New |Built the largest cloud energy management system in Taiwan and adopted 3 in 1 business model in which open-sourced software, hardware, and services were integrated together.
Impact |The system became the standard equipment of a 2500 household construction project of a domestic construction company. The technology assisted related firms acquire North American retail channel orders and the selling quantity accumulated up to 100 thousand units per year. Daikin Industries, Ltd. conducted the test of cloud energy management service by the system.
Key |Kiss Binding- Simplified matching installation and high anti-disturbance automatic network building technology
Evidence | Acquired Golden Award of 2013 Taipei International Invention Exhibition. Actual users accumulated to 4,126 and collected data amounted up to 1.261 billion records.
Under the trend of energy saving, carbon reduction, and environmental protection, “Green Energy” has been the focus of every country all over the world. How to alter the attitude and habits of all human beings to lower energy consumption has become the goal for people around the globe to pursuit. In 2010, III developed In-Snergy, a smart cloud green energy control system, and, in 2013, created iFamily, a smart household green energy management system which can be applied broadly to the market of household energy management so that household living will be more ecofriendly, energy saving, and environmental protective.
iFamily Integrates Household Electrical Equipment and Solve the Problems of Safety and Energy Saving All in One According to the research reports from Environmental Change Institute of Oxford University, households can save 5%~15% of their electrical expense if they can acquire the usage information of their own. Another statistic report form Ministry of the Interior, ROC indicates that up to 36% of the reasons why these fires break out can be attributed to short circuit of electrical equipment or electric wire sparking. And in Taiwan, the old apartment buildings account for 92% while the percentage of new buildings is less than 10%. How to make old apartment buildings safer and more energy saving has become the motivation to develop the smart household green energy management system-iFamily.
iFamily simplifies complex tasks into easier ones. Developed according to the “Simple to install, Easy to use” principle, the system can instantly be put into use with energy aware plug-ins and extension cords through the household energy management gateway.
The main patented technology of iFamily is the activity recognition of non-invasive circuit devices. While smart plug-ins monitor household electrical equipment, usage data is uploaded to the cloud through the Internet. With the help of internet devices, people can monitor electrical equipment in their houses around the clock so that they can effectively calculate the total amount of electricity usage and make adjustment while using the electrical installations at home. The system can not only trace every electricity usage but will also automatically cut out the electricity and send alert notifications to save energy and improve safety while an abnormal household electricity use situation occurs.
Kiss Binding, a simplified installation matching technology, is the crucial point that users can use iFamily conveniently. Since the high apartment building density in the cities, neighbors live between walls and radio waves are easily disturbed by the signals next door. With the help of the technology, individuals can make internet connections within 30 seconds, purify the signals, and prevent disturbance as long as they push the matching button between energy management gateway and energy aware plug-ins.
Comes the Era of the Cloud, iFamily makes life re-evolved Currently, through smart phones or logging in iFamily website, one can monitor the usage of home electric appliances from distal ends. With the help of flexible setting, the system provides multiple modes for on-off setting such as once, each day, or every week on-off setting in contrast to previous situations that only a few settings were available. Furthermore, the system also provides special settings for certain circumstances. For instance, all electricity can be turned off at night or during the Chinese New Year. Additionally, iFamily will also recommend suitable schedule setting according to the usage information of specific electrical equipment so that people can use electricity in a smarter way. iFamily also integrates with the remote monitor smart phone apps which are now available at Google App Market. Therefore, the system and social network will combine more closely and user stickiness will gradually be improved. Users will also be beneficial from the convenience of the integration.
The related technologies of iFamily have been transferred to domestic enterprises in the hope that these companies can take the lead in the global market of smart household green energy management system. Currently, the countries such as the USA, Netherlands, and Czech Republic etc. are going to implement the system consecutively. In 2013, 2000 households tried out the system in Taiwan and the feedbacks from these participants were extremely well. Related recommendations are as follows: “With overload electricity cut-off design, there is no need to be worried about electric wire sparking.”, “If we set for TV the safe usage limit of electricity, the system will automatically cut it off while the amount exceeds the preset Ampere number so that kids cannot secretly play video games during the night.”, and “By schedule control, people can set the time in advance to turn on or turn off the water dispenser.” What is more, the blind can use the system to turn on the radio and improve the convenience and safety of their lives by adjusting the settings.
In the future, the system will not only integrate various household appliances from illumination and air condition to televisions and washing machines but will also put the idea of integrating remote control cars in to the plan. Under the trend of global green energy development, iFamily will be a necessity for life. With new creative ideas, people will apply the technology innovatively and make their lives safer and more convenient.