While running around from place to place each day, it’s common to forget to shut the lights or other electronic devices off at home. It would also be nice to shut those same devices off while one is just too tired to get out of bed.
Switch Bot is a small robotic device that attaches to other devices throughout the home or office and can wirelessly control all their switches and buttons. Control can be done while at the location or remotely using a smartphone or smartwatch.
It would be really convenient if one’s universal remote control could not only control the TV, but also every other electric appliance in the room.
ZaZaRemote is a hybrid touchscreen/button remote control that uses infrared (IR), 2.4G-radio frequency (RF), Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. It can remotely control all IR electric appliances, including TVs, set-top boxes, projectors, DVD players, audio devices and air conditioners. The programmable remote also serves as a home security assistant, reporting its sensor’s data to the user’s mobile phone.
It would be handy to control all the devices in a room just from the sound of one’s voice. EnzoMind Connect is an intelligent remote control system for devices in the home and office that works via voice control. EnzoMind also makes it easy for users to quickly find any piece of information they want on the Internet. The device uses algorithms based on neural networks and has a built-in Wi-Fi module.
The Android-based EnzoMind Connect ships in August at about $299 for a basic version with two adapters to control two electronic devices, about $359 for the EnzoMind Connect Pro with four adapters to control four devices, or about $395 for a multi-room set with one control unit, three adapters and a satellite that expands its operation to two rooms. But Indiegogo backers can order EnzoMind Connect for a pledge of $249 for the basic version, $299 for the Pro model, or $329 for the multi-room set. There are also double and triple sets. Its makers hope to raise $80,000 by Dec. 7.
Other devices have used neural networks, including the Xpider. And, of course, other devices –- namely smartphones and tablets, as well as Amazon Echo and smart hub systems from companies including Samsung — can be used to control devices around the home. EnzoMind’s makers say it can control most electrical devices. Assuming that it does, however, there are still just too many similar devices on the market that it’s up against to call it a sure thing.
Many homeowners rely on lawn sprinkler systems to water their gardens and lawns. However, traditional lawn sprinkler systems tend to waste a lot of water and don’t always do a great job supplying water exactly where it’s needed.
Netro is a watering system designed for easy use in residential irrigation and is made up of the Sprite cloud-based watering controller and Whisperer, a solar-powered plant sensor. It works in conjunction with an app for Android and iOS mobile devices. Netro helps to reduce unnecessary water usage and keeps gardens healthy.
It’s 3 a.m. and it would be nice to turn the TV and lights off without getting out of bed.
Knocki is a short, cylindrical device that attaches to any surface and transforms that surface into a touch interface that can control other devices. Users set Knocki to perform specific actions through a set number of taps. It uses non-acoustic sensor technology to detect gentle surface gestures that are even a short distance away, but Knocki also has the ability to filter out random vibrations. The device works anywhere there is Wi-Fi, and there is a companion Android and iOS app for it.
It can be a major drag to face interruptions every time the window blinds need to be adjusted due to glare.
FlipFlic is a solar-powered, energy-saving device that adjusts window blinds based on sunlight, temperature or any schedule that is set via the accompanying app. An iOS app is already available and an Android version will follow soon. The automation device is easy to install. With one click, FlipFlic, which is about the size of a roll of quarters, attaches to window blinds magnetically.
While the smart home segment runs rife with activity, it doesn’t stop companies from coming up with their version of a “revolutionary” system. It makes sense that there are still companies looking for that breakthrough: being able to control everything in the home from anywhere some sort of data connection is too powerful to ignore. The problem is packaging the capabilities to a wider, mainstream audience.
The Kasia smart home system pairs a brightly colored interface with ease of use in an attempt to get at the heart of the solution. Everything stems from its always-on Hub where up to 149 Kasia modules can connect with it and each other using mesh networking for more stable, longer-reaching connections. This family of modules lets users monitor and control anything in the home. The Kasia Plug covers the majority of gadgets and appliances so that users can turn them on or off while the Kasia Switch looks exactly like a normal wall switch but communicates with the Hub as well. A Kasia Remote is also available and features customizable buttons for individual devices, groups of devices, or entire scenes.
Plants are easier to take care of than most pets, but they too must be fed -– something that’s not always easy. After all, people can’t always be home and, even when they are, they sometimes forget to feed their plants. Unlike dogs, plants of course don’t bark when they’re hungry. (At least, they shouldn’t.)
PlantSitter is a soil-mounted, smart plant monitoring system that uses sensors to help owners care for their plants. If a plant doesn’t have enough water, PlantSitter will detect that and send the user a message immediately. The device also measures the nutrition levels in the soil of a plant by measuring the soil’s electrical conductivity (EC). By measuring the soil’s EC, along with its levels of moisture, PlantSitter can make an estimate of the soil’s nutrition levels.
The patent-pending device works in conjunction with a MiGrow app for Android and iOS mobile devices. PlantSitter gets connected through Bluetooth to a nearby smart device equipped with the app. The app monitors a plant by interpreting the received data and making sure the values are within limits prescribed for that specific plant. Data collected from PlantSitter are stored on the device maker’s servers and users can browse the info by hours, days and weeks.
High energy costs continue to put a strain on the budgets of many families. The U.S. energy grid is also overburdened and sometimes unreliable, especially in the summer when many people are running air conditioners. Renewable energy sources including solar and wind, meanwhile, are widely considered to be major parts of the solution, but they tend to be intermittent -– limited to when the sun is shining or the wind is blowing.
Orison is a plug-and-play energy storage system that’s designed to work in any country, whether the user gets energy from the grid, the sun or another source. The battery system automatically stores energy when utility rates are low, and then uses that energy to power the user’s home or business when rates are high. During a power outage, it can automatically power a home or business and make sure none of the stored energy is sent back to the grid. By localizing energy distribution, users can save money while lowering peak demand on the grid.
Whether it’s being used for playing videogames or the binge watching of TV shows, the television continues to help adults and kids procrastinate.
Drive is an outlet adapter that connects to a home Wi-Fi network and receives instructions from its owner on when to enable or disable the use of a TV. It works in conjunction with an Android, iOS and Windows app. If parents don’t want their kids to watch TV or play games until they are done with their homework or household chores, Drive can be used to bar those children from using the TV for a set period of time. If adults make a New Year’s resolution to exercise and lose weight, but can’t manage to bring themselves to turn off the TV, Drive can be set to automatically block the TV from being used until they burn some calories.