Tag: #smarthome

How Smart Home Technology Can Prevent Serious Slip and Fall Injuries

Home safety has taken on a different dimension in recent years with the rise of smart home technology. Devices that once seemed futuristic are now widely accessible, offering homeowners the ability to monitor and control their environment in ways that directly influence health and safety. For those concerned about the risk of slip and fall injuries, these tools provide both proactive and reactive solutions, helping to create a safer living space for people of all ages.

The integration of smart sensors, automated lighting, and connected devices can transform how we approach everyday hazards. Motion-activated lights illuminate hallways and staircases, while smart flooring or grip-enhancing devices can reduce the chances of unexpected slips. With more households adopting these technologies, what used to be a reactive measure after accidents is now evolving into a preventative framework that can significantly reduce personal injuries.

Smart home systems also offer peace of mind by alerting users to potential risks before accidents occur. Water sensors, for example, detect leaks and spills in real time, which can prevent slippery surfaces from becoming dangerous. For families with elderly members, smart fall detectors provide immediate notifications to caregivers, allowing for swift assistance. The combination of early warning systems and automated safety measures creates an environment that reduces both anxiety and actual risk.

Slip and Fall in the Modern Household

According to www.accidentlawyerelite.com, slip and fall accidents remain one of the most common causes of injury in residential settings. Wet floors, loose rugs, cluttered hallways, and poorly lit staircases all contribute to these incidents. In many cases, these accidents can result in serious injuries such as fractures, head trauma, or long-term mobility issues, especially for older adults. Recognizing the frequency of these events is essential for designing safer homes.

Technology is increasingly being used to mitigate these risks. Smart flooring, anti-slip coatings, and integrated monitoring systems allow homeowners to address hazards before they result in injury. By combining environmental modifications with real-time alerts, the likelihood of a slip or fall decreases. In addition, devices that track movement patterns can provide data to identify problem areas, ensuring that interventions are targeted and effective. These advancements make a measurable difference in the safety and comfort of everyday life.

Modern households often struggle to balance aesthetics with safety. While traditional safety measures like handrails and non-slip mats are helpful, they may not integrate seamlessly into contemporary design. Smart home technology bridges this gap by offering solutions that are both functional and discreet. For instance, ambient lighting that responds to movement can enhance visibility without altering the home’s decor. Such innovations make it easier for homeowners to maintain a visually pleasing environment without compromising on safety.

How Technology Supports Injury Prevention

Preventing injuries before they occur is the central promise of smart home technology. Devices such as motion sensors, automated lighting, and intelligent flooring work in tandem to create a safer living environment. For those concerned about personal injury risks, the technology provides tools that constantly monitor, adapt, and alert residents to potential hazards. This continuous vigilance is something that traditional safety measures cannot match.

Beyond physical safeguards, data-driven insights from smart systems help homeowners make informed decisions. Tracking patterns of movement, floor usage, and environmental changes allows residents to identify areas prone to slips or other hazards. This information can guide modifications in layout or prompt the installation of additional protective measures. With technology providing constant feedback, the likelihood of unexpected injuries diminishes, making homes more responsive to the needs of their occupants.

Smart devices also assist in emergency situations, ensuring that accidents receive prompt attention. Fall detection systems notify family members or emergency services instantly if an individual experiences a sudden loss of balance. These alerts not only facilitate rapid response but also provide peace of mind to those living alone or caring for vulnerable family members. The combination of proactive prevention and reactive support represents a comprehensive approach to home safety in the digital age.

Integration with Everyday Life

One of the key advantages of smart home technology is its seamless integration into daily routines. Unlike traditional safety devices that may require deliberate action, smart systems operate passively, responding automatically to changes in the environment. This ensures that protection is continuous and does not rely solely on human intervention, which is particularly important in preventing slip and fall accidents.

Automation extends beyond simple sensors, encompassing interconnected devices that communicate with one another. For example, a water leak detected by a sensor can trigger floor drying systems or lights to guide residents safely away from the area. Similarly, motion sensors can adjust lighting in dim corridors or stairways, reducing tripping hazards during nighttime movement. This interconnected ecosystem of devices transforms the home into a responsive, adaptive environment that continuously enhances safety without imposing additional effort on residents.

