Manufacturers of smart home technology have a tough job.
Not only do they need to design their products to perform reliably and provide good profit margins for home systems — they also need to ensure that these products support the latest technologies and accommodate a wide variety of connectivity options.
Whether it’s boasting the newest version of Bluetooth, the most recent iteration of Wi-Fi, or the ability to integrate easily with a variety of up-and-coming home control apps, technologies, and systems, it can prove difficult to keep pace.
It’s really a timing issue.
The second the design of a product or system has been finalized, a new technology comes along that could potentially compromise its effectiveness as a smart home solution.
Home systems integrators deal with this issue, as well, as they strive to integrate disparate components into a unified control system, link these components and systems to the internet for remote access and cloud-based access, and develop the glitch-free, end-to-end IoT solutions that tech-savvy consumers are demanding today.
Digital Duct Tape
Sometimes even the best thought out and designed smart home systems lack the appropriate inputs, outputs, and embedded technology to foster seamless integration and robust connectivity capabilities. And that’s where Global Caché comes in.
Referred to by company vice president of business development Robin Ford as the “digital duct tape of the home systems industry,” the description couldn’t be more accurate.
Global Caché’s product portfolio is immense and created with the sole purpose of offering home systems integrators affordable, effective solutions for seamless connectivity of any combination of technologies, components, or systems.
Global Caché hardware connects any IR, serial, contact closure, and sensor input device to a Wi-Fi and/or IP network so it can be controlled, automated, and maintained by network-based software.
Money-Saving Solutions
“Not only do Global Caché’s products foster easy integration, they give home systems integrators a way to add more inputs and outputs for contact closures, IR, RS-232, IoT compatibility without having to buy additional smart home controllers,” says Ford. “A system instantly becomes scalable and at a fraction of the cost of building out a system with expensive processors. For big jobs, we can help integrators save a home systems integrator tens of thousands of dollars.”
Dozens of manufacturers of home automation systems, including Control 4, Simple Control, Clare Controls, Enado, and AVGUI, have embraced Global Caché as a means of making their systems more robust and full featured.
“The integration of Global Caché products gives our dealers more flexibility and reliability so they can control more devise over longer distances,” says Clare Controls product manager Jaime Jeffreys. “Global Cache products are a quality enhancement to our systems, and we wholeheartedly recommend them to our channel.”
Making Dumb Products Smart; IoT and IFFT Ready
Global Cache’s products are equally as effective at enhancing the consumer benefits of a home control system by transforming “dumb” products into smart ones—without extensive re-engineering of products.
For example, a client’s existing garage door opener can connect to Wi-Fi via Global Cache’s Flex WiFi device and a Flex Link Relay & Sensor cable. Likewise for room air conditioners, ceiling fans, or any other product that lacks Internet connectivity.
It’s a lot easier and economical to add one of our Flex or iTach devices than having to swap out a dumb appliance for a new one.
It’s a win-win situation: Home systems installers save installation time, homeowners save money on labor and expensive new equipment, and manufacturers avoid the expensive of having to re-engineer or create new products.
“In essence, we have become the Internet of Things,” says Global Caché marketing director Rusty Keller. “Home systems integrators can apply our technology to any job and instantly make it part of an IoT infrastructure.”
Rolling with the Changes: Leveraging Voice Control
Thanks to Global Caché, manufacturers and home systems integrators have been relieved of the some of the burden of engineering their own connectivity and integration solutions. And the company strives to continue to provide this type of support as the home systems industry continues to evolve.
On the radar at Global Caché currently is voice control.
“It’s a real game changer, and offers exciting potential for us,” says Keller.
As voice control features continues to be added to smart home product and systems, Global Caché stands to only enhance the capability by extending voice control throughout a home’s entire smart home ecosystem.
“We will continue to evolve with the industry, and voice control is one way we intend to do this,” Keller says.
If you enjoyed this article and want to receive more valuable industry content like this, click here to sign up for our digital newsletters!