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CES 2014: Smart thermostat EverSense shows off ‘Aura’ iBeacons to intelligently adjust room temperature

This week at CES 2014, Allure Energy, makers of a $400 smart thermostat Nest competitor called EverSense, showed off an upcoming add-on to its system that uses Apple’s new Bluetooth LE iBeacon technology. Dubbed “Aura,” the small iBeacons will become an extension to the smart EverSense thermostat by allowing iBeacons to detect iOS devices in proximity and adjust the temperature of a room accordingly. After an initial setup, you’ll be able to adjust the temperature from any room with an Aura iBeacon just by entering the room:

Traditionally thermostats are placed primarily in hallways and other out of the way places. Often the temperature in the hallway is much different than in other rooms of the home. A comfortable temperature in the hallway doesn’t necessarily ensure comfort when cooking in a crowded kitchen or watching the big game with friends in your living room. Aura for EverSense solves this problem.

Apple was the first to roll-out the new Bluetooth low powered iBeacons technology in its retail stores after first announcing the new technology at its developer conference last year. iBeacons, which can be any small Bluetooth enabled device or iOS devices themselves, will allow businesses and developers to send information to iOS devices in proximity of an iBeacon. Apple is using the iBeacons to send in-store notifications as customers walk by certain areas of the store. Other companies like Macy’s, InMarket, and the MLB have rolled out the technology, and CES also hosted a scavenger hunt during the event this week using iBeacons.

The new Aura iBeacon add-on for EverSense, which also builds in an NFC chip for Android devices, should arrive sometime later this year as a separate purchase for owners of the thermostat. A promo video of Aura is below:

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Comments

  1. alphabetize1 - 11 years ago

    Only $400 :)

  2. myke2241 - 11 years ago

    im not too impressed. Most people don’t need their thermostat to play music or show pictures. the price point is too high as well. I think in Nest case pricing is the one thing that slows its growth. its also not too hard for Nest to fill in the gaps

  3. sardonick - 11 years ago

    …and watch your electric bill skyrocket.

  4. rtdunham - 11 years ago

    In my house the only way temps could be regulated in zones would be with the installation of powered baffles in the ductwork, activated by various sensors. The baffles would cost considerably more than this system of I beacons (sensors).

  5. Avi Learner - 11 years ago

    I went to the Indianapolis Apple store to get a amino. While ai was ther ai looked at the MacPro and asked about iBeacon. A store manager could not show me it work, even in an Apple store. Guess it’s mot rady for prime time either.

  6. Nayna (@NaynaPatels) - 11 years ago

    hi, In my house the only way temps could be regulated in zones would be with the installation of powered baffles in the ductwork, activated by various sensors. The baffles would cost considerably more than this system of I beacons (sensors).

  7. markbook68 - 10 years ago

    Great. Better than Honeywell :)

Author

Avatar for Jordan Kahn Jordan Kahn

Jordan writes about all things Apple as Senior Editor of 9to5Mac, & contributes to 9to5Google, 9to5Toys, & Electrek.co. He also co-authors 9to5Mac’s Logic Pros series.


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