Just scanning the CEDIA 2017 showfloor map, I’m seeing a few early themes, a bigger-than-usual presence among security vendors, and some interesting new home-automation companies. Here's an early look at some newish players in the home-technology channel.

Nuimo by Senic

I’ve admired Nuimo from afar; now, I’ll get to admire it up-close at CEDIA. The Bluetooth-enabled slick round controller can be clicked, turned, touched and swiped to control Sonos audio and Philips Hue lighting.

Built in gesture-sensing allows the product to be controlled with an aerial wave of the hand.

Configurable LEDs on the surface provide feedback. Stick it on a wall, keep it on a table or carry it with you.

With its plentiful SDKs for multiple platforms, we are certain to see more supported products soon. Online demos show it being used as a music synthesizer and a computer “mouse.”

Neocontrol from Somfy

Demonstrated for the first time at CEDIA 2016, Neocontrol starts with a hub that controls devices via IR, IP, relay and Somfy’s RTS wireless protocol.

A big funky cube is used for controlling devices. Select the device by flipping the cube to the associated side … and click away.

“The art is becoming clever,” Neocontrol says of the “Cubee.”

There’s also keypads, an app, voice control through Alexa and Google Home,

Somfy, a giant in motorized shades, acquired 51% of Neocontrol in 2012. The Brazilian home-automation company, founded in 2004, had revenues of BRL 2.3 million ($7.3 million) at the time.

Somfy has been on a smart-home tear lately, acquiring MyFox (home security and surveillance) and OpenWays (Okidokeys connected locks) in 2016, and launching the next generation of its Tahoma home-automation system.

Somfy will have its own booth as well.

Related: Somfy Acquires MyFox and Okidokeys; Launches Three Smart Home Hubs for DIY

Neocontrol from Somfy with Cubee controllers and keypads

Hoppe electronic multipoint lock

Hoppe

Hoppe calls itself the “door and window hardware experts.”

The company, which makes multipoint locks that are super-secure, has designs on the keyless-entry market.

That’s all we know so far. Here’s a case study on a Hoppe installation featuring keyless electronic multipoint locking for a home – “a first-time application for North America,” according to product manager Matt Taylor.

Igloohome

You’re going to see a lot of electronic door locks at CEDIA. Igloohome is one of them. The company has at least one very interesting thing going for it: a keybox lock that is the simplest ever retrofit product for electronic access.

It sits on the door knob — just like the key boxes Realtors use — and it houses the mechanical key to the door. How simple is that?

Ostensibly the product is marketed to rental hosts, but there’s no reason it couldn’t be used for traditional remote access.

Igloohome also has a “traditional” Bluetooth door lock and a mortice-lock version is coming soon.

Nice Group

Nice SpA started life as an access-control company, making automated gates, garage doors and road barriers.

But the company — which operates out of an architecturally stunning building in Oderzo, Italy — has recently made big investments in motorized shades, security and home automation systems

The shading category was picked up by The Nice Group in 2011 with the acquisition of Elero, a large maker of motors and controllers for window treatments. In 2013, Nice acquired Brazilian security and home-automation company Peccinin Portoes for $20 million. Nice furthered its gate-operator business in 2016 with the acquisition of Seattle-based HySecurity, which specializes in commercial/industrial perimeter security, especially anti-terrorist systems. Nice USA has been based in San Antonio, Texas since its 2008 acquisition of the giant Apollo Gate Operators.

Nice SpA (BIT: NICE) had 2016 revenues of about $330 million.

Interestingly, Nice may very well have made a better garage-door system, even though they are not likely to highlight that solution at CEDIA.

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