The Hands-Free Home

Ever thought to yourself, "What could I accomplish with an extra pair of hands?"  Well, wish no more because that wish can be your command with today’s hands-free technology. From voice-activated controls to touchless faucets, you can handle many of your daily tasks hands off. The latest products on the market aim to create a Hands-Free Home. Here’s look at some of the tools for touchless household tasks.

The UBI:

Your Wish is Its Command

[caption id="attachment_550" align="aligncenter" width="560"] The Ubi, a voice recognition device that you can boss around for daily tasks hands-free[/caption]

The Ubi is short for ubiquitous computer, according to its manufacturer which calls it “the always on” computer. The Ubi plugs into a wall outlet, connects directly to Internet through Wi-Fi and obeys your commands as a voice enabled home automation control. You can boss around the Ubi asking it to perform a variety of tasks. “You can ask Ubi to make a phone call, send an email, look up a fact on the Internet,” says Leor Grebler, one of three engineers who created the device. “Siri and Star Trek were the inspirations for Ubi,” explains Grebler. Ubi communicates back to you through speech or by using lights. It has sensors to monitor temperature, humidity, air pressure and ambient light so you can check on your home remotely. The Ubi works with smart phones and Bluetooth technology to send alerts to your mobile device or email. The Ubi retails for $219 and is available at www.theubi.com

Sensate:

The Touchless Kitchen Faucet

[caption id="attachment_549" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Sensate by Kohler, the touchless faucet[/caption]

 

Imagine not having to interrupt food prepping to wipe off your hands and turn on the faucet. Kohler recently introduced Sensate, a touchless kitchen faucet that  works with the wave of a hand or kitchen utensil. A motion sensor activates the faucet  in 20 milliseconds, according to Kohler. The idea behind touchless faucet technology is to keep the kitchen workspace sanitary and free up your hands for other tasks. That means no messy hands transferring germs or bacteria from uncooked food onto the faucet.

Lighting Sensors:

Lights On...Lights Off, Without the Flip of a Switch

[caption id="attachment_559" align="aligncenter" width="628"] Leviton has a new line of motion sensors to turn lighting on and off. The sensors have the capability to dim lights as well.[/caption]

Here’s another one of life’s aggravations potentially nullified thanks to motion-detected lighting sensors. No more worries about leaving the lights on. Leviton has a new line of energy-saving sensors that turn the lights off when you exit the room and on when you enter. The sensors are made to control current LED, CFL, fluorescent, incandescent, and halogen light bulbs. Leviton also has a dimming sensor that lets you adjust the lighting levels of compatible dimmable LED, CFL and incandescent bulbs for energy-efficiency and ambiance.

[caption id="attachment_558" align="aligncenter" width="672"] Leviton's motion sensors for lighting control works with all three types of lightbulbs: LED, CFL and Halogen.[/caption]

Expect to see more technology that lends a hand by becoming your hands for ordinary tasks. I’ll be on the lookout for the latest developments for the Hands-Free Home as I attend the 2013 Kitchen & Bath Industry Show next month in New Orleans. Keep checking back for more ideas and inspiration for your home and lifestyle.

Saving Money with Smarter Thermostats

Just by changing the temperature in your home 1 degree, you can save 5 percent on your energy bill. The thermostat is the biggest energy hog in a home. Replacing old, inefficient ones with Smart Thermostats can add up to significant savings. What makes a thermostat so smart? It’s the advanced capabilities to detect, adjust and customize temperature settings either via a touchscreen or remotely with a smart device. The Smart Thermostat also corrects an expensive habit of many homeowners who forget to adjust the temperature before leaving the home. Here’s a look at two of the latest versions to hit the market, each with its own “cool factor” in terms of design and function.

Nest Learning Thermostat:

[caption id="attachment_511" align="aligncenter" width="374"] Nest Learning Thermostat, available at www.nest.com[/caption]

This smart thermostat learns your temperature preferences and schedule, then programs itself. A simple dial allows the homeowner to raise or lower the temperature. The Nest not only records and learns the homeowner’s habits but also encourages energy-saving habits with a “leaf” reward system. A leaf icon on the thermostat appears when the user does something that saves energy. The homeowner can earn a leaf by adjusting the temperature for energy savings throughout the day. The Nest also comes with a mobile app for remote control of the thermostat from a smart device. There’s also an “Auto-Away” mode that turns to an energy-savings temperature, when the homeowner is gone.



Nest estimates its technology can lower heating and cooling bills by 20 percent. For homeowners, Nest offers an affordable, easy-to-install option for upgrading thermostat intelligence in the home. The Nest says if you can install a light fixture, you’ll have no problem installing it in 30 minutes or less. The Nest retails for $249 a unit and $199 for the first installation and $25 for each additional installation.

Wi-Fi Thermostats:

[caption id="attachment_521" align="aligncenter" width="562"] icomfort WiFi thermostat by Lennox at www.lennox.com[/caption]

Lennox Industries just introduced the icomfort Wi-Fi Thermostat – a new Wi-Fi-enabled thermostat that looks and functions like a smart tablet and allows homeowners to remote control it from any web-enabled device. The remote-controlled thermostat provides zoned temperature controls for custom heating and cooling settings for different rooms. It also comes with decorative skins for the touchscreen that enable it to blend with its surroundings.

[caption id="attachment_522" align="aligncenter" width="200"] customized skins for the touchscreen icomfort WiFi thermostat, available at www.gelaskins.com[/caption]

Homeowners can even upload a photo to have the thermostat appear as a family portrait or a favorite piece of artwork. Lennox retails the icomfort Wi-Fi thermostat for approximately $400 to $500 and says it can retrofit to an existing heating and cooling system.

[caption id="attachment_523" align="aligncenter" width="560"] Touchscreen for smart thermostat and home automation system by Creston at New American Home 2013[/caption]

A recent example of this technology at work was on display at The New American Home at the 2013 International Builders Show in Las Vegas. The home’s automation system uses Creston Technology. Wall tablets provide touchscreen control of lights, shades, thermostats, entertainment, security cameras, the fireplaces and the pool.

[caption id="attachment_524" align="aligncenter" width="560"] Creston custom touchscreen for home automation controls in New American Home 2013[/caption]

The system is programmed for certain times of the day. It has a morning button that turns on the TV to the morning news, raises the shades and turns on the lights. An away mode button sets the house to conserve energy while the homeowner is gone.

This new crop of intuitive, remote-access, user-friendly thermostats aims to satisfy the growing demand for home-comfort customization. With estimated annual energy savings of approximately 20, Smart Thermostats can be a wise buy with a decent return on investment.