iHome, a smart home manufacturer known for making affordable gadgets, has released a series of new sensors to expand its product portfolio.
iHome, a smart home manufacturer known for making affordable gadgets, has released a series of new sensors to expand its product portfolio.
Among them is outdoor smart plug iSP100 which is water resistant and works with multiple smart home systems, including Wink, Nest, Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa and Apple HomeKit. Users will be able to set up routines with other gadgets via a Google Home, an iPhone or an Amazon Echo via voice.
iHome’s iSP100 includes only one outlet and is priced at just US$40. It can be used to control outdoor lighting, decorations and small smart appliances with up to 1800-watts.
Other new products launched by iHome include various sensors that work with the smart plug. The motion sensor iSB01 alerts homeowners via push notifications to mobile devices about unusual movement in the house.
The dual leak sensor iSB02 is designed to be placed near sinks, washing machines, toilets, hot water heaters or doorways. When it detects water leaks, it will notify homeowners via push notifications on smartphones or locally through a 90dB alarm.
The door/window sensor iSB04 is placed by the front door, basement, garage doors or side doors to detect if any major entry points are crossed. Just like water leak sensors, it also notifies homeowners of any breach via smartphone or local alarm.
All the sensors cost US$30 and can work with iHome’s smart plugs. For example, lights may be triggered to turn on when an unusual motion is detected or when the front door is opened.
The smart home industry has entered another phase with products going beyond control and environmental triggering, iHome said.
A truly smart home can now communicate potential costly hazards and vulnerabilities to the homeowner and offer both alerts and the ability to act without manual intervention, the company said. “Our new wireless smart home sensors and SmartPlugs are hub-less and designed for easy set-up, and make it affordable for people to add smart home monitoring and smart home control to any home,” said Gary Schultz, director of business and product development at iHome.