Smart Technology Makes Itself At Home
The soaring popularity of Amazon’s increasingly wide range of Alexa products is only the tip of the iceberg in smart home technology. From shower systems that follow preset adjustments for power and temperature to lights that automatically match the ambiance of the sun streaming through the blinds, life has gotten a lot easier — and a lot more comfortable.
The latest and greatest update has to do with HVAC systems; while a few technologies already exist to help you manage your home’s temperature (namely Nest), one that is set to be released this January goes a step further: it lets you control the temperature in each room.
Hamid Farzaneh, creator of Alea Air, wanted to help people minimize energy costs while also maintaining exceptional comfort. His system is based on smart vents, rather than smart thermostats — each vent possesses 11 sensors that are constantly monitoring and analyzing (through connection to the cloud) temperature changes that occur throughout the day, automatically adjusting the air flow to keep each space at its preset temperature. The battery-powered vents are controlled through an app — one click and you can ensure that your bathroom will be nice and cozy on those chilly days without diverting heat and energy to the rest of the empty house.
Theoretically, Farzaneh believes Alea Air could save homeowners around 20% on their monthly energy bills — and, best of all, the vents were designed to be installed DIY-style; no need to hire a professional or fumble with the 200 billion nuts, bolts, and fasteners that are used each year in the U.S. in an attempt to find the right one.
“Because all the sensors are built into each vent, homeowners can simply lift out their old vents and slot the Alea Air vents right into the floor. Vents that are on the wall or ceiling are typically held in place with a few screws, and only take a few minutes to replace using a screwdriver.”
However, it’s important to remember that Alea Air isn’t an HVAC system in and of itself; it simply works alongside your current unit to ensure its efforts are sent to the areas of your home that you want them to be. You still have to take care of the source with routine maintenance, such as changing the air filter every three months, to guarantee you’re getting the most out of Alea Air’s smart technology.
Homeowners aren’t the only ones implementing smart technology to control temperature: data centers increasingly find themselves struggling with efficiency when faced with the monstrous task of cooling massive amounts of tech. Not every center can afford a Google-level AI to manage the process, but the use of smart systems — like the ICEraQ system, which costs 60% less than traditional air-cooled centers and offers consistent energy and maintenance savings — can reduce a company’s footprint while also putting money back in their pockets each month, and making life a heck of a lot easier.
Really, that’s what smart home technology is all about; they’re not things that you need, they’re things that you want because they simply make life better.