Moreover, technology encourages habits that support injury prevention. Regular notifications and environmental cues can prompt residents to address potential hazards such as clutter, spills, or loose flooring. Over time, these reminders help cultivate a culture of vigilance that extends beyond the technology itself. Residents become more attuned to potential risks, further reducing the likelihood of accidents while fostering a sense of confidence in their living space.

The Role of Smart Assistive Devices

Assistive devices integrated into smart homes extend protection to those who are most vulnerable. Elderly residents, individuals recovering from injuries, and people with mobility challenges benefit from systems that combine monitoring, alerts, and environmental adjustments. These devices reduce dependence on constant supervision while offering immediate responses in the event of a slip or fall.

Wearable technology complements environmental solutions by providing continuous monitoring of physical activity and potential hazards. Smart watches or fall detection bands can detect sudden changes in movement and trigger alerts, even if the individual is away from home. When integrated with home systems, these devices ensure that accidents are noticed immediately and help reduce recovery time by facilitating quick intervention. The combination of wearable and environmental technology represents a holistic approach to injury prevention that is both practical and effective.

As technology advances, these devices are becoming more intelligent and adaptable. Machine learning algorithms analyze movement patterns and environmental conditions, optimizing alerts and interventions over time. The result is a home that not only reacts to incidents but also anticipates them, reducing the likelihood of injuries before they occur. Residents gain both protection and confidence, knowing that their environment is continuously monitoring for potential risks and adapting to their needs.

The Future of Safe Living

Smart home technology is reshaping how we think about personal safety and injury prevention. By combining sensors, automation, and real-time monitoring, these systems provide an unprecedented level of protection against common accidents like slip and fall injuries. Residents benefit from both immediate alerts and long-term preventive measures, creating a safer, more secure home environment for all members of the household.

The evolution of technology promises even more advanced solutions in the near future. Homes will increasingly feature predictive systems that anticipate hazards before they occur, while AI-driven devices will provide personalized safety recommendations based on residents’ habits. As these innovations become more widespread, the potential to significantly reduce injuries and improve quality of life becomes increasingly achievable, offering a compelling vision of safer, smarter living.

In addition to technological advancements, education and awareness remain critical. Homeowners who understand how to utilize their devices effectively can maximize the benefits of their investment in smart safety. Combining proactive maintenance, thoughtful placement of sensors, and continuous monitoring ensures that homes remain protective spaces. The collaboration between technology and responsible household management marks a new era in personal safety, transforming homes into environments that actively support well-being and prevent accidents.

 

How Modern Technology Advances Can Keep Your Home Safe

In the past few years, technology has taken some giant leaps not only in the field of communication but in the security field too. Many devices and technologies have been invented for personal and property protection. This technology has combined communication devices like our cell phones with security devices like security cameras and tracking features to make it easier for us to secure our loved ones and properties. Moreover, home automation has improved home security in so many ways. Read on to learn more about how modern technology advances can keep your home safe.

Smart Locks

Bluetooth smart locks are more secure than Wi-Fi ones, although Wi-Fi smart locks have more features as you can unlock your door from anywhere on the planet as long as you are connected to the internet, and it sends notifications when the doors get locked or unlocked. On the other hand, Bluetooth smart locks get connected to your smartphone via Bluetooth and recognise your presence when you are in the house allowing you to have control over other things than door locks in your house like lights and thermostats. The doors can unlock once your key fob is detected, and you can send others digital keys too. However, you or anyone with the digital key has to stand in the range your device is programmed on to get detected. 

Security Cameras

Security cameras that can be remotely monitored can save you and your loved ones from many dangers. If you’re working for long hours and you forgot the stove on, for example, while checking your cameras at work, you will be able to see that and get back or call your neighbours to help you out before your house catches fire. Specialists at The Spy Store say that security cameras come in handy when you want to monitor a senior parent or keep an eye on your child while the babysitter is taking care of them. Moreover, you can see if someone is trying to break into your house and call the police even better, you will get notified when someone tries to disarm your system! For maximum security, it is better that you install outdoor cameras too to be able to detect any unusual activity around your house. Don’t worry about rain and snow, as outdoor cameras are waterproof. If you set motion boundaries, you will be able to receive alerts if someone or something is moving around your house within the range of your camera’s sensors. If you are looking to start converting your house into a Smart Home security cameras are one of the first steps taken.

