November 26, 2011 at 02:44Twine: “smart home” with a simple interface
We are used to thinking that the equipment for a “smart home” is a bunch of electronics and a price list for thousands of dollars. The developers of the Twine sensor kit set out to debunk this myth and make something completely simple and seemingly even toy-like.
Twine looks like a set of fun toys: one funny magnet is attached to a door or any other moving part, you drop a moisture sensor on the floor in the bathroom, and the central module - the same fun little part with an integrated accelerometer - can be put on the washing machine.
Magnetic sensor for door opening.
Humidity sensor.
The central Twine module is equipped with WiFi, a thermometer and an accelerometer. Power is supplied via USB or using two AAA batteries, which last for several months. The most difficult part of the installation is to connect the module to your home WiFi.
Extension module for connecting additional sensors.
As a result, you get a working system of "smart building". Via the web interface, you can monitor the temperature in the house, the doors open, the operation of the washing machine, receive emergency messages via SMS, e-mail or twitter if there is a water leak or the front door opens. But the most important thing is that control is carried out through an intuitive interface: even a child can program the system through a set of simple rules.
In addition to the kit, a large red button is sold, which can be programmed for any action and put near the computer.
Now Twine developers, two design engineers from the startup Supermechanical , are raising money through Kickstarter for the release of the first batch of devices. With a required budget of $ 35 thousand, long before the final deadline, they had already attracted 426 “investors” totaling $ 61,145. With a minimum investment of $ 500, you get two Twine kits: each of them consists of a central wireless module, two sensors and an expansion module, plus branded T-shirt and a set of batteries as a bonus. Delivery outside the United States will cost an additional $ 15, they promise to start selling tentatively in March.