SmartBug is a sleek and unintrusive device that hides inside your in-wall socket –  but it turns your entire home into a live smart environment. Thanks to its collective “swarm intelligence”, SmartBug lets you design a smart home that fits in with your lifestyle.

SmartBug is a single device, but it is also a collection of devices that can automate complex and engaging scenarios. With a set of SmartBugs, you can regulate the temperature, operate your AC, create an alarm system, monitor your power usage and much more. Its artificial intelligence learns from your behaviors and discreetly supports you as you go about your day.

Touch, double touch, long press, it’s a single product that can perform many actions, which can be implemented in a matter of minutes.

Each SmartBug device is equipped with many sensors that can measure temperature, humidity, listen to sounds, accurately measure power usage. It is also provided with a multi-radio wireless mesh (internode), WiFi (for Internet connection), and BT low energy (to be extended with additional devices).

There are many reasons to consider SmartBug as a revolutionary solution, better than anything on the market. The following chart illustrates just the basic functionalities:

SmartBug is the product of a group of electronic and computer engineers who wanted to create the definitive solution in home automation: a scalable and enabling wall switch that – without the need of a hub – can unlock all the potential of a smart home in a traditional environment.

It was 2017 and by interpreting the trends identified by GFK and anticipating the technology behind Home Automation we followed the intuition that in a short period there was going to be the need for a new standard. That’s when we started to rethink the intelligent devices in terms of interaction with the users rather than in terms of available technology: after a few months of work, we created an initial version of the system, which presented all the main characteristics that we offer today.  An elegant, flexible, intuitive product that can turn your home into an intelligent environment.

SmartBug is equipped with a 32bit dual-core microcontroller, a soft-defined triple standard radio interface (WiFi, wireless mesh, Bluetooth LE), temperature/humidity sensors, a digital microphone, high efficiency LED, an IR (infrared) LED (for remote control emulation), one buzzer, a power meter (real-time current, voltage, and power measurement), one touch-sensitive input. A/C power 85V – 260V AC 50-60Hz (worldwide compatible). Supports power loads up to 2200W, both AC and DC. 

Every single SmartBug is equipped with the above mentioned hardware specs. All these features are what can truly automate the homes and we wanted to create a product that could have them all integrated.  

But let’s move one step at a time and discover what are all these features for.

•  Audio Recognition – Thanks to the digital microphone, each SmartBug can recognize voices, commands and cries for help. Worried about your privacy? This feature will only work if you download the corresponding plugin.
•  Bluetooth – To allow a good connection with wireless devices and appliances around the house we equipped SmartBug with a Bluetooth 4.0 (BT) and Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE).
•  Humidity sensor – The humidity sensor is a true life changer, because it can accurately measure the humidity levels in every room where there is a SmartBug installed. Surely, your body will thank you for this.
•  Temperature sensor – The temperature sensor inside SmartBug allows users to monitor and control the temperature in every room in which there is a device installed. 
•  IR control – Want to pilot or control an older generation device? With SmartBug’s IR transmitter your smartphone can become the remote control for all those devices and appliances that have an IR receiver.
•  Touch Sensor – It’s all about the touch! Everything looks so elegant and modern with touch control! This is why SmartBug has a touch sensor. 
•  Buzzer – So, we said that SmartBug can’t talk to you unless you pair it with a smart speaker (with bluetooth for instance) that gives it a voice but this doesn’t mean it cannot communicate. As a matter of fact it’s quite the opposite: the device can communicate through the built-in buzzer and lights. 
•  RGB LED – Just like the buzzer, the RGB Led can be used to allow the communications between user and device. The lights can signal various conditions and you can choose the color and its corresponding meaning. 
•  On-Off Relay – The on-off relay is what really controls your lights, washing machine, irrigation system, oven, etc. 
•  Multimeter – To find out and monitor how much voltage a certain device or appliance is consuming, we equipped SmartBug with a multimeter to exactly inform the user of the state of these devices. 
•  Wireless mesh – What happens when a smart device loses pair with the access point? It usually stops working until someone notices! Not with SmartBug though: thanks to its mesh network, all devices can create a network enabling one another without a signal repeater thus not adding extra worries to the users. 

Wall boxes are different within a country so imagine around the world… SmartBug fits in every wall box around the globe without the need to integrate pieces to make it fit and has the smallest footprint in the market!