Window Sensors

Other than securing our doors, technology has provided us with tools to secure the windows in our houses too! Criminals can break into a house through windows and doors. Therefore, you need to secure your windows too, especially if you own a big house with many windows. Window sensors will send you notifications when your windows get opened and allow you to detect any unusual activity occurring in or around your house.

Smart Doorbells

Installing a smart doorbell is much better than a video doorbell and might be safer too, as you won’t have to get near the door to answer the door. You get to record and take pictures of any unusual activity to download later on. Moreover, smart doorbells allow you to have a clear picture of who is standing at your door even at night as they use infrared vision technology. Even if you are not at home, you can still answer the door without the person at your door knowing if you are in or out of the house.

Remote Garage System

Intelligent garage systems allow you to open your garage door when you are not in the house. Moreover, if your garage door is open or gets opened, you get notified. This way, you can protect your house from burglars and grant access to people you want to allow in your house while you are away through the garage.

Thanks to technology, now you can have peace of mind while you are away from your house, knowing that you have full control over who can have access to it and stop burglars in their tracks. These devices come in really handy if you are taking care of your senior parents or have young children, as you can keep an eye on them all the time while you are at work or traveling. There is something for everyone as these devices and technologies come in different price ranges. There is nothing more important in life other than the safety of ourselves and our loved ones. Therefore, investing in remote security systems could be the smartest decision you can make.

Tech Review – Airthings Mini Wave air quality monitor

Most people have plenty of tech in their homes like smart speakers,bulbs and so on and these are great but what protection do these give you in the home? ZERO protection to be frank about it and whilst there is tech out there and we will be touching on a few products that do so and the first up is the Airthings Mini Wave air quality monitor which is a simple easy to use and set-up product that can be placed anywhere in the house.

This is a simple small puck shaped device in which you simply download an app set up then just leave it sat in the best placed position you might find it in your own home this can be put anywhere and you will see this in the app set-up as you go through the process, you can also have more than one of these in your home too, you can also get pollen levels thrown in for good mix in the app, the app is simple to use too which is great and that is all there is to it.

In the app you will see in the video below is what you will be given and what the app does for you, on the top you will see 4 icons then further down you can get a daily breakdown and more and the activity feed will be across the bottom. The product measures air quality VOC, temp and mold risk which is really important.

You can simply wave across the front of the device too if you like to get a quick idea of what the air quality is like and you get a light on the bottom of the unit this indicates the current status there and then, the app has a dashboard which is easy to understand and here is where you can get all the stats in one place.

Notifications on your smartphone for Airthings.

About the product

Airthings Wave Mini is your indoor air quality companion, allowing you to visualize the health and comfort levels of the indoor air quality in every room. Monitor mould risk, temperature, humidity and airborne chemicals (VOCs) to help with asthma, allergies, sleep and overall health.

When a room’s environment becomes less than optimal, Wave Mini will provide insights into the VOCS, chemical’s and odor levels in your air. The Wave Mini is the perfect, cost-effective first step into understanding your indoor air quality. Air quality and temperature vary drastically from room to room and the only way to reach optimal comfort and health is to measure in every room, luckily this lightweight device is wireless and portable so you can move it freely around your home getting the most from your wave mini.

BUY 

Video Link

 

 

Google launches new Nest cams and Doorbell. #GoogleNest #Security

Google Nest’s mission is to build products that make a more helpful home. All of this starts with helping you understand what’s happening within the walls of your home and outside of it. Today they are introducing their next generation Nest Cams and Doorbell: Google Nest Cam (battery) is their first outdoor/indoor battery-powered camera (€210); Google Nest Doorbell (battery) is their first battery-powered doorbell ( €210). Then there’s Google Nest Cam with floodlight, their first connected floodlight camera ( €315) and finally the second-generation Google Nest Cam (wired), their most affordable wired indoor camera ( €105). As a keen security fan with a set up here at home I think I will be moving over to this collection as I am an entrenched Google product user

One of Nest’s first goals was to simplify home security, and it helped millions of people do this. So when we started dreaming up what our next generation of cameras and doorbells would be like, we wanted to  incorporate the way the connected home — and your expectations — were heading. That included smarter alerts, wire-free options for installation flexibility, greater value and beautiful designs, plus enhanced privacy and security. We wanted our new line to give you the most comprehensive set of intelligent alerts right out of the box, and easily work with your other Nest products, like displays.

