Homey Sphere Automates Your Home

Home automation and connected devices of various sorts have been gaining in popularity, with everything from phone-controlled light bulbs to connected thermostats and other appliances surfacing. Among them is a new Kickstarter success called Homey, which utilizes speech to control your entire home.

Home is sphere-shaped and equipped with color lights and small metal feet, bringing with it the ability to "talk" to other devices in the home after being spoken to by the home's owner. The folks behind it boast that Homey can adjust one's thermostat, increase or decrease lighting, turn on music, open curtains, turn on the oven, and more.

Of course, the devices it interacts with must be connected to the network — it won't be able to open any ol' curtain rack or flip on a non-connected stove, for example. The device currently supports a variety of connected devices from and through Sonos, Plex, Nest, Bose, and more, and promises additional support in the future. At the same time, it can interact with certain "dummy" devices, like an infrared-controlled television.

Homey is being funded through Kickstarter, where it has exceeded its €100,000 goal by about €4,000. There are 28 days to go, and so it looks likely that the device will enjoy a strong financial backing. The Super Early Bird devices — starting at €179 — have an estimated shipping date of June next year.

SOURCE: Kickstarter