The Somfy Scene Launcher can be used to create personalized scenes that can lower shades, trigger music, and turn on colored lighting. Recently, Somfy announced its first native Zigbee 3.0 bi-directional range of connected solutions for shades and curtains. Based upon its building IoT cloud platform, the new range includes the TaHoma gateway hub with embedded RTS and Zigbee 3.0 radio connectivity. A corresponding local controller, an automation app, and a full set of motors for shades and curtains are also included.
“Connected shades and curtains make it seamless for consumers to maximize comfort and well-being at home,” says Alex Keichinger, connected solutions business development manager of Somfy North America.
“For a more natural wake-up, for example, slowly-opening shades to gradually let daylight in paired with smart-plug lighting that gently increases brightness can be designated to occur at 7:00 AM every morning. And that’s only one of the advanced functions available with this new motor range!”
TaHoma App Adds Alexa, IFTTT, HomeKit Support
The TaHoma app monitors visual comfort, privacy, presence simulation and thermal comfort 24/7, while improving energy efficiency. Scenes can be created for a more comfortable experience, incorporating lighting and music elements.
All types of interior window coverings can be motorized: roller shades, pleated and cellular shades, roman shades, Venetian blinds, sheer horizontal shades, layered shades and curtains. Somfy motors now offer the ability to know the exact position of your shades anytime, anywhere, thanks to the bi-directional Zigbee 3.0 radio protocol.
Connectivity of those motors is brought by the TaHoma radio gateway enabling not only connectivity with the new range of Zigbee 3.0 motors, but also all existing Radio Technology Somfy (RTS) motors.
The gateway itself connects to the same cloud-based platform as the one that has powered Somfy connected solutions in Europe for more than seven years.
Users will be able to control connected shades and curtains via an included scene launcher remote control device that is independent from the TaHoma app. With this device, users can control window coverings and partnered devices, dictate scenes, program up to five channels and personalize the remote for easy identification of channels and scenes.
Related: Somfy myLink Provides Voice Control and Expanded Integration
Create a personalized scene to capture a favorite home ambiance and launch from your smartphone or a local scene launcher. If planning a get-together, users can create a party scene that lowers the shades, plays a party playlist and triggers colored lighting. Or if it is movie night, launch the movie scene to dim the lighting, turn on the television and lower the shades and draperies.
According to Somfy, the shades and curtains are always connected and can be controlled at any time from anywhere. At any moment, the exact position of interior window coverings can be visualized on the TaHoma app.
If a homeowner leaving for the weekend, trigger a scene that lowers the shades and turns lights off. Not sure the shades have actually lowered? Check its exact position in the TaHoma app.
The TaHoma platform is also interoperable with other eco-systems, including Amazon Alexa, IFTTT, Apple HomeKit, as well as third-party devices, such as Philips Hue or Sonos (depending on each individual market for launch dates).
At launch, Amazon Echo+ will be supported with plans to expand to other home automation platforms like Samsung Smartthings.
The Set & Go app provides step-by-step setup programming instructions and includes a copy/paste function for programming multiple shades.
The new offer will be available in the North American market in the second quarter of 2019.
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