Real Estate Investor Magazine South Africa June/ July 2019 | Page 25

TECHNOLOGY
Tech-savvy tools to ‘smarten’ your home
The future smart home is not out of reach for local home owners
BY ISHANI CHETTY
T
he fully automated home of Tony Stark, better known
as Ironman, is not out of reach for South African home
owners. LifeSmart utilizes a range of technological tools
and appliances to create an easy to use smart home.
LifeSmart, distributed by Syntech, a company which sources
a range of technological products from around the world and
sources them to Sub-Saharan Africa, is able to fully kit-out
one’s home.
Syntech co-founder, Ryan Martyn explains that the
technology employed for the smart lighting is easy to use and
installed hassle free.
“The system’s triggers are small and unobtrusive, so you’re
unlikely to even notice a motion sensor or clicker. Additionally,
if you link in Google Assistant of Alexa, you’ll be able to issue
voice commands to the LifeSmart technology,” he said.
The system employs a range of prompts to give commands to
a lighting mechanism and various appliances. This allows home
owners to programme when appliances and lights should turn
on or off and how long they should run for. Users can also adjust
the control of these appliances via the use of the LifeSmart App.
The app is available for iOS and Android devices along with
Android TV.
lighting has a ‘good night mode’, with colours gradually
dimming and lulling them to sleep.
Cost effective mechanisms
The smart home technology by LifeSmart is designed to reduce
energy usage and generate electrical savings. Motion sensors
reduce energy usage as they are only activated when someone
is in the room.
Air conditioning can be turned on remotely by using the
LifeSmart App – users can switch it on while at work and arrive
to a warm or cooler home. Geysers can also be turned on via the
app, allowing users to override the automatic timer and turn the
geyser on earlier.
There are various ‘smart bundles’ which home owners can
choose from – such as the comfort bundle which focuses on
lifestyle elements and aims to replace remote controls for
various appliances such as air conditioning units and TVs. These
controls can be supplemented with environmental sensors.
Lightbulbs from LifeSmart can be purchased on various
online sites such as takealot and prices range from R529.
LifeSmart switches can also be purchased from takealot
and prices start at R1 345. These bulbs employ ‘low power
consumption LED Technology’ decreasing electrical costs for
home owners.
Environmental sensors are able to measure temperatures and
luminance enabling the air conditioner to be set to automatically
switch on if the room reaches a certain temperature and activate
lights when the room gets dark.
Enhancing security measures
Controlled lighting
A statement by Syntech explains that LifeSmart lighting caters
to a family’s every need, allowing you to grab that midnight
snack in peace without waking up the kids or your partner.
“There will be no more bumps in the dark, and you won’t
wake your partner with bright, overhead lighting. It’s great for
children who want to climb into bed with their parents at night
– their way is lit and you don’t have to get up to switch off the
lights.”
In an effort to ensure the system is easy to use, the LifeSmart
app allows for bulbs to be programmed to suit any mood with
16 million colours available to choose from.
For children who struggle to sleep in the dark, LifeSmart
A security bundle is on offer for those who would like their smart
home to increase their peace of mind. It works hand-in-hand
with the existing security measures – users can programme their
alarm systems to activate after they have closed the front door
or use the app to close the curtains when they are not at home.
This system includes the use of security cameras to asses any
possible threat to the property. The LifeSmart Frame Camera,
which functions over a 360° rotation, wide-angle infrared night
vision, built-in storage and voice sticky note activation can be
purchased online from R3 025.
The use of a door trigger can recognise heavy knocking to
indicate if the system should turn on your lights and active your
camera system.
Martyn assures home owners that the LifeSmart installation
and technology is not difficult to install and is tailor-made to
be user-friendly.
“Smart homes and appliances have seen a slow uptake in
South Africa compared to other countries. This might be due to
the perception that the technology is costly and complicated to
install. LifeSmart is not only more accessible than other brands
on the market, but has been created to be installed easily. The
brand offers a quality solution for those looking to make small
upgrades to their home, and an integrated approach to those
looking to change the way they live,” said Martyn
SA Real Estate Investor Magazine JUNE/JULY 2019
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