We have been watching numerous articles/videos on how the "Smart" products may change our homes into "Smart homes". But what many us do not acknowledge is that, some of such dream devices are available already in reality, and making a tangible difference to our daily life.
There are many innovative companies pouring millions of bucks into developing these smart devices/technologies – to seamlessly merge our digital and physical worlds within our homes, in to solutions. I thought I can share some of those such interesting developments/products here.
Let me try to list as I see them in a futuristic home.
There are many innovative companies pouring millions of bucks into developing these smart devices/technologies – to seamlessly merge our digital and physical worlds within our homes, in to solutions. I thought I can share some of those such interesting developments/products here.
Let me try to list as I see them in a futuristic home.
Kitchen:
Sereneti Kitchen: Cooking can be fun, but sometimes things are just too hectic to take the time to do it. So this company is building an automated cooking robot; we just have to insert the ingredients for the dish; the device turns those ingredients into delicious food and invites you on your smart phone for the dinner!. For now, the device is limited to a single motion (stirring), but they look promising for a large expansion.
June oven: It’s a smart oven that runs machine learning and computer vision technologies (features multiple cameras inside the oven) to identify and cook food. Needless to say other app-magics and ecosystem support- this device is created by the team of ex- apple, google and GoPro engineers!
Smart Jar from SKE Labs: The Smart Jar has built-in sensors that weigh its contents and adds that item a grocery shopping list on your smartphone when it runs low. The app on your smartphone also tells you which dishes you can make with those remaining ingredients with their nutrition information. It also keeps track of the “best used by” date, and even the developer is trying to integrate a fitness-tracker along.
Living Room:
There are really many devices in this space; Savant, Bidgely, SerraLux, Leeo's smart alarm, Notion (Building sensors),,,etc. One innovation, that I really liked is the “Stir”..
Stir: has built a smart desk aimed at improving the users activity while using the desk. The user presets their preferred heights for standing, sitting and ideal goal for standing height. In active mode the desk will move an inch up or down after an interval, inviting the user to change position and preventing extended periods of sedentary posture. Over time the desk tracks the users burned calories and learns when its best to remind the user to change positions.
Bed Room:
Rest has developed a smart bed using its patented pressure sensing fabric. The ReST Bed senses the sleeping position using the sensor attached near the surface and makes automatic real-time adjustments in bed surface using quiet air pumps. Bed is connected to home wifi and transfers sleep data to be displayed on a tablet which is included in the package.
Hello Inc has designed a product 'Sense' which includes an ambient light sensor, high sensitivity microphone, temperature sensor, humidity sensor, high quality speaker, proximity sensor, particulate sensor, WiFi and Bluetooth Low Energy and tracks user's sleep behavior. As the mobile app collects data, it can offer recommendations on things the user can fix to ensure a good night’s rest. Raised $31.6 million in funding to date.
Garden:
Grove offers a hydroponic growing system, that consists of a cabinet with five boxes. Four of them hold plants, with LED lights that connect to the Grove OS, allowing users to control the lighting schedule, as well as monitor the temperature, humidity, and water level through WiFi. The fifth box is home to a fish aquarium, that uses fish waste to produce fertilizer for the plants, which in turn clean the fishes’ water.
Click and Grow is building a soil less electronic flower pot that grow plants without watering and fertilizing. Each flower pot is wired with sensors, a processor and software that checks on the plant and provides it with fertilizer and water as needed. Each pot uses a combination of hydroponics and aeroponics, and requires an occasional refilling of the water reservoir, about once a month.
Entrance/ Security /Surveillance
Ring Labs provides a video doorbell that allows the user to answer the door at any time. Pairs with users smartphone via WiFi. Motion sensors allow better security with optional cloud recording available. The user is able to answer the visitor without opening the door, helping improve security and avoids common problems like being unable to hear the door bell.