It disappears inside the wall, replacing your existing switch and enabling touch control.  

There is no need for Gateways. Each SmartBug node can act as a gateway, thanks to a self-configuring wireless mesh network (internode), WiFi (access point to connect to the internet), and BT (to extend with additional devices: external sensors, audio speakers, etc.).

Also, Alexa and Google Home can be enabled: both with physical devices or through the Cloud. It can add unlimited intelligent capabilities to any existing device in your home and of any generation (e.g. washing machine, dishwasher, heater, boiler, TV, AC, etc). SmartBug can interact with just about anything with an on/off switch or remote control.

Whether you live alone or have a large family, the goal of making the most out of your home is a common one. We all know that the perfect smart home isn’t only the one that listens to you and accomplishes all the tasks correctly.

Whatever is the way you live your life, your house should always match it, and with SmartBug it will! 

Want an easier life? SmartBug is right by your side!

You can create your own personalized scenarios: turn all your lights off or deactivate your appliances with one single touch. Keep your power usage under close attention through the app or check on your older generation devices and make them smart!

Protect your home and family.

How many times have you asked yourself, have I closed all my windows? By adding an additional sensor, you can take a quick look at our app and make sure that everything is okay.

Furthermore, the new SmartBug will also be able to notify you when your child is crying or if any relative is in need of your support.

Do you have any pets? Keep track of their location around the house by adding a BLE Beacon to their collar. This device was also thought for YOU!

Keep everything under control. 

Set the perfect temperature for when you return home or schedule your devices so they turn on in the timeframes that also make you save on the bills.

Humidity and temperature sensors will always be active to monitor the environments where you spend most of your time. 

The best for the environment. 

Your new SmartBug is green too! Check your power usage, the energy performances of your entire household, and save on your power bills!

The control of your power loads will also allow you to avoid triggering the circuit breaker!

Important thing to mention is the fact that SmartBug is an open platform. The idea of making the technology behind SmartBug an open platform for developers was to give the device maximum flexibility. Therefore, if the app doesn’t have a particular plugin that the user needs and the user is or knows a developer, they can improve the possibilities unleashed by the device by creating the plugin wanted.

Each new plugin that is made available adds functionality to the system with a mechanism typical of open innovation. By doing so, these third party developers can also make an earning with the sales of the smart plugins they’ve created!

Users will be able to control all their devices and appliances with their smartphones by downloading the app controller. See this as a sort of marketplace or app store: through this app, users will download the smart plugins they’re interested in for their homes (for instance, you may want to control your power usage but not your blinds). These smart plugins will not be stored in the cloud but in the device itself.

But why are plugins so important to us (and to you)?

Plugins are what gives SmartBug endless possibilities and – since it’s an open platform – enable third party developers to create abilities which extend the application. This will truly make the device limitless and will easily support new features that can automate your entire household.

Once the device is configured through the app and you have downloaded all the plugins of your interest, SmartBug will work anywhere, even without the need of a good WiFi connection or the smartphone.

NO SMARTPHONE REQUIRED, or at least, you’ll only need the smartphone to configure the device and download the plugins you’re interested in and then you can just forget about it. That’s right, because SmartBug stores the plugins in its own memory therefore without the need of the Cloud and will recognize your gestures easily, subsequently activating what you want.

Let’s get into closer detail of these smart plugins. To explore them, we divided them into 4 categories:

Lifestyle plugins

Which includes all the smart plugins to enable your home to match your lifestyle in all its wonderful details. It includes:

•  Smart speakers management: Thanks to this plugin you can pair SmartBug with today’s major virtual assistants and give the device a voice*.
•  Blinds Control: With this plugin, you’ll be able to easily control your blinds*.
•  Curtain control: With this plugin, you’ll be able to easily control your curtains*.
•  Venetian blinds and transom windows control: With this plugin, you’ll be able to easily control your Venetian blinds and transom windows*.
•  AC management: This plugin allows you to control your AC without stressing.
•  Smart TV control: Turns your regular TV into a smart one, all you’ll need is that your TV is equipped with an IR receiver. 
•  HiFi control: This plugin enables you to control your older stereo, amplifier, CD player, and turntables. Don’t throw away that piece of history, make it smart!
•  Light scenarios: Thanks to this plugin, you’ll be able to create and program light scenarios. This will make sure that your lights are ready for any event!
•  Weather station: A web plugin that allows SmartBug to look up the weather online and adjust your home to the environmental conditions.
•  Twilight management: This is a web plugin that connects to the ephemeris web sites and according to the sun rise and sunset will turn the lights on or off automatically.

