HomeAutomation
Latest
Microsoft's Lab of Things now in open beta, lets researchers study all the things
Microsoft has released the first beta version of Lab of Things (LoT), and it's much more than just a fun name. LoT enables researchers to access data from connected devices around the world, collaborating and sharing it as they see fit. If, say, someone in the lab at University of Michigan wanted to determine how much TV people watch in London, all they'd need to do is install sensors as they please. Well, that and install a computer running HomeOS onsite to collect and transmit said data to an Azure Storage account. In theory, this gives academics a robust set of deployable tools without requiring coding knowledge to use them. The Windows company is taking a hands-off approach to the info, too -- researchers retain all rights to whatever they collect. The catch is, the LoT license doesn't allow for commercial use. The source link has a cute video explaining everything, but you'll need Silverlight to play it.
Revolv shows how you could control a connected home with Google Glass (video)
Hasta la vista, switches.
Intel's working on DIY programmable home automation, we go eyes-on with its proof-of-concept (video)
The internet of things is growing, friends, and Intel knows it. From WiFi lightbulbs to smart thermostats and door locks, it seems that most everything in our homes will have some sort of connectivity in the not-so-distant future. That's why chipzilla's research arm has been working on a way to program all of those devices and make it easy enough so that any do-it-yourselfer can get her home working the way she wants it to. The key is getting all of these future devices to work together, and Intel's plan is to build a platform that'll talk to most any PCB (Arduino, Beagle Boards, etc.) over any wireless protocol (WiFi, Bluetooth, Zigbee, et al.). A layer of middleware lets the bits of hardware talk to each other on an ad-hoc basis, so that say, when a baby monitor hears a crying child, it can tell a nearby stereo to tee up some soothing tunes to put him back to sleep automagically. The system actions are crafted using an easy-to-use HTML 5 programming environment, and will be deposited in a software library of modules that can be accessed by end users. Then, home automators can utilize a simple GUI editor to tailor their system to their wishes. We got to see a proof-of-concept system in person today, so head on past the break for a full video explanation and a demo of it in action. Nicole Lee contributed to this report.
AT&T to open Foundries in Atlanta and Dallas that focus on home automation, device-to-device tech
AT&T launched its first Foundries primarily as mobile app incubators, but the carrier is switching focus tonight: it just unveiled plans to open more hardware-oriented Foundries in Atlanta and Dallas. Most Atlanta-based projects will expand AT&T's Digital Life home automation service, with connected cars and U-verse also receiving a boost. The Dallas Foundry complements an existing presence in the city, but will pay attention to the internet of things and other forms of machine-to-machine chatter. In either circumstance, collaboration will be key. The Atlanta location will sit right next to Georgia Tech, while hardware makers at the new Dallas office can get software help at the original Foundry one floor down. The two new locations won't open until a few months from now, but the Foundry program's healthy track record suggests that patience will be a virtue for interested developers.
SmartThings opens up its home automation platform to developers
To say SmartThings' Kickstarter campaign was a success is an understatement: the Internet of Things outfit, which offers a clever array of home automation sensors, routers and smartphone apps, raised more than $1.2 million (over four times the company's original goal), nabbed over 6,000 backers and quickly sold out of its first batch of kits. Naturally, the company isn't stopping there -- it's making good on its goal of providing an open-source platform for developers, as it announced the availability of its Developer and Inventor Toolkit. Now, interested parties can create and develop their own SmartThings, and can collaborate with like-minded folks to come up with even more ways to take advantage of the platform. Additionally, it supports several types of wireless standards, such as WiFi, Bluetooth, ZigBee and Z-Wave, giving it interoperability with various home automation systems. As a refresher, SmartThings connects a large number of household items -- appliances, automatic door locks, thermostats, humidity sensors, presence sensors, power outlet switches, IR remotes, secret bookcase doors and plenty more -- to a central router which then can be controlled through a smartphone app. Thanks to the openness of the platform, the number of use-case scenarios is rather significant, which certainly makes it more appealing to users. If you're interested in learning how to get started, head below to the press release and go here to get the whole enchilada of information.
