What can we learn from Philips smart appliance in 2014

1. They use ambient light(connected home) to make our sense complete

2. They made analog interaction and responsive objects, giving both vocal & body language to objects, adding emotion to our daily life

3. Simplicity is achieved when interfaces even objects resolve to a bigger world.

In 2014 I was in a project about smart home. here is some desktop reserch notes in Evernote. I will update it later. The article is about:

1. Desktop research about Philips products, the value they try to made
2. The connection modes of home appliance, their results
3. Get some insights to sync with my team

You may want to jump to Modes and Insights , which isPART 2 & 3

PART 1. Smart products in different areas Entertainment, Personal care & Household, Environment

I highlight the appliance with ‘hardware intelligence’ , which means they have software to change their functions

Entertainment

Entertainment — Smart TV

1. infinite content flow on cloud
2. interaction mechanism to deal with infinite contents: follow, AI, voice, gestures, uWand remote …
3. immersive experience. like detachable speaker & ambilight

Hardware linked: TV, speakers, Hue
Technology: wifi, light sensors, Android

Personal care & Household

Personal Care — Grooming Guide

1. style preview with front camera
2. laser guide

Hardware linked: APP with your device
Technology: AR

Mother & Child Care－Insight Baby Camera

1. Inform parents small movements of their baby, even when light is off
2. Work with Hue, adjust environment to help baby sleep or clam down

Hardware linked: APP, Sensors, Hue
Technology: various sensors of environment and smart vision

Household－Cooker & Coffee Machine

1. save your time. The device will teach you and do some work automatically and remind you when needed
2. For the interface is not fixed, you can try something in a new way

Hardware linked: APP with your device
Technology: Bluetooth, wifi

Environment

Environment－Air Purify

1. you can see the results directly
2. learn & adapt to your environment

Hardware linked: APP with your device
Technology: sensors, wifi

Lighting－Hue Platform

1. customize your environment with hardware & software

Hardware linked: APP with ambilight, TV, speakers, alarmclock…
Technology: Open source ZigBee

PART 2.1 Understand Values

What’s the value of these smart objects? Why should we like them?

The answers are

• easy routine life
• health management of ourselves and family
• more me in entertainment experience ( I’m part of it, or express myself)

PART 2.2 Learn by abstract

To produce these values, what are connected and how?

one control all, for easy life

bad example. It’s not so convient unless we ourselves are the control

hardware－software, for infinite & personal functions

So many examples. Actually hardware becomes software because it can be “called” like a function in a program.

complete environment, for immersive & flexible experience

Good examples from Philips lighting

Alarm + Hue + Speaker

baby sensor + ambient hue projector + camera + phone

public application

connect persons with object

Digital but analog interaction

Responsive objects with body language

Express indirectly, with objects

Connect beyond ourselves, with bigger world. for spiritual experience

Objects resolve to a bigger context, becomes transient and natural

toothbrush self-charges when you put it in the glass

interface only appears when you hold it

lamp resolves to wire

Metronomis LED is the ability to personalize urban lighting installations with a variety of ambient lighting effects

Light Chimes let you see the wind in your garden

PART 3. Summary & Insights

From the desktop research of Philips smart devices ( 2014), we refeeed some user needs

• easy routine life
• health management of ourselves and family
• more me in entertainment experience ( I’m part of it, or express myself)

We learned some design modes

one control all, for easy life

hardware－software, for infinite & personal functions

complete environment, for immersive & flexible experience

connect persons with object

Connect beyond ourselves, with bigger world. for spiritual experience

What I liked in their design

1. They use ambient light(connected home) to make our sense complete

2. They made analog interaction and responsive objects, giving both vocal & body language to objects, adding emotion to our daily life

3. Simplicity is achieved when interfaces even objects resolve to a bigger world.

Thank you for reading, and like to hear any suggestions.