CES 2015: 10 Cool Home Automation Platforms And Gadgets

Big Innovations In Home Automation

The home of tomorrow is looking to be quite different from that of today. At CES, we saw a slew of new Internet-of-Everything and home-automation devices and platforms that are laying the groundwork for homes of the future. Today, vendors are offering technology whereby users can control everything from the color and brightness of lights in their homes to the music playing in each individual room and more. Home security is already impressive as users can watch their home security cameras from their mobile devices, no matter how far they are. While all this is going on, thermostats are automatically controlling the temperature of these homes, as it can sense whether or not anyone is present. What will they come up with next?

Umbrela

Despite the odd spelling, Umbrela is a versatile home-automation platform that automatically adjusts everything from lights to music audio, security system, video cameras and more. Umbrela is packed with sensors, including temperature, humidity, carbon monoxide, light and motion. The system can automatically dim and brighten lights in the home and play music whenever wanted, and stream security videos to a mobile device to anywhere. Despite being supported by both iOS and Android, it does not require a smartphone or even an Internet connection to work.

Alarm.com Smart Thermostat

The Smart Thermostat from alarm.com is part of the company's home-automation and security platform. With sensors planted in individual rooms, the smart thermostat knows when a user is present or not and adjusts temperatures accordingly. By connecting to the security system, the smart thermostat knows when there is no one home, and can automatically turn down temperatures if needed. The device is slated to hit the market within the first half of this year.

Brio Outlet And Home Safety System

The Brio Outlet is an electrical outlet that can be installed in the walls of a home to make a safer residence.

Unlike regular electrical outlets, the Brio outlet is child-safe, as a child will not be electrocuted if he or she sticks fingers in the outlet or puts a piece of metal in there. The outlet can detect when a plug is inserted into the outlet or if something else is there.

Brio also offers a platform of home safety "tokens" that are installed around the home. These wireless tokens detect carbon monoxide, smoke and water. When the sensors detect dangerous levels, the token sends a notification to the user's mobile device and sounds an in-room alarm.

First Alert OneLink

OneLink is a platform for home security, in addition to fitness. First Alert's alarms sense smoke and carbon levels in a home and will send emergency push notifications to a user's smartphone via Wi-Fi no matter where the user is. The OneLink platform includes a video camera that also has sensors for smoke and carbon levels. The camera also can send a live stream video feed to a user's mobile device. To correlate with the company's security theme, the OneLink fitness band has safety features built in. After inputting emergency contact numbers, a user can hit the emergency button if they feel in danger, and their contact(s) will receive the emergency text and location.

Welcome

Welcome by Netatmo is a smart camera with facial-recognition technology. When the camera sees that someone has entered a home, it will send a push notification to the user's phone that someone has entered. When the camera does not recognize the person who has entered a home, it will send a notification saying a stranger is inside with that person's picture. Welcome, which is set to be released next quarter, also can send a live feed of the home to a user's mobile device via the Welcome app.

Ecovent

Ecovent is a room-by-room zoning system that controls temperatures in each individual room with its installed smart vents. The vents are connected to the outlet sensors that measure the temperature and humidity in those rooms and make adjustments based on the data given from the sensors. Users can control the Ecovent through the Ecovent app for iOS and Android.

Ecovent can work with Wi-Fi and smart thermostats including Nest. The platform will begin shipping in August.

Leeo Smart Alert Nightlight

The Leeo Smart Alert Nightlight tracks temperature and humidity and has a built-in microphone to listen for alarms from household smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.

This "smart nightlight" syncs directly with users' iPhones through its iOS-exclusive app no matter where they are located in the world. When a smoke detector goes off in the home, the Smart Alert Nightlight will hear it and send an emergency push notification to an iPhone. If users don't respond, the app will send emergency messages to preset emergency contacts. The light of the device itself can be changed to any color lighting from a selection on its extensive color grid.

RIng Video Doorbell

This doorbell sends a live video feed directly to an iOS or Android device through Ring's Video Doorbell app. The doorbell has a motion sensor, so a visitor does not have to actually touch the doorbell for the video stream to come on. Users will receive a push notification when the doorbell is activated by a visitor and can decide whether to watch the video or ignore it. The camera also has night vision, and the video feed will work no matter where users are, even if they are out of the country.

Oomi Cube

The Oomi Cube is the center of the Oomi smart home and security system. It can sense noise, broken glass, motion and more. The Oomi Cube also has a light sensor, in addition to a temperature and humidity sensor. It has a security camera with a 140-degree field of view with night vision, and it also features two-way audio communication. This Wi-Fi security camera will stream to a user's mobile device by live video no matter where they are if there's an emergency at the home. The Oomi Cube is also a smarthome hub as any smart device in a home, whether they be outlets, lights, speakers or anything else, can be synced to the Oomi Cube. Oomi has a slew of products that complement the cube, including the Oomi Touch tablet, the Oomi smart outlet and more.

Sengled Smart Lightbulbs

Sengled showed off its family of smart light bulbs for connected homes. Its Pulse light bulb has a JBL speaker built in that can be used to play music from an iOS or Android app. The Pulse bulbs screw into any standard light socket and can network with up to eight other Pulse speaker bulbs.

Sengled also showcased a Snap IP camera bulb, which can function as a rudimentary home security system. A Boost lightbulb, as its name suggests, doubles as a Wi-Fi repeater.