Schneider Electric, a global specialist in energy management, has announced significant updates to its Wiser Home Control, a truly integrated control solution that interlinks electrical, multimedia and telecommunications in a single home automation platform.
Wiser Home Control allows owners to control all appliances in the household and customise settings to adapt to their living patterns through a user-friendly interface for a more eco-friendly and stylish way of life.
“The advances in smart home technology have allowed us to evolve our solution even further,” says Anoop Hariparsad, product manager in the Eco-Buildings Division of Schneider Electric South Africa. “The latest updates to our Wiser Home Control solution simplify home living with automated systems that not only allow for flexible control but also bring great convenience to just about any scenario one can imagine. Owners can look forward to a more comfortable lifestyle, as upgrades can be easily executed and the control system can be accessed from a greater range of mobile devices.”
The Wiser Home Control solution has expanded from its iOS compatibility onto the Android platform, which increases support for more mobile devices in the market. Homeowners can now install Wiser Home Control applications directly on their Android devices, ensuring a smooth transition and control across multiple platforms.
The solution has been extended with several upgrades to its system architecture aimed at providing homeowners with a better user experience and a hassle-free retrofitting and installation process.
* Hassle-free installation: The backbone of the solution, the Wiser Home Controller is updated with the new “plug-and-play” USB ZigBee interface, which allows for communication with the ULTI EZinstall3 switches. As ULTI EZinstall3 switches are ZigBee-oriented and designed for easy retrofitting, homeowners using the Wiser Home Control solution can now avoid compatibility issues with mechanical switches and directly install ULTI EZinstall3 switches in their homes whenever they want to. With the ZigBee wireless signal, ULTI EZinstall3 switches can also communicate directly with the solution and, as a result, not only can home owners now control lighting, but also all other home appliances such as air-conditioning, curtains and security. With this innovative Wiser USB ZigBee interface, owners need not worry about the hassle of rewiring or undergoing a major renovation overhaul when they want to upgrade their existing home or install a new system. The Wiser Home Control provides users with an easy and cost-effective way to upgrade their homes with automation technology.
* Reliable control in the comfort of your living room: The upgraded Wiser Home Control solution now has the added option of using the big screen – your TV set – as a controller. The Wiser Home Controller’s newly added HDMI port allows home owners to directly connect their television sets to the Controller Hub and access the controls through a larger display, for a better navigation performance and ease of use. With the television remote as a controller, users no longer have to worry about their control devices dying, and an external keyboard or mouse can also be used for control via the USB port. The lack of a Wi-Fi or Internet signal will no longer hamper control as well, improving reliability.
Furthermore, Wiser Home Control allows owners to manage energy usage around the home through smart automation, which uses sensors and time scheduling to avoid unnecessary electricity wastage, and monitoring features that give home owners greater insights to power usage. These ultimately help consumers reduce their energy bill by up to 30 percent.
“At Schneider Electric, our expertise lies in helping homeowners achieve energy efficiency through smart energy management. We believe that combining technology, aesthetics and design can bring homes to the next level, creating a space, which owners would not want to leave, by delivering great innovations that help individuals and organisations make the most of their energy, both at home and at work,” adds Hariparsad.