8 Levels of IT Security in the data center

8 Levels of IT Security in the data center

Smart Air Condiditoner Device

Sensibo is a smart controller that can replace the “dumb” remote control of your window unit or central air conditioner. Just stick it to the face of an AC unit and plug the hub into your home router. Sensibo is pre-loaded with plenty of infrared command codes, so no matter which AC brand you have, the mobile or swartwatch app can translate your distant gestures into cool, comfortable air.

But Sensibo does more than replace the remote. It’s packed with sensors to track temperature and humidity, monitors whether anyone is in the room using iBeacon, checks local weather forecasts, and even collects data from your smartphone to know whether you’re driving home or coming in from a bike ride. All that information helps Sensibo keep your home at an appropriate temperature while boosting energy efficiency (reducing your appliance's carbon footprint by an average of 40 percent claims the company).

One important feature is that Sensibo doesn’t interfere with the AC’s original remote control -- in fact, it senses any commands coming from the remote and syncs the app accordingly. If you have multiple AC units, you’ll need a Sensibo pod for each one. They communicate via Zigbee with the central hub, which connects to your router with an ethernet cable. Every pod uses CR123A camera batteries for up to three years of power. A developer's API is also planned for the device so it's functionality can be combined with your other connected home products.

Universal Smart Home System: Talk to your home

Homey is a universal home automation hub (not to be confused with Homee) currently in crowdfunding. The softball sized device packs a slew of radios for out-of-the-box compatibility with many existing IoT products, and features speech recognition as its primary interface.

Users can talk to Homey directly, or remotely through the app, and Homey will relay commands to devices in the home. The developers are promising an AI-enhanced experience, so if you ask Homey to start playing a movie, it will reach out to smart gadgets in the room to dim the lights, close the blinds, and pause the music streaming from your iPod -- as well as turn on the TV and queue up the film from your media center.

Seven internal radios let Homey communicate with devices over many protocols, including WiFi, Bluetooth, ZigBee, Z-Wave, Near Field Communication, and more. There’s also an infrared LED to control “dumb” devices like older televisions and DVD players. And Homey can connect with your online accounts to access email and calendars, streaming music and video services, and other info. A Raspberry Pi brings it all together, running software written in Javascript.