August Smart Lock is a safe, simple and social way to manage home access. It is a lock and access system that allows home owners to grant access to trusted people for specific periods of time. Many of you would have used August locks while staying at AirBnB vacation rentals.
*The above list just a hand-pick from each category, limited to my knowledge; there are thousand other interesting products are on the way to make our homes more intelligent. Just do a google search or even the CES launches in the kitchen space, you’ll be amazed!
Sereneti Kitchen: Cooking can be fun, but sometimes things are just too hectic to take the time to do it. So this company is building an automated cooking robot; we just have to insert the ingredients for the dish; the device turns those ingredients into delicious food and invites you on your smart phone for the dinner!. For now, the device is limited to a single motion (stirring), but they look promising for a large expansion.
June oven: It’s a smart oven that runs machine learning and computer vision technologies (features multiple cameras inside the oven) to identify and cook food. Needless to say other app-magics and ecosystem support- this device is created by the team of ex- apple, google and GoPro engineers!
Smart Jar from SKE Labs: The Smart Jar has built-in sensors that weigh its contents and adds that item a grocery shopping list on your smartphone when it runs low. The app on your smartphone also tells you which dishes you can make with those remaining ingredients with their nutrition information. It also keeps track of the “best used by” date, and even the developer is trying to integrate a fitness-tracker along.
Living Room:
There are really many devices in this space; Savant, Bidgely, SerraLux, Leeo's smart alarm, Notion (Building sensors),,,etc. One innovation, that I really liked is the “Stir”..
Stir: has built a smart desk aimed at improving the users activity while using the desk. The user presets their preferred heights for standing, sitting and ideal goal for standing height. In active mode the desk will move an inch up or down after an interval, inviting the user to change position and preventing extended periods of sedentary posture. Over time the desk tracks the users burned calories and learns when its best to remind the user to change positions.
Bed Room:
Rest has developed a smart bed using its patented pressure sensing fabric. The ReST Bed senses the sleeping position using the sensor attached near the surface and makes automatic real-time adjustments in bed surface using quiet air pumps. Bed is connected to home wifi and transfers sleep data to be displayed on a tablet which is included in the package.
Hello Inc has designed a product 'Sense' which includes an ambient light sensor, high sensitivity microphone, temperature sensor, humidity sensor, high quality speaker, proximity sensor, particulate sensor, WiFi and Bluetooth Low Energy and tracks user's sleep behavior. As the mobile app collects data, it can offer recommendations on things the user can fix to ensure a good night’s rest. Raised $31.6 million in funding to date.
Garden:
Grove offers a hydroponic growing system, that consists of a cabinet with five boxes. Four of them hold plants, with LED lights that connect to the Grove OS, allowing users to control the lighting schedule, as well as monitor the temperature, humidity, and water level through WiFi. The fifth box is home to a fish aquarium, that uses fish waste to produce fertilizer for the plants, which in turn clean the fishes’ water.
Click and Grow is building a soil less electronic flower pot that grow plants without watering and fertilizing. Each flower pot is wired with sensors, a processor and software that checks on the plant and provides it with fertilizer and water as needed. Each pot uses a combination of hydroponics and aeroponics, and requires an occasional refilling of the water reservoir, about once a month.
Entrance/ Security /Surveillance
Ring Labs provides a video doorbell that allows the user to answer the door at any time. Pairs with users smartphone via WiFi. Motion sensors allow better security with optional cloud recording available. The user is able to answer the visitor without opening the door, helping improve security and avoids common problems like being unable to hear the door bell.
August Smart Lock is a safe, simple and social way to manage home access. It is a lock and access system that allows home owners to grant access to trusted people for specific periods of time. Many of you would have used August locks while staying at AirBnB vacation rentals.
*The above list just a hand-pick from each category, limited to my knowledge; there are thousand other interesting products are on the way to make our homes more intelligent. Just do a google search or even the CES launches in the kitchen space, you’ll be amazed!
Now do you believe, Smart Home is not about the future... It is already here ?
