Voice control integration has definitely gone mainstream

Voice control appears to be here to stay. Examples were all over the show of home automation platforms and mainstream big audio brands launching features in their products to leverage voice control functionality.

Amazon Alexa dominated with Google Home also getting a few integrations. Check out this example from the show floor, Origin Acoustics Valet. 

Consumers want their tech and gadgets… but they want it to be hidden

Advances in processors and integrated circuits continue to allow vendors to rethink the way they integrate technology into their products. The result is gadgets that have previously consumed our spaces are fading into the background. Check out these two examples from the show floor, Samsung The Frame and Screen Innovations Solo.

Power to the end-user

The leading high-end home automation companies, are finally realizing the need to move past the technicians who install and configure systems and support the end users directly. The result is more end user control right in the interface. Check out these examples from the show floor, Control4 When >> Then and Savant Scenes. 

OK, we love cool stuff and geeking out as much as the next guy. But we also continue to worry that the humans at the centers of the spaces we are trying to make more efficient could be getting left behind. 

 “It was clear at this year’s show that as the amount of devices and technologies continue to increase and get more powerful, but they are moving further and further from being able to talk to each other and work together. Consumers have to work very hard or depend on a professional to make it all work together. Not ideal.”

Even though smart devices are becoming more sophisticated, we have a long way to go before they are intelligent. We believe standardization around communication (e.g. IP based) is the way forward. Now it’s up to the industry to agree and follow suit.

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