August: the beautiful, Yves Behar-designed $199 smart lock
The home automation market is really starting to take off, and surprisingly, it's door locks that are proving to be one of the biggest areas of interest. Established home security companies like Kwikset and mobile carriers (via unnamed OEMs) are working to combine smartphones and deadbolts, while startups like Smart Knob are using offline technology to simplify vacation rentals. August, the brainchild of Yves Behar and Jason Johnson, combines elements of both approaches and does so with Behar's typical flair for stunning design. The primary way of unlocking an August-equipped door is through an app that pairs with the stylish mechanism via Bluetooth. But it skips out on the direct internet connection, which could leave it more vulnerable to hacks. Instead, it passes all necessary online communications through the paired phone or tablet. In fact, it's capable of operating without an internet connection at all, since it relies on algorithmically generated keys, similar to a secure ID token. Those "keys" are assigned to specific devices, that also have the app installed, which are identified via Bluetooth LE. Each lock is synced up with Augusts' servers and attached to a unique account that you manage through the companion app. And, even if the batteries die, you can still use the old standby: an actual key. %Gallery-189729%
Glass Nest lets users control their homes from their heads
Those who already own Google Glass are more likely than most to embrace new technologies like Nest's thermostat, so it only makes sense that an especially eager adopter would find a way to combine the two. That would be James Rundquist and his new Glass Nest app: Glass owners now just have to announce that they're coming home (or heading out) to make their Nest units change the climate. More exacting homeowners can fine-tune the temperature, too. While the utility is both unofficial and quite limited at this stage, Rundquist has posted source code that lets anyone expand on the project. If you're in the rare position of owning both gadgets, we'd suggest giving Glass Nest and its code at least a cursory look.
Engadget takes Unikey's iPhone assisted keyless entry for a spin
We're still a few years away from the self-opening home front door of the Jetsons. But that's okay -- we're making progress. A few weeks ago we told you about Unikey and Kwikset's Kevo, a keyless entry system for your own front door. Now the fine folks at Engadget have had a chance to work with the system hands on, and they seem to be impressed. The system uses the iPhone's Bluetooth LE to connect with the smartlock. Simply walk up to your front door with your phone in your pocket, tap the lock, and turn the knob. Users and security are handled via iPhone and desktop apps that allow you to share keys with family and friends as administrative, normal or scheduled users. Having someone house sit for you? Register their iPhone with the house for the week and never worry about them forgetting to return your key. Having family come into town to visit? No need to worry about having enough house keys to go around. You can even set on-off access in case someone needs to come by, but only once. At the moment the system will only support the iPhone; Android and BlackBerry 10 support is on the way. Kevo is expected to go on sale soon. Head over to Engadget for their complete run down of the system, or check out the video below. Unikey is currently taking emails at their website for people interested in pre-ordering when the lock becomes available.
