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Highlights of CES 2018

CES 2018 is winding down, and there were lots of new tech innovations and launches from our clients.

Here’s a recap of our clients’ CES 2018 wins:

abode

abode made two big announcements at CES this week. On Thursday, abode announced its Google Assistant Integration. Now, users can control their compatible devices, like lights, plugs, and switches, in their Abode smart home setup with their voice.

abode also introduced iota, an all-in-one security system with a high-definition security camera and an integrated Z-Wave and Zigbee hub.

According to Digital Trends, “Iota’s most noticeable improvement is a full HD resolution camera that allows subscribers to see and hear what’s going on in their home, 24/7. The camera’s integrated infrared LEDs even provide night-vision capability.”

With the abode app, homeowners can then get detailed notifications when important events are recorded by the camera. Compatible with Apple HomeKit, Amazon Alexa, and Google Assistant, iota lets homeowners use voice control to easily interact with their security system.

AdaSky

AdaSky made its debut at CES this year with its FIR sensing solution; the company also gave demos of self-driving cars.

Specifically designed for the automotive industry, AdaSky’s Far Infrared perception solution is called Viper. Combining a FIR thermal camera with advanced computer vision algorithms, this device lets autonomous vehicles see and understand the road and its surroundings, no matter the conditions.

Reuters says, “[A] difficulty for self-driving cars is their inability to differentiate between images and the real thing. For example, the image of a bear in an advertisement plastered across the back of a truck may be viewed by the car following the truck as a real bear, causing the car to brake. In detecting the differences in temperatures emitted by living objects and inanimate objects, however, the thermal camera would help avoid this scenario.”

Fibaro

At CES 2018, Fibaro demoed the new Z-Wave Wall Plug, which monitors energy consumption and sends notifications to your smartphone or tablet when devices are using too much energy.

Fibaro was also excited to debut a HomeKit-compatible version of The Button, a new, battery-powered, multi-touch device that joins the existing Z-Wave version. The Button, the first of its kind in the HomeKit ecosystem that does not require a gateway, hub, or bridge to function, allows users to activate a HomeKit scene.

Apple Insider says, “Fibaro is expanding the utility of The Button scene controller, an accessory providing simple controls for smart home devices, by…introducing a HomeKit-compatible version of the controller alongside its existing Z-wave model.”

Hogar Controls

This week, Hogar Controls unveiled its Google Assistant-powered Milo Smart Home Speaker. With a built-in home hub, this is not just another third-party Google speaker—the Milo Smart Home Speaker is a sophisticated smart home hub with touch controls that supports the Z-Wave Plus and Zigbee home automation standards.

Engadget calls the Milo Smart Home Speaker a “versatile device [that] can get you the news and weather from Google’s AI, stream music across Bluetooth and WiFi, and control your blinds, lights, locks, thermostats and other devices via the hub.”

IC Realtime

At CES Pepcom, ahead of the show, IC Realtime introduced Ella, the new deep-learning search engine that lets you search for and tag relevant content in video footage using natural language.

Ella revolutionizes video surveillance by analyzing camera footage and isolating only what’s important to you, such as specific objects, colors, people, vehicles, animals, and more.

The Wall Street Journal says, “The Ella box filters the video from a surveillance system, picking out moments where things actually happen. After that, the chunks go to the cloud for evaluation from Ella’s deep-learning algorithms.”

Sigma Designs

There was big news in the smart home world, with Sigma Designs announcing its new chipset, Z-Wave 700 Series, designed for the next wave of smart home products.

Z-Wave 700 Series features a 300-foot-long range, so that it can work with devices placed outside of your home and even on the outskirts of your yard.

 

According to CNET, “The biggest enhancement though is dramatically increased energy efficiency. In fact Sigma claims that one of these devices could run for up to 10 years powered by just as small coin battery cell.”

Z-Wave Alliance

According to Technology Integrator, Z-Wave Alliance May Have Had Strongest CES Showing Ever!

The Z-Wave Pavilion was a veritable hot-spot, hosting over 30 member companies at this year’s CES and also demonstrating the Z-Wave ecosystem at work with the Z-Wave Experience Home.

The Z-Wave 700 Series is also a highlight for the Z-Wave Alliance. In addition to its impressive range, another benefit for both installers and homeowners is the chipset’s long life: The battery won’t need to be changed for ten years.

Control4

Control4 didn’t exhibit at the show, but still made a big impact among CES-goers. Control4 was named  Honoree for its When >> Then Automation, part of the newest Control4 OS 2.10 software release, allowing homeowners to bring unique personalization to their professionally installed smart home.

Control4 was also honored with three CTA’s TechHome Mark of Excellence Awards. OS 2.10 won the Home Automation Product of the Year category, the Triad One Streaming Amplifier was selected as Audio Product of the Year, and the Pakedge Certified Network Administrator training program won the Best Education Program of the Year category.

Control4 is proud to be the recipient of three CTA TechHome Mark of Excellence Awards: Home Automation Product of the Year; Audio Product of the Year; Best Education Program of the Year.

Want to read more about the highlights of CES 2018? Check out more in our Twitter Moment , or connect with us on Twitter at @CasterComm.

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