Legrand has announced that donated solutions from its Vantage and Legrand Shading Systems brands were used in a customized smart home for U.S. Marine Corps Corporal Jose Armenta, who was severely injured in Afghanistan. As it has done so many times, the Gary Sinise Foundation worked with an integrator and CI channel supplier to help assist the everyday activities of a U.S. military veteran.
Provided by the Gary Sinise Foundation as part of the Restoring Independence Supporting Empowerment (R.I.S.E.) program, the home and its technologies are designed to make Cpl. Armenta’s life more comfortable and convenient.
The Sinise Foundation turned to Paradise InfoTech & Automation in Lakeside, Calif., to perform the installation.
“Collaborating with Paradise InfoTech for the Gary Sinise Foundation’s R.I.S.E program is a profound privilege,” says Richard Laliberty, product marketing manager, Shading and Vantage Residential Controls, Legrand North America.
“Cpl. Armenta is a hero, and we’re honored to do our part in helping make his daily life more seamless and comfortable.”
2024 Lighting Controls and Fixtures Report
Lightapalooza took place in late February, and the growth of the event has mirrored the rapid ascension lighting fixtures and controls.Download your copy now!
In the summer 2011, Armenta was deployed and attached to the 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion in the upper Sangin Valley of Afghanistan where he participated in over 50 combat missions with his bomb dog, Zenit.
While on security patrol with his platoon and Zenit, Armenta stepped on a pressure plate containing over 10 pounds of homemade explosives.
“I woke up five days later in Landstuhl, Germany, and realized I had lost both of my legs above the knees,” Cpl. Armenta recalls.
Sinise Foundation Smart Home Assists Daily Living Conditions
He was then medevac’d to the United States where he underwent 13 operations followed by the long process of physical rehabilitation.
Cpl. Armenta medically retired from the Marine Corps in 2013. He continued his service, working as a police dispatcher on the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego while returning to school to study finance.
Although Cpl. Armenta has found success in many areas of his life, one constant challenge is his ability to navigate the physical barriers of everyday living. Wheelchair ramps have been added to his home, but the residence is not fully accessible and has led to several falls by Cpl. Armenta at home.
The adapted smart home built through R.I.S.E. and technology installed by Paradise InfoTech is designed to give him the mental and physical freedom to live and care for his family safely.
Precise control over the home lighting is delivered by Vantage’s InFusion Controller, while automated shading is provided by Legrand Shading Systems motorized and manual shades.
Cpl. Armenta interacts with his lighting and shading systems via EasyTouch Glass keypads located throughout the home.
“I firmly believe that with every tragedy comes an opportunity to grow into a stronger, wiser version of yourself,” Cpl. Armenta says. “I want to be a role model to my children so they, too, will work hard to overcome obstacles that come their way.”
If you enjoyed this article and want to receive more valuable industry content like this, click here to sign up for our digital newsletters!