Eyes-on with Ninja Blocks 'home automation for hackers' (video)
Yet another Kickstarter success story is here on the Hardware Alley Floor at TechCrunch Disrupt. Ninja Blocks look a fair bit different than they used to, however -- the 3D-printed case has been traded up for something that looks a lot more like a final, saleable product. In fact, it looks a little like a router or an external hard drive, albeit one with color-changing ninja eyes. The company was also talking up the home automation possibilities of its platform a bit more than the straightforward sensor pitch. In a buzz phrase, the company is calling this "home automation for hackers." Using the Ninja Rules app, you can turn lights and appliances on and off, get alerts for things like your wash and monitor your home, without writing code -- of course, knowing how helps. The whole platform is extremely open to users, and inside the case, you'll find a Beagle Bone and Arduino board, both accessible by pulling at the handy "Hack Me" tag that hangs on its side. The base system will run you $199. More information can be found in a video after the break.%Gallery-187329%
AT&T launches Digital Life home automation and security platform
It's been a long time coming. Seriously. AT&T first teased us with Digital Life way back in February of last year. Now the home security and automation platform is finally ready for prime time. Starting today customers in the 15 launch markets (Atlanta, Dallas, Chicago, Houston, LA, Miami, SF, Seattle, Austin, Philly, Riverside, St. Louis, Denver, Boulder and the New York/New Jersey metro area) can put in their orders, provided they live in a single-family, detached house. There will be two packages to choose from: Simple Security and Smart Security. The former is a pretty standard alarm system with sensors, an HSPA-based base station and a 24-hour backup battery, for $30 a month and a one-time installation fee of $150. Smart Security is where the real fun happens, though. The basic version starts at $40 a month, with a $250 installation fee, and includes your choice of three additional features including a motion sensor, carbon monoxide sensor, glass break sensor, smoke sensor or a takeover kit. From there you can add on additional packages, like energy management or a camera system, for between $5 and $10 a month, plus the cost of installation. Those costs can quickly add up too. Those two add-ons alone could push the price of installation as high as $650. To go along with the launch AT&T is also releasing its remote control app, which will be available on iOS, Android, Windows Phone 8 and, "eventually," BlackBerry. Through the app you can lock doors, adjust your thermostat, turn on and off lights or appliances and check your security cameras. The most powerful feature, though, is the ability to create programs that can automate tasks, send alerts and trigger events based on data from the sensors. For example, if the glass break sensor on the kitchen window is tripped, the system can be set to turn on the lights in the room and start recording a video. Eventually, AT&T even sees the ability to integrate with the location services on a cellphone for additional automation options. If you're hankering for more details, check out the PR after the break. %Gallery-186857%
AT&T to launch Digital Life in 15 markets, hopes to enter home automation field
AT&T is finally set to launch its Digital Life home automation service, and it's ready to do so in a big way. Initially planned for just eight markets, the telephony giant has expanded its coverage to 15 starting this spring, with the hope of 50 by the end of the year. Essentially a way to monitor your home, Digital Life packages may include live video, the ability to remotely toggle the light on and off, change the thermostat, unlock the door and more. Customers are able to set up programs and alerts via smartphone or tablet applications or the web. AT&T should bring some heavy clout to the home automation party, though it won't be the first big-name communications company to do so. For more information on Digital Life and what it offers, have a peek at the source below.
Ube WiFi Smart Dimmer to receive customized multitouch gesture control
Here's a cool little addition to the increasingly competitive world of home automation. Ube's got a WiFi Smart Dimmer that utilizes multitouch functionality to control the lights in your house -- use one finger to turn off a single light, or use two to turn off a set. The company picked SXSW as the venue to announce the forthcoming launch of customized gestures for other smart devices -- in the example given to us by CEO Utz Baldwin, a user can input a "W" to turn on the sprinklers -- or an "A" plus up swipe to turn on an alarm and an "A" plus a down swipe to disable it. Sadly, the functionality won't be available for the launch of the first generation, though it's likely to come in time for the second generation, along with a software update for early adopters. Interested parties can support the company via Kickstarter right now -- Ube's a bit over halfway to its goal of $280,000, with 24 days to go. You can also watch Baldwin discuss the product and today's news in a video after the break.
Lighty paints real lighting Photoshop-style, minus the overdone lens flare (video)
It's not hard to find smart lightbulbs that bow to our every whim. Creating a well-coordinated light scheme can be difficult without tweaking elements one by one, however, which makes the Japan Science and Technology Agency's Lighty project that much more elegant. The approach lets would-be interior coordinators paint degrees of light and shadow through an app, much as they would create a magnum opus in Photoshop or a similar image editor. Its robotic lighting system sorts out the rest: a GPU-assisted computer steers a grid of gimbal-mounted lightbulbs until their positions and intensity match the effect produced on the screen. While Lighty currently exists just as a scale model, the developers plan to work with life-sized rooms, and potentially large halls, from now on. We're all for the newfound creativity in our lighting, as long as we can't mess it up with a Gaussian Blur filter.
