‘Smart’ appliances are forcing engineers to rethink age-old product designs
For the last 100 years, dryers, ovens, refrigerators, washing machines and other household appliances have performed the same basic functions, such as keeping food hot or cold and getting clothes wet and dry. But, a new breed of “smart” appliances is emerging, thanks to advanced sensor technology and the Internet of Things (IoT).
Smart appliances can connect and share information with other machines or systems. Unlike traditional single-purpose appliances, they can react to the environmental information that’s captured by smart phones, tablets and other electronic devices. And, they connect wirelessly via communication protocols, such as Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Zigbee or Z-Wave, to exchange real-time data for control or monitoring applications.
“A smart appliance is connected to the internet and can be remotely controlled by people or automatically managed by a machine,” notes Lucas Wang, CEO of HWTrek Corp., a global platform for hardware innovation that provides online planning and collaboration tools. “Additionally, it offers data or information back to the user via the Internet that a particular device has captured offline or from other devices.
“The most important differentiator in this case is that we are unable to get data from traditional appliances remotely, and therefore, can’t update or react to actions as needed based on data,” explains Wang. “Traditional appliances don’t react to the environmental information that is captured by other devices, which could then sync up with the whole environment—whether it is managed by people or automated.”
This article by Austin Weber was published on Assembly Magazine, read more here.
