Smartphone-connected small-scale home devices take the stage at CES

Smartphone-connected small-scale home devices take the stage at CES

The trend for connected home devices has been growing steadily over several years and looks set to continue at this year's CES with around 900 manufacturers showcasing some type of connected device or system.

While last year's CES saw big-name manufacturers leaning towards connected white goods, such as Samsung's Twitter-enabled RF289 connected refrigerator, this year's CES sees a trend towards the next generation of smaller connected appliances such as lighting or HVAC (Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning) systems alongside connected white goods.

This is in part thanks to the rise in popularity of smartphones and similar devices which allow users to control aspects of their home from afar. As Jeff Joesph, senior vice president of communications and strategic relationships of the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) noted in an article on technology site All Things D, "Whereas it used to be all about home control, now it means leveraging existing products we're already using, including tablets and smartphones."

CES 2013 will see the release of connected home energy and environment devices from Ingersoll Rand brands Nexia and Trane, lighting control systems from Belkin and the next generation of Iris products from Lowe's and many others building on the trend for small-scale connected devices.

Trane will be using CES 2013 to reveal, among other devices, Trane Energy Management system,compatible with the Nexia home network system, which enables homeowners to manage and control electrical gadgets in their home and track electricity usage. Using this system, homeowners can then monitor which devices have the greatest impact on their monthly electricity bills -- through the eMonitor system -- on a web-enabled smartphone or computer.  

Belkin will be releasing the latest editions to its line of WeMo products, the WeMo Light Switch at this year's CES. The WiFi-compatible WeMo Light Switch enables users to control their lights remotely as well as putting them on pre-programmed schedules using a mobile app.

Lowe's will also be introducing a range of new small scale home devices such as thermostats, water heaters, sprinklers and connected light bulbs that work with the company's Iris Hub system, a cloud-based home management system that connects to the home's router and communicates with smart mobile devices.  

Green Wave Reality will also be showcasing its Connected Lighting Solution, winner of the CES Innovations 2013 Design and Engineering Awards, at this year's event. The Connected Lighting Solution uses Energy Star LED bulbs with internet connectivity to enable consumers to control the lighting in their house via a smart mobile device.