It was my first time attending SXSW Interactive, and it delivered. Even on a Saturday night, it was well attended by executives of various service providers and vendors alike.
I was there to participate in the Connected Home Developers Garage, co-hosted by iControl Networks, Silicon Labs and Time Warner Cable, which brought together device and application developers and smart home leaders to discuss innovations in the space.
My time there reaffirmed my belief that the greatest impact on the connected home market in gaining broad adoption will be a variety of aesthetically pleasing, low cost sensors. 2014 will be the year of sensory overload. Remote thermostats sensing temperature throughout the home, vents that can be remotely adjusted to deliver the exact right amount of heating and cooling to individual rooms in the home are a few of the new items showcased at SXSW. Automation software that triggers these devices in intelligent ways will greatly facilitate the adoption of both the devices as well as the associated services. Delivering on the consumer promise of convenience, increased comfort, and decreased energy consumption, all without lifting a finger, will finally come to fruition within the next year.
Service providers such as cable companies throughout the U.S. and Canada are witnessing an uptake and heightened interest in the value of their smart home services. Marrying in-home devices with mobile geo-location services improves automation software such as EcoFactor’s and enables a host of more sophisticated algorithms that pinpoint consumer needs.
Our presentation centered on how our software today offers consumers maximum energy and money savings, comfort and convenience through automation. While we are starting with energy saving services, the software platform is built to accommodate many more sensors and apply its automation capabilities in many other ways. Our software uncovers new ways to guide and assist customers, adapting to their needs, and simplifying their lifestyles. For instance, we heard from Rogers, a Canadian communications and media company, that consumers on average had 10 devices in their homes and created approximately eight rules for their household needs. For example, a rule can be turning the thermostat down to a certain temperature when family members leave the house in the morning. As schedules change, rules need to be updated. However, rarely do consumers remember to modify these rules. Our software not only detects these changes, but is also capable of notifying customers of these changes and adjusting their rules automatically. Simple notifications allow the customer to acknowledge and accept the updates. The EcoFactor service is essentially a digital butler always at your service, looking out for your best interests and serving your every need.