The new battery-powered Nest Cam and Nest Doorbell are available for preorder today and will go on sale on Aug. 24. Nest Cam with Floodlight and the new wired indoor Nest Cam are coming later this year.

 

Security with smarts

Because we’re all overloaded with notifications every day, our next-generation cameras and doorbell are made to send you the most helpful alerts. They detect important events that happen in and around the home, you can even create your own custom zones to cover the areas you want to be notified about, including alerts for people, animals and vehicles — and in Nest Doorbell’s case, also packages. Their new cameras and doorbell can do this because they process what they see on-device, which means more relevant notifications and added privacy and security. On-device processing means that all of this works right out of the box, no subscription required.

More versatility for your home

Nest’s new camera and doorbell line are truly made for every home. Battery technology allows you to install Nest Cam and Nest Doorbell nearly anywhere in your home — not just where there’s a power outlet or existing doorbell wires. The wire-free design makes installation even easier, too. And for those who prefer the option to wire their cameras, we’ve  added the ability to wire the battery-powered Nest Cam and Nest Doorbell. The Google Store is stocked with accessories for Nest Cam and Nest Doorbell so it’s easy to install them where you want.

Google nest family

Nest devices that work together

Customers have told Google how much they appreciate that their Nest products all work well together. These new devices are no different. With the new Nest Cams and a display, you can keep an eye on the backyard from your Nest Hub and get alerts when the doorbell rings. Our new cameras are also fully integrated with the Google Home app, giving you access to all your compatible home devices in one place. With a Nest Aware subscription, you can unlock even more: Extend your event video history from three hours to 30 or 60 days, and get continuous 24/7 video history on wired Nest Cams with Nest Aware Plus. 

Reliability when you need it

In case of a power or Wi-Fi outage, Nest Doorbell, both Nest Cam (battery) and Nest Cam with floodlight have local storage fallback, meaning they’ll record up to one hour of events on-device (about a week’s worth of events). Nest Cam (wired) also records on-device if your Wi-Fi is down. When service returns, the devices will upload your events to the cloud, so you can review what happened.

Made with care 

We believe that technology for the home should be welcoming, and complement your decor rather than distract from it. When designing our new products, we drew design inspiration from lighting and architecture to create products that look great together and in lots of different settings. And our new cameras, doorbell and floodlight are designed sustainably with recycled materials.

Learn more about the new Nest Doorbell and Nest Cam (battery), available for preorder today and on sale Aug. 24. 

Tech Review – SwitchBot Curtain. Make your old curtains smart. #Switchbot #Tech #Smarthome

The SwitchBot Curtain came in an exciting array of connectable devices for the smart home which included SwitchBot Curtain, SwitchBot remote, SwitchBot Solar Panel, SwitchBot Thermometer and Hygrometer and SwitchBot Hub mini. The various units are designed to work for one app on your phone, reducing the need to have multiple apps for each product. This provides an ecosystem of integrated units for the smart home The kit comes with no screws or bolts or hardwiring, electrician required.

 

Features:

 

Works with – retrofit property.

  •       For any types of curtains rail   No matter it is Rod, U Rail track, or I Rail track, SwitchBot Curtain can always fit.
  •       Support U Rail Curtain
  •       Support Rod Curtain
  •       Support Rail Curtain

 

This kit is designed to work with (Note the SwitchBot Hub Mini, is required for this to work and sold separately)

 

This is excellent for the ecosystem to control the units from a security perspective open and close the curtains at random times or used for other features in terms of connecting to the thermometer/ hydrometer to check the temperature or turn off / on other connected devices.

 

Make your curtains smart in seconds, also makes your existing curtains motorized and automated with 30-second installation. schedule, and touch and go.

The marketing team for SwitchBot may get legal action and in my opinion, this is false marketing without giving the full truth, and are setting up customers to fail.

