New free@home wireless controls more than 60 functions as a retrofit solution or extension to its wired smart home system.
ABB, a global provider in power and automation, has unveiled its wireless home automation solution at the world's biggest building event in Frankfurt, Germany. Building on its successful free@home system, the wireless solution provides access to the latest smart home functionality without the need to re-wire the home.
The solution offers the unique capability to control the full range of applications in a typical residential smart home environment including lighting, heating, blind control and door communication. The system is based on a 2.4 GHz frequency communications protocol, adapted in a mesh network – which links the devices together to amplify the network. Offering the AES 128 encryption standard, free@home wireless can be used as a stand-alone solution or as an extension to the wired version of free@home.
ABB launched free@home in 2014 to make it easier for installers to offer home automation, bringing the advantages enabled by the Internet of Things, Services and People into people's homes. The system makes it simple – via smart device or a personal computer – to manage multiple functions to create the home environment of consumers' choice. Last year, ABB added voice control and this latest development provides access to smart home technology to even more consumers – including those renting.
Tarak Mehta said: “Our team of research and development engineers continue to push the boundaries of what the Internet of Things, Services and People can deliver in people's home. We continue to enhance our smart home solution – launched at the Light+Building event in 2014. Demand for the new solution has exceeded our expectations. Last year we added voice control functionality and the latest development opens up even more of a market for the solution.”
According to digital research service BI Intelligence, the market for smart homes devices was worth more than US$61 billion in 2014 and is expected to grow to $490 billion by 2019, an annual growth rate of around 50 percent.
The home automation solution is sold under the Busch-Jaeger brand in Germany, Netherlands and Austria and ABB in all other markets around the world. The wireless version will be available starting in October 2016 for the Central European markets.
As part of ABB's Next Level strategy the company is achieving growth through product innovation that unlocks the potential for increased automation in the home through the Internet of Things, Services and People. The company aims to enhance the comfort, efficiency and safety of people's homes through the application of intelligent solutions.