Can an old house learn new tricks? These Austin-based IoT solutions may help

by Kelly O'Halloran
August 19, 2016

17 years ago, the entertainment industry blessed us with a Disney Channel Original Movie, 'Smart House,' featuring a widowed father, his two children and a computerized house managed by a cyborg named 'Pat.' Pat was a fictional vision of a home controlled by the Internet of Things, which now exists in reality with devices like Siri, Alexa and Watson sweeping the masses. 

While hologram house management services aren't quite a reality, IoT is certainly making a splash in Austin, and beginning to lay the foundation for the ultimate smart house. 

 

 

 

WigWag’s open-sourced software gives homeowners total control and management over their IoT devices and IP networks, joining them to work together as one personalized system.

Users can mix and match devices and brands, controlling them with a universal app or creating 'when — then' rules to automate common tasks.  

For instance, parents can use the 'when - then' system to keep a pulse on their kids behavior: when the front door opens at midnight (despite all your kids have a 10 p.m. curfew), then you can be alerted via mobile app — or whatever creative 'then' tile you choose — in order to take proper disciplinary actions. 

 

With energy bills blasting through the roof in Austin over our summer months, Curb helps homeowners monitor their energy consumption, providing real-time data on your household's energy usage and production.

Curb designed their engagement software and sensors so that users can monitor things like the amount of energy burned by specific appliances or areas of your home, how much you're spending on your energy bills and if there are any security breaches. 

Lastly, the system provides smart tips and real-time alerts to help users save money and better secure their homes. 

 

Plum is reinventing the lightswitch through its smart-enabled light pad that is color-customizable and controllable from your pocket. Like Curb, it also provides insight on your home energy usage. 

Plum's four-step installation process makes it easy to adopt and enable in your house. You simply shut your power off, attach a light pad to appropriate wires, attach a faceplate and return power. Then, open the Plum app and answer two questions to provision the dimmer. 

 

 

SXSW 2015's recipient for outstanding innovation in Privacy and Security was Peeple, a company that has developed a way for you to know ahead of time whether or not you should get up off of the couch to answer your door. The IoT company created a caller ID device for your front door, where you can see if a package was delivered or if anyone came a knockin' while you were away from home. 

The smart camera attaches to existing peepholes and connects to your home Wi-Fi to identify, inform, screen and alert you of someone's presence via push notifications. 

 

Ketra gives homeowners control to deploy natural light settings through a cohesive system of lighting fixtures. As the sun transitions through the day, so does the lighting in your home — automatically. 

It delivers light that is identical in color and intensity to natural lighting through Ketra lamps and an X1 touchpad, for one room or for your entire home. 

 

Images via featured companies/Facebook. 

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