Belkin releases WeMo beta app for Galaxy S III, devices with ICS or higher
Word of an Android app for Belkin's line of WeMo home automation hardware came amid a flurry of CES news, and now the application has rolled onto Google Play in beta form just over a month later. The app is specifically tested for the Galaxy S III, but handsets toting Ice Cream Sandwich or higher will be able to take it for a spin. By wielding the application, users can control WeMo devices over WiFi and cellular networks, configure custom icons, tweak names, take care of local firmware updates and hook things up with IFTTT. Remote firmware updates, support content and WeMo rules have yet to be baked into the software, however. Belkin is hoping guinea pigs will report bugs, but can't guarantee they'll be fixed in the short term. Currently, the outfit says issues regarding poor signal strength and app crashes are on its radar. Looking forward to the polished, growing pain-free product? The final app is expected to arrive around the summertime. [Thanks, Matt]
Scout security system monitors your pad without compromising your feng shui (video)
While home security systems are definitely making strides towards modernization, we haven't seen many that look the part. However, Sandbox Industries' Scout might be the first home protection option that manages to gel with even the most swanky digs. Available in three stylish trims (black, white and wood), this wireless setup uses a base receiver that communicates with its security sensor panels by way of your home's network. Like most home protection systems, Scout offers remote control and monitoring via computer or mobile device, but the big draw here is its aesthetically pleasing equipment and simplified installation process. Set to ship in August, packages start at $120 with additional à la carte purchase options depending on your household's needs. For those of you looking to further secure your bunker, Scout's hardware packs backup batteries in the event of a power outage as well as an optional 3G-powered monitoring service with plans starting at $10 per month. Of course, if you're not feeling such a high-tech setup, you could always place toy cars and Christmas ornaments beneath your doorways and window seals. Hey, it worked for Kevin McCallister.
Fibaro home automation system comes to the US, company releases smart power strip (video)
If you've heard of Fibaro already, you'll just have to forgive us this post: although the home automation system is already available in 43 countries, it's just arriving in the US, with the main box about to go on sale for $699. In a nutshell, the system works not over WiFi, but using the Z-wave protocol. The base station itself can connect to as many as 240 lights and switches, with support for all sorts of devices: heat and cooling systems, smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, doorbells, dehumidifiers and motion sensors. For each of these, you can program any number of macros -- e.g., "close the shades when the temperature reaches 68 degrees". Like Nest (a North America-only product) it eventually learns your usage habits, and offers up tips on how to conserve energy. In particular, though, the system uses geolocation to track members of the household, so you an also do things like set the heat to come on when you're a mile away from home. Separately, the company is also releasing a smart power strip, which logs your energy use for various gadgets, and then sends that data to an iOS app. (An Android version is in development.) No word on how much it'll cost in the US, though in Europe it'll cost 64 euro, tax included.
