Homey (via kickstarter)
Home automation devices are on the uptrend, but one device may knock the competition out of the race. Meet Homey, a home automation device with eight radio modules, enabling it to turn your home into a smart home (Originally a Raspberry Pi system!). From making your coffee to setting your home temperature, lighting and music preferences the moment you walk in the door, Homey does it all. Thanks homey!
The Possibilities
Imagine that you just woke up to your favorite song and the smell of fresh coffee being brewed downstairs. Your blinds open slowly, allowing the sun's vibrant rays to warm your bedroom. As you lay in bed, the speakers in your room read you your email and social media alerts, all before you've even rolled out of bed. Welcome to the Homey-powered house. And that's not all, folks.
Homey is a home automation device that pays attention to your preferences. If you like your home to remain at 70 degrees at all times, Homey remembers. If you want your coffee automatically made for you at six o' clock in the morning, Homey remembers. If you like total darkness when watching a movie, Homey will close the blinds, power your entertainment system, turn it to the appropriate channel and turn up the volume, all without complaining. If you're single, you may want to befriend this new homie.
Specs
Inside Homey (via Kickstarter)
Homey runs on JavaScript API and the makers are asking all geeks and developers to join forces with them, in the hopes of creating the coolest, most personalized home automation system ever created. Originally, the consumer version was going to be run with a Raspberry Pi. However, an industrial alternative was chosen instead. The unit features eight radio modules, including Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, Infrared, ZibBee, NFC, 433.92 MHz, Z-Wave and nrf24101+, all connected by our beloved Raspberry Pi Compute Module.
The modules are housed in an attractive foggy glass orb that is 4.3” in diameter. The sphere features a multi-colored LED ring along the circumference of the orb, which shows app connectivity and enables Infrared-Powered LED communication.
The Homey Smartphone App interface (via Kickstarter)
The device automatically connects to most devices with minimal or no programming required. If you are wondering, yes, it does also work with apps. The Homey Smartphone App is available for both Android and iPhone users and enables basic functions, like syncing email, social media, weather and temperature control. Developers are welcome to create their own apps for universal use. The device runs on a node.js server, specifically to allow developers to have at it with their own nifty designs. They are also proposing their own development hardware to interface with Homey. An ambitious and welcome feature.
"By pledging as geek, you don’t only get Homey, but also example code for your own Homey app, an Arduino library and early access to the SDK. You'll also get two nRF24L01+ radio transceivers to communicate wirelessly plus enough jumper cables to get you started." (via the kickstarter offer of the "Geek Edition.")
Packages
The Homey Kickstarter campaign surpassed its initial goal of €100,000 by double, ending at over €200,000. Supports can choose from the Homey for €229, which comes equipped with everything users need to convert their homes; Geek Edition for €239, which includes Homey plus everything developers need to customize their own units (including Arduino library app code samples); or Homey-homie for €25, a mini keychain replica of Homey that features NFC connectivity and the LED ring (which can function as an NFC key).
Homey is expected to ship to Kickstarter backers as early as March 2015. Did you get one... homie?
HERE is the pledge video... do watch the very end for a crazy joke!
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