ABB Integrates with Amazon Alexa and Sonos Solutions
ABB, a German home automation systems provider, is working with Amazon and Sonos to launch the ABB-free@home system. Consumers can control up to 65 functions, including lighting, blinds, security, and heating with the ABB-free@home system, and now with the Amazon Alexa integration, they can do so with voice commands.
ABB-free@home is part of the ABB Ability portfolio of connected and software-enabled solutions developed for home and building automation.
The integration with Alexa enables voice control of up to 65 functions within ABB-free@home, as well as through myABB Living Space online platform or app. ABB offers its own voice activation feature for consumers who do not choose to invest in Alexa.
Sonos speakers can be controlled from the ABB-free@home app, ABB-free@home sensors and ABB-free@home Touch Panels. Users will be able to see and create speaker groups, start, stop, mute and skip songs and adjust the volume, enabling them to integrate their favorite music into pre-selected scenes.
"With ABB-free@home we are true pioneers in the smart home space, where ABB Ability can bring the benefits of digitalization to consumers everywhere. We have opened up the opportunity for more affordable and easier home automation solutions. We will continue to collaborate with other leaders to build on our customers' experience on a single platform. Over 1 million units of ABB-free@home have been sold since 2014. Innovation and integration are key success factors to ensure a smooth user interface with evolving functionality developed by multiple brands," said Tarak Mehta, ABB's Electrification Products division president, in a statement.
Mehta concludes: "Consumers want smart home functions that make their lives more comfortable and help them contribute to a greener planet. We continue to push the boundaries, and artificial intelligence in this space will help us make a quantum leap forward, with solutions that anticipate the running of the house, switching things off when sensors detect the building is empty; automatically putting the heating on when the GPS detects you are 15 minutes from home; and learning your preferences for lighting and sound control."