Companies capitalize on AI to elevate the newest conveniences for the kitchen and home.
By Ed Wenck
Back at the beginning of the year, the annual CES show — though virtual — really displayed how some manufacturers had begun to embrace the “smart space.” For example: Kohler weighed in with a voice-controlled faucet system that poured a perfect single cup of water with a command from Alexa. This concentration on efficiency and comfort extends to the bath: Smart commodes provide a better “toilet experience” (which seems laughable until you think about the last time you had a “poor toilet experience”), and an infinity-flow soaking tub that reheats the water constantly and provides fog and aromatherapy.
LG and many other firms have been touting their smart laundry centers in which the washer “talks” to the dryer to determine optimum settings for a load. Refrigerators are becoming ever more connected, too.
But what about some solutions beyond what might be traditionally considered as kitchen conveniences?
A firm called Autoslide manufactures retrofit drives that turn any sliding door into something you’d see on “Star Trek” — approach it, and it opens. (The same technology can be applied to swinging doors and windows) The sensors — and yes, they ensure that no one gets caught in a (literal) jamb when a panel closes — would make travel from kitchen to patio a seamless experience when a host’s hands are full. It’s also a great solution for, say, bathroom access and privacy for those with special needs.
Airthings is one of several companies cashing in on the notion of improving a home’s air quality beyond just radon detection. This company’s “Wave” packages monitor indoor air quality for mold and other impurities, and integrate with smart home platforms (IFTTT, Alexa, and Google Assistant) to help run climate controls. Of course, there’s a phone app, and also a function that gives the devices their name: Wave your hand, and you get a summary of the air quality in your home (good, fair, poor) with an indicator light.
A startup dubbed Lasso takes AI into the trash. This machine identifies items that can be recycled (and those that can’t, which are gently rejected by the machine), cleans the stuff, processes it by grinding/crushing/shredding, and then stores the material until it’s time for pickup by the firm. The machines will be so efficient that, according to the company, you’ll only need to empty the thing three to eight times per year.
Beam us up.
View previous articles on Smart Lighting and The Road to the Smart Kitchen, or find CEDIA-certified integrators by clicking here.
