Smart home tech? It’s been booming like crazy over the last decade. Remember when Amazon Alexa and Apple HomeKit hit the scene in 2014, and then Google Home popped up in 2016? Since then, everyone’s been jumping on the smart hub bandwagon. As of 2023, in the USA alone, we’re talking about 60.4 million households with smart devices. That’s nearly half of all American homes! And guess what? By 2030, it looks like almost everyone’s going to have some cool smart home gadgets.
Now, we all love our smart thermostats, cameras, and lights, right? And being able to boss them around with voice commands is just the cherry on top. But here’s the thing – there’s this underdog in the smart device world that’s about to have its moment: smart shades.
So, back before 2017, getting your hands on smart shades (yep, those are motorized shades that listen to your voice commands) was pretty much a dream for most of us. They were super expensive because they had to be custom made and you usually had to ditch your old shades for the new ones. But guess what? That’s not the case anymore! Thanks to RYSE SmartShades, you can now make your existing shades smart. Just hook them up to the RYSE SmartBridge, and voila, you’ve got yourself some voice-controlled shades that work with Alexa, Google Home, or HomeKit. How cool is that?
How to get started:
In order to connect your existing shades to your Alexa, HomeKit, or Google Home, follow these steps:
- Check your shade’s compatibility with RYSE SmartShades. If your shades are controlled by a looped, beaded chain and under 10lbs (or 9’x9’), RYSE SmartShades will work for you!
- Go to helloryse.com, and purchase one SmartShade for each shade you would like connected to your smart hub, and one SmartBridge. The RYSE SmartBridge will act as the “brain” of your smart setup, and enable you to connect up to 10 SmartShades to your smart hub.
- Install RYSE SmartShades on your shades, then pair them to the RYSE app using the SmartBridge. If you would like more information on installation and pairing, please visit our support centre at support.helloryse.com
- Pair your SmartBridge with your Alexa, Google Home, or HomeKit hub. Follow the instructions for each platform here:
- Use voice control to effortlessly command your shades!
Additional smart hub features
All three hubs mentioned lets you use easy voice commands, like saying “Alexa, open Bedroom Shade.” But guess what? Some smart hubs go even further with voice control, adding some cool extra features!
Custom Triggers (Alexa, Google Home)
Just like Google Home’s “automations,” Alexa’s “routines” are a game-changer, but they pack a lot more punch than just scheduling stuff. With these, you can whip up an automation that kicks off with your own custom voice command and hooks up to a bunch of your smart home gadgets. Imagine saying “Alexa, movie night,” and bam! Your shades go down, your smart TV flicks on, your smart lights dim, and an epic opening theme starts playing—all at once! It’s a super cool way to get creative and really make your smart home do some nifty tricks.
Precise Percentage Control (Alexa, Google Home, HomeKit)
With RYSE-compatible hubs, you get to tell your shades exactly where to go, down to the percentage. Pretty handy for kicking glare out of your office without messing up your groove. Plus, you get a kind of precision that just isn’t possible with old-school manual shade controls.
Group Control (Alexa, HomeKit)
Did you know that in the 21st century, we’re living more comfortably than the kings and queens of previous centuries? Imagine this – we’ve got unlimited black pepper and all the purple fabric dye we could want. But wait, it gets even cooler. Ever wanted to feel like you’re casting a magic spell? Thanks to Alexa and HomeKit, you can! Just by using your voice, you can control groups of devices in your home. Picture saying, “Siri, open Queen’s Chamber shades,” and watching up to 10 shades rise simultaneously. It’s like having touchless magic at your command, something even Merlin would be jealous of!
The future of voice assistants + smart shades
Over the past ten years, we’ve seen some amazing home automation features pop up, and let me tell you, voice control is definitely one of the coolest. But guess what? The smart home game is just getting started. We’re talking about even more voice control features coming our way in the next decade. It’s going to be epic!
Conversational commands
Experts say that by mixing in large language models with smart hubs, our commands can sound way more natural. They think that soon, smart home buffs will just chat with their hubs like they’re old friends, and the hubs will get it. Plus, this cool update could make texting or messaging folks without even looking at a screen super easy and reliable.
Flexible smart shading retrofit options
As of now, RYSE SmartShades can make any shade with a looped, beaded chain (as long as it’s under 10lbs) move on its own. But guess what? RYSE isn’t stopping there. They’ve just spilled the beans on the RYSE SmartCurtain, and we could see it hitting the shelves by 2024. In the next couple of years, we’re definitely going to see even more options for smart window treatments, like tilt-controlled or cordless shades. Exciting times ahead!
Widespread adoption in healthcare and disability services
Most blinds in hospitals and care centers are still old-school, you have to pull them up and down by hand. That’s a real pain, especially if you’re dealing with an injury or illness. Plus, it eats up the precious time of the folks who are there to help. Losing control over simple things because of an injury can really get you down, but imagine just using voice commands to adjust the light in your room. That’d be a game-changer, right? We’re really hoping to see more places switch to smart shading soon. The perks for both patients and medical staff are just too good to pass up.
Final thoughts
Voice control plus smart shading? Total game-changer. Imagine being able to control every bit of your home without lifting a finger – that’s the kind of affordable luxury we’ve all been dreaming about. Like Arthur C. Clarke said, “any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic”. And guess what? Pairing voice assistants with smart home tech brings that magic right into our living rooms.
Ready to dive into the world of smart shades? Check out helloryse.com.
