Smart homes: ‘now, you are the remote’

Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates’ mansion that overlooks Lake Washington in the US, is perhaps the best smart home in the world.

The home adjusts lighting depending on his mood, plays his favourite music, draws bath and even waters the plants at the pre-set time.

Much like in the US, smart homes are becoming vogue in India too, but with a price. Here emerges Trutech Webs, a

desi start-up that is determined to make it affordable even to an average person. The Mumbai-based company is launching a device – ‘Fluid Home’ – that can automate a home for as low as ₹1,000.

“Generally, home automation is expensive and can be done for new homes, or only when a house is renovated. The home owner needs to change all the wires, put in new servers and sensors, which would cost a fortune,” said Abhinav Aggarwal, co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Trutech Webs.

‘Fluid Home’, a plug-n-play device, enables to control all the electronic items – that has a remote control – by a mere clap, a voice command or a gesture. With an add-on device (to enable wireless connectivity costing about ₹500-600), it can also control geysers, lights and even fans.

“Now, you are the remote,” Aggarwal said, adding much like in smart homes, it has a Bluetooth connectivity. This means that the device also can be controlled using a tablet or a smartphone.

“The biggest drawback in a smart home is that if the automation system fails, switching back to manual is difficult. In this you can do both simultaneously,” he added.

The device is as small as a remote control of a TV. It can connect TVs, audio systems, projectors, home theatres and air-conditioners (only select models). The biggest benefit is that it can sense a usage pattern (such as a favourite TV show) and will switch on the TV and flip channels.

The cost of automating a home would cost anywhere between ₹80,000 and ₹1 lakh for the basic system and would go upto ₹50 lakh depending on the features. Further, they work on with handheld devices, Raghav Aggarwal, co-founder of the company said.

“The gesture and voice controls would enable even illiterate people to use it,” said Raghav Aggarwal, adding the device has been completely developed and designed in India.

The product (three models with prices ranging from ₹1,000-4,000) was available from Friday night for pre-bookings, and commercially from January-end.