Aided living plugins

Is the name of the group that includes all those plugins that help you make a safer home. It includes:

•  Doors and windows’ control: With this plugin you can kiss goodbye to the paranoia of leaving your windows and door open when you rush out of your home. 
•  Household monitoring: This plugin will help you monitor the overall conditions of your home like checking for faulty appliances. 
•  Children safety: Thanks to this plugin, SmartBug can recognize any cry or help needed from a child and immediately notify you. 
•  Seniors: By using a compatible hardware such as a smart wristband or a smart watch, this plugin will notify you in the event of someone falling and is unable to get back up*. 
•  Frail aid: In the absence of a caregiver, this plugin will warn you if the patient is in an uncomfortable situation. 
•  Pets’ safety: Learn the exact location of your pet while you’re not home*. 

Efficiency plugins

includes all the plugins that allow you to realize complex control actions and the correct functioning of the system:

•  Light control: Efficiently control your lights. You can schedule or set a timer for the on/off.
•  Thermostat: This plugin turns your old thermostat into a smart one so you can control the temperature in every room where a SmartBug is installed.
•  Plug control: Control all the devices that are connected to a plug from the SmartBug that controls it.
•  Appliance start control: Remotely start or turn off your appliances even when they’re not smart.
•  Outdoor opening: Remotely open your doors and gates.
•  Presence detector: With this plugin, the device can alert you of any suspicious movement around your home.
•  Humidity control: Thanks to this plugin, you can monitor and control the humidity levels inside a room where a SmartBug is installed.
•  Temperature control: With this sensor, you can monitor and control the temperature inside a room where a SmartBug is installed.
•  Alert device (alarms and buzzers): In the event that SmartBug needs to notify you, it can do it through well audible alerts.

Sustainability plugins

Can count on all those plugins that can help you go towards a more green direction, which is also convenient for your pockets. It includes:

•  Control management costs: Manage your bills in a fast and seamless way.
•  Reducing energy consumption: Manage the energy you produce and save money.
•  Managing electrical loads: Avoid system overload by defining the priorities with which to activate the appliances and avoid triggering the circuit breaker.
•  System diagnostics: This plugin runs diagnostics on your system’s operations.
•  Air quality indicators: Easily monitor the air quality in a specific room thanks to this indicator. If the air quality is poor, SmartBug will alert you.
•  Energy performance in a building: Monitor the energy performance in a building and make sure there is no faulty wire with this plugin.  

All devices inside SmartBug’s ecosystem can interact with one another, coordinating an infinite number of actions: this makes SmartBug a game changer for the home automation systems, and this infinite extensibility make it an enabling platform for smart homes and it’s key for its success.

When intelligent devices can work together, everyone’s a winner. SmartBug is an enabling technology that – from a functional point of view – brings more comfort, security, and energy efficiency to the user.

It’s a smart ecosystem that changes the standard of home automation innovation and within the boundary of its reach, you can add all your existing devices (old and new). A user-friendly infrastructure that physically replaces in-wall home switches and preserves existing user’s habits (e.g. turn lights on/off), but adds unlimited intelligent capabilities to every appliance in the house. 

In a highly competitive context (as the one we are going through right now), it was essential to adopt a correct system for calculating the price of the product, in order to present the right price on the market. The price with which SmartBug will be launched is 49.90 € for each device that will be offered in packs of 3, 5, and 10 pieces.

“Value-based pricing” is usually the most difficult to set; this pricing strategy attempts to estimate the determined “value” of a service based on the buyer’s point of view and, therefore, its perceived value.

SmartBug has a native function but, according to the logic of shared intelligence, it can be appreciated more with massive use inside the home, configuring itself as an enabling technology. The marketing of this product must encourage and try to bring in as many installations (creatively and technologically achievable) as possible. This way the subsequent use of all the Smart Plugins will be favored, which will allow a more intensive and integrated use of the product.

 In addition to the SmartBugs to be installed inside the home walls, we have also developed the inline on/off switch. You can easily attach it via the double-sided tape or with the magnets to a metal wall or appliance.