Jesse
Posts: 358 +42
As we’ve recently and frequently discussed, home automation and the Internet of Things is taking off at a fast pace. One of the companies that’s pioneering the new technology is SmartThings, who announced today at the AllThingsD: D11 conference that they are publicly rolling out their developer and inventor toolkits.
SmartThings crowd-funded their operation in 2012 through Kickstarter, raking in over $1.2 million, well beyond their $250,000 goal. They used all that cash to bolster the number of “things” linked to the platform, allowing the SmartThings hub to connect to and control door locks, thermostats, humidity sensors, IR remotes, power outlets, light switches, presence sensors, and any number of additional functions provided by the available accessories.
Out of the box, the SmartThings platform can already do things like alert you when you leave windows open and it starts to rain using a humidity sensor, or automatically adjust the thermostat, turn off the lights, and close the garage door when you leave the house.
The developer and inventor toolkits open up the platform even further to functionalities limited only by the creativity and inventiveness of its users. While transparency is always a great benefit, perhaps the best part of an open platform is the ability to leverage the collective talent and resources of a huge user base.
The community at build.smartthings.com has already created a SmartThings-controlled pet feeder, a baby mobile controlled via voice sensor, and a movie theater remote to automatically dim the lights and start popping popcorn. What would you connect in your home?
