Home automation or domotics is building automation for a home. A home automation system will monitor and/or control home attributes such as lighting, climate, entertainment systems, and appliances. It may also include home security such as access control and alarm systems.
A doorbell is a signaling device typically placed near a door to a building's entrance. When a visitor presses a button, the bell rings inside the building, alerting the occupant to the presence of the visitor. Although the first doorbells were mechanical, activated by pulling a cord connected to a bell, modern doorbells are electric, operated by a pushbutton switch. Modern doorbells often incorporate intercoms and miniature video cameras to increase security.
Conexant Systems, Inc. was an American-based software developer and fabless semiconductor company that developed technology for voice and audio processing, imaging and modems. The company began as a division of Rockwell International, before being spun off as a public company. Conexant itself then spun off several business units, creating independent public companies which included Skyworks Solutions and Mindspeed Technologies.
OmniVision Technologies Inc. is an American subsidiary of Chinese semiconductor device and mixed-signal integrated circuit design house Will Semiconductor. The company designs and develops digital imaging products for use in mobile phones, laptops, netbooks webcams, security, entertainment, automotive and medical imaging systems. Headquartered in Santa Clara, California, OmniVision Technologies has offices in the US, Western Europe and Asia.
An Internet Protocol camera, or IP camera, is a type of digital video camera that receives control data and sends image data via an IP network. They are commonly used for surveillance, but, unlike analog closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras, they require no local recording device, only a local area network. Most IP cameras are webcams, but the term IP camera or netcam usually applies only to those that can be directly accessed over a network connection.
Vivint Smart Home, Inc. an NRG company, is United States-based smart home and security provider delivering an integrated smart home system with in-home consultation, installation and support, and monitoring. Vivint offers a range of integrated smart home and security products, including cameras, locks, safety sensors, thermostats, lighting, managed through the Vivint Smart Hub and mobile app.
Google Nest is a line of smart home products including smart speakers, smart displays, streaming devices, thermostats, smoke detectors, routers and security systems including smart doorbells, cameras and smart locks.
ecobee is a Canadian-founded home automation company that makes smart thermostats, temperature, and occupancy sensors, smart light switches, smart cameras, and contact sensors. They were acquired by the American company Generac Holdings in 2021.
Ring LLC is a manufacturer of home security and smart home devices owned by Amazon. It manufactures a titular line of smart doorbells, home security cameras, and alarm systems. It also operates Neighbors, a social network that allows users to discuss local safety and security issues, and share footage captured with Ring products. Via Neighbors, Ring could also provide footage and data to law enforcement agencies to assist in investigations.
HomeKit, also known as Apple Home, is a software framework and communication protocol developed by Apple Inc. that lets users configure, communicate with and control smart-home appliances using Apple devices. It provides users with a way to automatically discover such devices and configure them. By designing rooms, items and actions in HomeKit, users can enable automations in the home through a voice command to Siri or through Apple's Home app or third party apps. With HomeKit, developers are able to create complex applications in order to manage accessories at a high level.
Invoxia is a French consumer electronics company known for the design and development of innovative smart devices that use artificial intelligence, such as the first GPS tracker on the market to use LoRa technology, the first connected speaker outside the Amazon ecosystem to use the Alexa voice system and a line of GPS trackers for preventing bike theft and monitoring pet activity. For the B2B market, it provides fleet tracking and asset management services. It also provides industrial IoT services including hardware design and development and the training and integration of neural networks.
Amazon Echo, often shortened to Echo, is a brand of smart speakers developed by Amazon. Echo devices connect to the voice-controlled intelligent personal assistant service Alexa, which will respond when a user says "Alexa". Users may change this wake word to "Amazon", "Echo", "Computer", and other options. The features of the device include voice interaction, music playback, making to-do lists, setting alarms, streaming podcasts, and playing audiobooks, in addition to providing weather, traffic and other real-time information. It can also control several smart devices, acting as a home automation hub.
August, Inc. is a San Francisco-based home automation company, focusing on Wi-Fi connected door locks and doorbell cameras. The company was founded in November 2012 by Yves Béhar and Jason Johnson.
SimpliSafe is a home security company headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts. The company produces and sells home security systems and monitoring services.
Butterfleye is an American maker of security alarm systems. The company is known for its wireless learning camera technology that prevents false alarms. Butterfleye was founded in 2013 by an engineer named Ben Nader, and is headquartered in San Francisco, California.
A smart doorbell is an internet-connected doorbell that notifies the home owner on his or her device when a visitor arrives at the door. It activates when the visitor presses the button of the doorbell, or alternatively, when the doorbell senses a visitor with its built-in motion sensors. The smart doorbell lets the home owner use a smartphone app to watch and talk with the visitor by using the doorbell's built-in high-definition infrared camera and microphone. They can be either battery operated or wired. Some smart doorbells also allow the user to open the door remotely using a smart lock.
Petcube is a technology company that designs and develops smart devices for pets which combine cameras with treat dispensers and laser pointer toys.
Wyze Labs, Inc., also known as Wyze, is an American technology company based in Seattle, Washington, that specializes in smart home products and wireless cameras. It is a start-up of former Amazon employees.
Amazon Sidewalk is a low-bandwidth long-range wireless communication protocol developed by Amazon. It uses Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) for short distance communication, and 900 MHz LoRa and other frequencies for longer distances.
Morse Micro is a Sydney-based developer of Wi-Fi HaLow microprocessors; chips that enable high data rates, with long range and low power consumption. Amongst all Wi-Fi HaLow systems on a chip, Morse Micro processors are reported to be the smallest, fastest, longest-range with lowest-power-use.