CES 2013: Cobra adds to iRadar lineup and more
Radar detector manufacturer Cobra is back at CES again this year, and the company is showing off two new additions to its smartphone-powered lineup. The iRadar S-Series is the new high-end model -- it's available right now in Europe, but won't be here in the States until around August. Unlike most of Cobra's other models, the S-Series is designed to be installed in your car under the hood, with the only interface on it being through the iPhone app via Bluetooth. That explains the higher price of US$299 as well: since it needs to be installed under the hood, this is a more premium model than your standard "stick-it-on-the-dash" radar detector. The iRadar Atom is the other new model -- it'll be out in May at a lower price of $199. This is a more traditional radar detector, but with some nicely updated stats: the device itself is about 30 percent smaller than the previous iRadar models, and the performance has been doubled. Both of these iRadar units work together with the company's app, which has reached 1 million downloads so far. The app itself has gotten some updates over the past year, and now has some mapping features included, though the maps used are just whatever's native on the platform (so Apple's Maps for iOS and Google Maps for Android) rather than any other third-party system. Cobra is also working with JVC to provide another head unit option for the iRadar line, and the company also told us that it was "talking to a bunch of companies" about possibly making the iRadar's output available to other app developers via licensing or an API. Outside of the iRadar line, Cobra was also showing off two brand-new devices that connect up to smartphones like the iPhone. The Cobra Airwave is a Bluetooth music bridge unit that will be available in February for $39.95, and will work (in a car or at home) to connect up streaming music from your iPhone to any speakers you want to connect it to. The unit is relatively simple, but Cobra sees it as a test balloon in the home audio market, and hopes to have other similar kinds of devices along this line available soon. Finally, the Cobra Gatekeeper is another test balloon of sorts -- it's a Bluetooth-enabled garage door opener that's designed to plug into your current garage door opening system. All you'll need to do is snap the Gatekeeper into the wires coming out of your garage door opening switch, and then you can activate the door opener directly from your iPhone whenever it comes into Bluetooth range. The included app can also be set to send out notifications whenever the door is opened -- if, for example, you want to be notified when another family member arrives home. The Gatekeeper will be available later this year for $59, and Cobra is hoping it's the beginning of a brand-new line for them. "We want to get into home automation," the company's rep told us, so the Gatekeeper may be only the beginning of a much bigger push for Cobra in 2013.
Almond+ WiFi router coming to Kickstarter: touchscreen, 802.11ac, home automation
Securifi isn't your average Kickstarter outfit. It already has one Almond wireless touchscreen router under its belt, currently sold at Amazon, and now it's about to bid for crowdfunding to build a sequel: the Almond+. The new device will incorporate a 2.8-inch 320 x 240 touchscreen for PC-free setup, dual band 802.11ac for speeds of up to 1,167Mbps, plus an integrated Smart Home hub that works with the slightly esoteric Zigbee and Z-Wave protocols. In conjunction with the iOS and Android app, this would let you access regular home automation tasks from anywhere, including security alerts and heating and lighting control. We'll see more of it when the project launches at Kickstarter, at which point it'll have a $250,000 funding goal.
Belkin WeMo home automation to gain an iOS-controlled light switch
Belkin's iOS-compatible WeMo home automation system has been the subject of several posts here on TUAW including a full review. I've used the system with the IFTTT scripting service to do everything from cooling off myself and Ruby the Internet-famous cat to turning on the Christmas lights with Siri. Belkin announced in a support forum this weekend that it will introduce an iOS-controlled light switch later this year. At the present time, WeMo consists of three units, all of which are controlled by the WeMo iOS app (free). There's a motion sensor if you want to set up something to happen when a human or pet walks by, and a lamp switch that plugs into an existing wall socket to control turning a lamp or other device on or off. Belkin also added a WeMo baby monitor to the family for listening to infants on iOS devices. The new light switch seen at right breaks Belkin's self-imposed "no screwdriver rule" by requiring installation onto existing wiring, but opens up homes to automation via WiFi and iOS-enabled switches. No pricing or availability date has been set for the new light switch, but here's hoping that the price will be close to the existing US$45 - $50 that Belkin currently charges for the lamp switch.
AT&T to release Digital Life home automation in March
AT&T's mobile-friendly Digital Life home monitoring system has been brewing for nearly a year. At last, it's ready to roll: the service is now expected to launch in eight markets as of this March. While we're still waiting on prices, the company is already dividing its offering up into packages. Those worried about break-ins can get a video package with live video from inside and outside the home. There's also bundles that can control doors, manage energy-based devices or even check for water leaks. The carrier is adamant that Digital Life is a go-between service, not a component of its regular network -- we won't need to have AT&T cellphone or broadband access, and it should work with Android, iOS and Windows platforms. The service is a gamble in a crowded field, but AT&T is betting that its telecom savviness will carry the day over the traditionalists. Follow all the latest CES 2013 news at our event hub.
