A SMART HOME SYSTEM THAT'S SO SIMPLE, ANYONE CAN USE IT

Posted By Simon Montford on April 20, 2015

There are plenty of home automation systems available to purchase these days. In fact consumers are spoilt for choice. Two of the greatest problems, however, faced by most people who are thinking of buying smart home tech is configuration, and compatibility. A Chicago-based startup claims to have solved both problems. 

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Their system is called Oomi, and it uses an increasingly popular standard called Z-Wave, which connects with things like smart bulbs, thermostats and light switches with just a tap and click! Instead of using a smartphone, it comes with a dedicated controller that has a seven inch colour display, called "Oomi Touch", that can be controlled via either voice or touch.  

It learns as it goes, so will be able to know how you like to interactive with your home. Also, unlike most conventional home automation systems that send and receive commands via the cloud, Oomi is able to communicated directly. This means it will continue to operate if your home's wi-fi connection goes down. 

The company's Indiegogo campaign is proving to be very popular. It has only been seven days since launch and Oomi has already smashed its campaign goal by 820%! 

If you would like to pre-order one for your home, the "Basic Kit", costing $289 (£189), comes with an Oomi Cube, an Oomi Touch, and one Oomi accessory (either a bulb, plug or multisensor). The estimated shipping date is October 2015, and international shipping will cost an additional $39 (£25).