This Device Lets You Control Everything in Your House by Voice
With smart homes becoming less Jetson and more Modern Family, we love dreaming up all the cool ways we could simplify our lives by controlling anything and everything with the mere sound of our own voice. But what if we could stop dreaming and actually turn our wishes into a here-and-now reality, all with the help of one do-it-all device?
Meet Homey, a home-automation gadget that lets you control lighting, music, climate, TV and more by voice. Homey even learns your habits and preferences over time, allowing you to easily streamline just about any task imaginable. Want to wake up to the sound of your favorite song while coffee is automatically brewed? Need to preheat the oven before you get home from work? Hoping for a reminder to grab your umbrella on a potentially rainy day? Homey and its corresponding iPhone and Android app have got it all covered whether you’re at home or on-the-go.
Equipped with seven wireless modules and an infrared LED, Homey is uniquely designed to connect with appliances, entertainment systems and online accounts, allowing you to centrally control your devices. And since new devices are constantly being released, Homey also features a store where you can buy the latest, greatest corresponding apps. Tech-savvy developers can take things a step further by designing their own apps to work with Homey.
If you like what you’re hearing, you’re not alone. Homey is being funded on Kickstarter and has already surpassed its initial fundraising goal of $136,000. With more than $231,000 raised so far and backers still being sought until June 27, Homey’s Netherlands-based creators are hoping to add more cool features if other benchmarks are met. If $272,000 are raised, they hope to give Homey the ability to handle IFTTT style requests, like filling the bathtub after you wake up and starting music 15 minutes later. If $408,000 is raised, they plan to offer red, green, blue and black orbs in addition to the current white model.
The completed product, which will initially support English, Dutch, Spanish and French, is expected to take place between March and June 2015. A Kickstarter bid of $311 will get you your own Homey, while a smaller pledge of $34, will get you a miniature LED Homey keychain that includes an NFC tag. Not as awesome as Homey, but almost as cute.
What do you think of Homey? Does the idea of a fully automated smart home sound awesome or like something better left to sci-fi? Let us know what you think by leaving a comment below!