The process involves opening the box, read the instructions,  download the app via the QR code, register your account, await a  SwitchBot verification code via email, physically set up the SwitchBot curtains,  set up the app on the phone, and configure, calibrate the curtains, notwithstanding read the 48-page guide for installation and charge the kit for 10 hours, if taking a short cut and not reading the manual prepare for the “ Factory reset on numerous occasions “ by holding the contact button for 15 seconds.  All this in 30 seconds installation!

 

Battery:

Charging takes 10 hours while once charged lasts an excellent time up to last 8 months depending on the usage. An alternative option to minimise the need to charge the kit would be to purchase (sold separately) the SwitchBot Solar Panel which would mitigate the need for charging, The kit is supplied with modern USB C charging cables which if not going for the solar panel option could be charged leaving a power bank attached to the SwitchBot Curtain overnight removing the need to remove the SwitchBot Curtain from its hanging position. This is a real positive for the smart home. The other devices came with a standard battery which is easily changed as required.

 

SwitchBot Thermometer and Hygrometer

Once configured which is easy, this will mirror the temperature in the room to your app which is ideal to set alerts if the temperature drops below a certain temperature e.g., Child’s bedroom which can be configured to take an action. The Hygrometer is used for measuring the humidity of the air. For maximum heating effectiveness and comfort, humidity levels should be between 30% and 50%. In the summer, a maximum of 55% is tolerable this is great to be aware of if monitoring the elderly. The Thermometer is slow to change temperature, having placed this is a fridge down to 2 degrees Celsius, on placing within the kitchen it took approx. 10 minutes to raise back to the normal temperature while appears correct when compared with 2 other temperature gauges. The app does keep a record, which can be displayed graphically of the temperature which can be exported as required for a day, week, month or year.

SwitchBot Hub mini

This is required to allow the technology to connect the smart home to your router and connected remotely to the devices and the likes of Alexa. This as many products do not support connection from your router on 5G and do not support does not support WEP and WPS for now, (which as stated by SwitchBot ) makes users vulnerable. If this does not connect instantly on the first go, a requirement may be required for a techie to login into your router to configure firewall rules as troubleshooting.

SwitchBot remote,

The remote is possible the most used items, simple in what it does, configured via the app to e.g., top button press = close, bottom button = open. Again, instructed in the manual but configured via the App. This is ideal as once configured, no app, phone, Wi-Fi etc. is required just press the button to open or close which has worked faultlessly once configured and calibrated.

App use, SwitchBot:

The app has got a rating of 2.8 out of 5 with over 100k downloads, the rating would not be considered a good rating but can often be caused by an older version of the software or bug. In my opinion, I believe this is a fair result for the app having various issues on the initial setup, (albeit tried on an older phone – and got an error when tried to use the Forget Password – error Validation error detected, with code lingo in terms of the details must satisfy regular expression pattern.)  This was again used on newer android phone and technically worked with FAQ, but a lot of time spent on trial and error, (Hence read the manual and app details to prevent hours of futile time setting up)

Once the app is set up, controlling the curtains or configuration of the other devices was standard in terms of adding a new product with challenges to establish how to link one product to another, various links to videos were available to view online in this area via the FAQ.

Brand:

SwitchBot has been around since 2016   with a tag line of, we help you to create a comfortable home with innovative smart home products.  Which I would agree with (once their app get a makeover)  https://switch-bot.com/

 

Overall:

My biggest niggle on this product is the claim “30-second installation” which is compounded by an app that still requires work and manuals that in my opinion are written by someone English is not their first language. Notwithstanding the above, the product once setup works well, and has been the focal point of many visitors who have been very impressed with the simplicity of the unit, allowing it to be used via the App, or remote once configured, alternatively connect via various smart home option E.g., Alexa. Again, the simple things have been done, pulling one curtain manually, the Touch & Go kicks in to close/open both curtains as required ensuring an equal balance with both open / closed as required. The remote, or the Touch & Go requires no smartphones required once setup and has the advantage of no cables needed to run or electrical wiring to be done. Keeping with one standard brand in terms of one smart home ecosystem again is another positive ensuring when you change the phone or do a smart reset you are not stuck with numerous apps to configure as required. This is ideal for the elderly if set up by a junior person and calibrated to allow them easy of use for the curtains and visibility to see the temperature of the rooms when away.

