between SoZo Group Holdings Company, Ltd. and Huawei USA to turn Dothan, AL, into a smart city, as well as Cisco Systems, Inc. providing the foundation for the Industrial IoT.

Read more about how our cities are transforming in our Smart City roundup.

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

Feature image via: Hoffmann-Krippner