Home Tech News

Exciting advancements and innovative applications comprise this month’s tech news. We’re witnessing a dedication to making technology that improves lives both on a daily basis as well as on a larger, global scale.?

QMotion by Legrand Shades

QMotion by Legrand automated shades just announced it’s rolling out new designer fabrics collections. Collaborations with Coulisse, Twitchell, and Pfifer expand Legrand’s lines, offering homeowners options ranging from elegant minimalism to boho chic to laid-back luxury. The fabrics extend from delicate sheers to thickly textured black-outs, providing a variety of light-filtering choices.

With wall-mounted panels and home tech ecosystem integration, Legrand’s shades can be controlled with the touch of a button or the sound of your voice. It’s easy to let light in or keep interiors cool on command or on a schedule that best suits the homeowner's daily routines. These designer fabrics pair spectacular form with high-end function to provide refined shading solutions.

Wearable Tech’s Future Is Sweaty

Wearable tech has become a major area of advancement recently, and it goes well beyond smart watches. However, a barrier for wearable electronics has been the power source. Those that store adequate power to last for long periods are often heavy or bulky. Researchers at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst have devised a creative solution: a biofilm that generates energy from the evaporation of moisture on human skin.

Made from an electricity-producing bacteria, ultra-thin sheets of cells are produced and then etched with circuits and fitted between two pieces of flexible material, like a Band-Aid. When applied to skin, it can convert the energy from evaporating sweat into enough energy to power small electronics. The team of researchers is currently working on scaling their discovery up to power larger devices, as well as considering applications such as heart rate and breath monitoring and a glucose sensor. This advancement bodes well for the future of wearables.

Meridian’s Audio Experience

British mainstay in home audio equipment Meridian has released the first product to result from its Extreme Engineering Program. The DSP8000 XE loudspeaker uses groundbreaking technology to maintain the fidelity of sound waves traveling through the speakers; the goal is a totally authentic audio experience, transporting listeners into a world created by exceptional sound.?

Meridian has employed a variety of enhancements that immerse users. Full Frequency Alignment ensures that all frequencies reach listeners at the same time, while Q-Sync buffering system minimizes jitter. The overall result is an audio experience that is unlike any other and is certain to be the delight of audiophiles and cinephiles alike.?

Smart Forests Protect Against Wildfires

While climate change is causing more wildfires, smart technology is helping to prevent them. In Italy, in an area recently ravaged by fires, tech companies are joining forces with local authorities to use a series of fire detection sensors to prevent wildfires. These smart sensors don’t simply detect smoke, but rather the gasses produced during the early, smoldering stages of a fire. The goal is to alert firefighters to danger as soon as possible and stop wildfires before they get established. Relying on a cloud-based alerting system also saves precious time. This tech application shines a hopeful light on climate future.

This month’s slate of news has been exciting and hopeful; we look forward to seeing what might surprise us next.

Responsive Living, the term coined by Acoustic Architects founders, Aaron Flint and Spencer Hauldren, is the concept of seamlessly enhancing the client’s unique lifestyle using smart home technology. Responsive Living allows you to interact with your space via touch input, voice command, and predictive automation, placing you in full control of your home.

If you would like to learn more about integrating new systems into your smart home system, feel free to connect with us. We will be happy to schedule a demo with you.

For more information, visit acousticarchitects.net.?