This has the potential to be a colossal winner once the app & setup nuances are updated.

BUY 

 

Pinergy and climote partner to market smart new immersion controller #Pinergy #Climote

Pinergy, the smart energy supplier delivering clean electricity has today announced an energy efficient partnership initiative with climote, one of Europe’s leading brands in the home energy technology sector.  The partnership will see the soon-to-be-launched climote Smart Immersion Controller available as part of a ‘Pinergy Lifestyle H2O’ plan supporting the sustainable energy needs of families with smart meters.
The Pinergy Lifestyle H2O plan enables Pinergy’s customers to avail of an attractive discount unit rate of 5c per kilowatt-hour (kWh) between 4am and 7am, when using electricity to heat the water in their immersion tank. This plan is both more affordable and environmentally friendly than many existing carbon-based alternatives in the market as it fully utilises Pinergy’s 100% renewable energy supply.
Commenting on this latest innovation partnership for Pinergy, Enda Gunnell, chief executive at Pinergy said: “At Pinergy, we are driven by leveraging smart technology, deep partnerships and a passion for empowering everyone to play their role in creating a sustainable energy future.  The introduction of our Pinergy Lifestyle H2O plan and its integration to the new climote Smart Immersion Controller is another game changer for consumers looking for a better and more carbon friendly way to heat water.”
The new climote Smart Immersion Controller replaces the traditional sink/bath switch with a more sophisticated wall-mounted controller that is linked to sensors placed on the water tank. The product, which can be fully installed in less than 90 minutes, visually displays how much usable hot water is in your tank, allowing you to boost supply at the touch of a button and easily manage the clock settings to avail of the most competitive electricity rates over a 24-hour period.  The climote Smart Immersion Controller can also be operated via the climote Smart Immersion App, so you can view and boost your hot water from anywhere and at any time.
Eamon Conway, CEO at climote said: “Hot water heating typically represents 20% of our home energy usage, generated mostly from a fossil fuel source such as an oil or gas boiler. From our research many customers highlighted that they would like to contribute to a clean energy future but are unsure where to start. Teaming up with Pinergy with this new H20 tariff means that consumers can now heat their hot water with renewable electricity, allowing them to both reduce energy usage and to get started on their decarbonisation journey.”
A smarter way to heat water – ​​​Pinergy and climote partner to market smart new immersion controller ​​(From left to right) Enda Gunnell, CEO at Pinergy pictured here alongside Eamon Conway, Managing Director of climote and Irish comedian, Colm O’Regan. Pinergy has announced its partnership with climote, one of Europe’s leading brands in the home energy technology sector to provide Smart Immersion Controllers as part of a ‘Pinergy Lifestyle H2O’ plan supporting the sustainable energy needs of families with smart meters.
Earlier this year, Pinergy became the first energy supplier in Ireland to launch a set of discounted energy plans for homes with smart meters installed, under its Pinergy Lifestyle brand.  The Lifestyle bill pay plans include a “Work from Home” plan, a “Family Time” plan and a “Drive Time” plan for those families looking to charge their electric vehicles (EVs) overnight.
Pinergy has also recently partnered with other forward-thinking businesses including Ohme, a specialist provider of innovative smart charging technology for electric vehicles, Synoptic, an advisory firm for telecoms, technology and Internet infrastructure and eLight, Ireland’s leading Light as a Service (LaaS) provider.
Pinergy has collaborated with Irish comedian Colm O’Regan to create an upcoming selection of short videos which explain and outline the benefits of the climote Smart Immersion Controller as well as the launch of the Pinergy and climote partnership.  For further information on Pinergy Lifestyle and the new climote Smart Immersion Controller, you can also visit: https://pinergy.ie/home-electricity/lifestyle-landing-page-h20-time/

First look. Switchbot Curtain makes your old curtains smart and more. #Switchbot #Tech

Got curtains? Want to make them smart and enhance your home with some smart tech well here is a product that does exactly that and it is a simple setup. The award winning smart home product (Good Design Award 2020), is a small wireless robot that makes any curtains motorised and smart with a 30-second installation. After attaching to your curtain, you can open and close it with your smartphone. Or, just set a schedule to automatically open or close the curtain.  With spring arriving, and lighter evenings here, Switchbot’s sunlight sensor can open your curtains at the perfect time to save energy, and you can set it to open to wake you up with natural light without getting out of bed. Check out the unboxing below and if you have any questions feel free to ask.

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Review – Robus GLS connect smartbulb and¸5M IP20 LED Stripkit – 2700K – 6500K Tunable with Wi-Fi controller. #Robus

The Robus Plus Connect is a LED light strip that connects to an app on the phone allowing the led to be controlled allowing light to be turned off remotely and varied in colour. The packaging from Robus is bright giving clear specification, 3-year warranty, Wi-Fi, voice-controlled, compatible with Amazon Alexa and google assistant.  

 

Product Specifications:

Total Power (W):          23

Luminous Flux (lm):     1,360-1,580

Lamp Life (Hrs):             30,000

Number of LEDs:           120 / meter

CRI:    90

CCT (K): 2700-6500

Width (mm):  10

Length (mm): 5,000

Height (mm): 2.5

Weight (Kg):   0.4

 

Note the Lamp Life is rated as 30,000 Hrs, as compared to a typical incandescent bulb which only lasts 1,000 to 2,000 hours, The led comes with an impressive 3-year warranty.

 

Features

  •         Smart device enabled, works with iOS and Android via the ROBUS CONNECT App
  •         Connects with Amazon Alexa and Google Home via Wi-Fi with no need for a hub
  •         Smooth control of the light colour between 2700K and 6500K
  •         5m roll of Flexi strip light
  •         Strip can be cut every 6 LEDs
  •         Each kit c/w Wi-Fi controller, driver, flex and 3M double-sided tape for easy installation

 

Company.

The brand is an Irish owned company, LED Group ROBUS which was founded in 1984 with their headquartered in Dublin, branch offices in Britain, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Guangzhou in China. The Dublin office inspires trust in terms of familiarity with local power supplies, local Wi-Fi frequencies and standards to ensure compatibility with our local technologies.

 Safety Standards & Approvals:

Complies with: EN60598-1, EN55015, EN 61000-3-2, EN 61000-3-3, EN 62493, EN61547, EN 62471 

Setup:

The setup is standard in terms of download the ROBUS Connect App, register via text message & email address, note when connecting,  use the only 2.4GHz Wi-Fi network.  To set up the Led strip in the pairing mode, press and hold the reset button for >5 seconds. Alternatively, if the switch is inaccessible, turn on for 10 seconds, turn off – on – off – on – off – on. The luminaire will blink rapidly when in pairing mode.  In the background of the app the IP address, Mac address, time zone, Wi-Fi strength is available for those of a technical nature but not required for most installations.

Once set up as the default name of the Flexi-strip, this can be renamed to your choice of name.

The 3M double-sided can be used to stick on to walls, ceilings as required and cut to length.

 

Once connected:

The Led can be turned on / off via the wall socket, button on the cable or via the smartphone alternatively use of the App.  The light can be set to change colour (also with sound) as adjusted to brightness low to high. The app has a variety of default setting for the colour and brightness. A new setting can be saved on the app to your mood of lighting.  A scene in the app can be set up which connects various products which can be connected in various rooms as required. The colours choices are limited in the led but sufficient for a limited variety.

The Robus GLS Connect smart bulb.

 

Connect to the Amazon Alexa, (This unit does not need to be connected to a smart home but a great feature when done). Connecting to the Amazon Alexa required the use of an additional app – Smart Life Alexa skill and then via the Skills & Games. Again, the connection is easy when aware to use the Smart Life app.

 

Conclusion

The quality of the product is excellent with a 3-year warranty and a led life of over 30 thousand hours which alone is impressive. The IP rating may give a false impression as IP20  which is merely a touch by fingers / able to withstand basic touch and rudimentary dust protection, The kit has an excellent  Safety Standards &  list of Approvals which calls out the standard “ Electrical products can cause death or injury, or damage to property” I suspect the 12 Volt, 3 amp would be safer than most Christmas tree lights which can be fitted as DIY easily with minimum electrical knowledge.  Robust ethos is to create enduring products with low energy, low maintenance, which is certainly the case with this product.  My favourite features are not the warranty, led life the colours of the LED. Cost-saving from the lower power drain, but the smart home feature to connect directly to the Amazon Alexa enduring the home is smart. This is a product that once viewed by friends and family is on their wish list, a product that stands out for the right reasons, impressive.

Available at https://robus.com 

 

CRU first to market with innovative Google Home & Alexa Campaign launch. #CRU #AI #Energy

Recent events have driven unprecedented levels of creativity and agility within the marketing sector, with brand communications teams and agency creatives pivoting rapidly to deliver transformational digital campaigns to address an entirely new set of consumer needs.

As such, CRU (The Commission for Regulation of Utilities) has launched the first ever Google Home and Alexa centred AI campaign in Ireland, aligned to the roll out of its ‘Switch On to Savings, Rights and Safety’ communications campaign.

This unique digital activation involves the development of an app which effectively ‘trains’ smart home devices, namely Google Home and Alexa, to deliver specific responses to any consumer questions on the theme of savings, switching energy suppliers, energy safety and rights, whilst also driving awareness of the role of CRU, its services and guiding consumers to CRU branded information portals such as the CRU website and social media channels.

This ‘smart home conversation skill’ activation is the first of its kind to be developed and rolled out in Ireland by any organisation and was developed by the CRU in close collaboration with PR agency AMPLIFY@Drury Porter Novelli and Granite Digital.

The Commission for the Regulation of Utilities ‘Switch On’ campaign calls on the public to switch on to their rights, safety and savings as an energy consumer, and is fronted by long standing Campaign Ambassador Maia Dunphy. As part of a broader communications campaign, Maia will work closely with several high-profile Irish influencers to engage in an online challenge to see how much money they can save, by following the simple steps suggested by CRU. Over the coming weeks the influencer collaboration campaign will see participants using their smart home devices to put the CRU app to the test, when comparing costs from different Irish energy providers. The influencer campaign will roll out across Instagram, but will be amplified across all channels.

The way people are connecting with businesses through technology is constantly evolving. Surveys from 2019, found that  15% of Irish households now have smart speakers, while over 50% of Irish people are expected to own a smart speaker by 2023.  In further research, ComScore forecasts that over half of all search will be via voice by 2020, showing that voice is poised to become the next big channel for marketers.

With the disruptive effects of the pandemic currently dominating our daily lives CRU was forced to pivot its ‘Switch On’ campaign online. CRU Head of Communications and Public Affairs, Karl Richardson said “The current COVID-19 pandemic has forced many businesses to stop in their tracks, quickly re-strategise, and change the ways in which they operate. Given how consumer behaviours to switching suppliers have been impacted due to Coivd, we are delighted to be the first to introduce this innovative AI technology and reach Irish consumers in a way that compliments their busy on and offline lifestyles and provide them with the information they need to switch on to savings, their right and safety.”

As Ireland’s independent energy and water regulator, the Commission for the Regulation of Utilities (CRU) is central in protecting Irish consumers’ energy savings, rights and safety, and wanted to scale the advice previously provided by its consultants.

Launching this latest digital activation, Nicky Crichton, Brand Communications Lead at AMPLIFY@DruryPN said “Like many brand communications agencies, we’re pushing boundaries and pivoting fast to ensure effective, impactful, digitally led solutions for our clients, and the campaign for CRU is one that we’re particularly excited about given that its first to market, and perfectly timed given the ever increasing use of in-home AI technology”

Ivan Adriel, Creative Strategy Director of Granite added “AI assistants are rapidly taking over consumers’ homes, soon to become the primary channel through which people get information, goods, and services. We were delighted to co-create this solution for CRU, anticipating the future and exploring a striking new opportunity for connection between brand & consumers.”

Switch On To CRU is now available on all Google Home and Amazon Alexa devices in Ireland. To start a conversation simply use the prompts below:

Google: Hey Google, start Switch with CRU

Or

Amazon: Alexa, start Switch on CRU.

To find out more about CRU visit www.cru.ie