August 27th, 2018 – During the upcoming IFA event in Berlin, FIBARO will present a solution that can turn almost any electronic appliance into an intuitive, wirelessly operated smart device. IFA participants will have the opportunity to visit FIBARO’s stand and get a first-hand look at how the Smart Implant brings old appliances to life.
The latest FIBARO product is the only solution of its kind on the market. The Smart Implant is a device that allows professionals and DIY enthusiasts to expand their smart home ecosystem to include old appliances. By integrating this small device (flash drive-sized) with a home alarm system or other household electronics such as electronic blinds, windows, or furnaces; users can achieve the smart effect without having to bear the costs of replacing or purchasing new smart appliances. FIBARO’s Smart Implant is the answer to the needs of customers who want to make their homes more modern, but do not necessarily want to change the way they look or throw out older but still well-functioning devices.
The Smart Implant – bringing new life to old devices
Thanks to the FIBARO Smart Implant, household devices such as a record player, projector, amplifier or VCR can now become “smart”. A single Smart Implant module can serve as two physical buttons in older devices. To achieve this, a user needs to disassemble a device and connect the Smart Implant directly to the respective buttons (or functions) they wish to control. One device can hold multiple Smart Implant modules (to control several different functions on one device), and these will remain neutral with respect to each other. Thanks to the Smart Implant, users will now be able to manage and use features such as turning a device on or off, changing the volume or operating modules, or turning specific features on or off through just a few taps on their FIBARO app. By installing this module, users can, for example, turn outdated audio devices into modern music systems that still have that fashionable, old-school design.
Modules that will make your home smart
Smart Implant, which will debut during IFA 2018, is a solution aimed both at do-it-yourself enthusiasts and professionals that install Smart Home systems. The device’s main purpose is to facilitate wireless management of cable-based systems, which basically means adding devices that originally did not have such features to a Smart Home ecosystem. Installing Smart Implant will allow users to, for example, manage their home alarm systems, electronic furnaces, or get a reading from a humidity sensor through the Fibaro app on their smartphones. The module is also great with vehicles – it can, for example, be connected to a car’s long beam lights to allow users to open their garage door without having to search for and use their garage remote.
A small device that brings about big changes
Smart Implant is a modern version of an innovative device introduced by FIBARO back in 2012. The initial version, called UBS (Universal Binary Sensor), was dedicated to professionals who would use it for specific purposes.
Responding to our customers’ needs and following currently popular trends for vintage design, we decided to further develop our UBS concept. That’s how the Smart Implant was born. We want to provide solutions that can integrate not only modern devices into a Smart Home ecosystem, but also those that hold sentimental value, or ones we love for their ‘old-school’ design.
says Krzysztof Banasiak, FIBAR Group S.A. Board Member.
Smart Implant has its own measures that prevent faulty installation and is easy to install, so do-it-yourself and electronics enthusiasts can try their hand at making their own smart home modifications. The device’s modules can be updated wirelessly. The Smart Implant lets users integrate home appliances such as older alarm systems with their Smart Home ecosystem, as well as devices that hold sentimental value to them. It’s the easiest way to, for example, integrate your favorite vinyl record player with your FIBARO Smart Home system.
Smart Implant has 2 inputs operating in either a binary or a 0-10V mode, and 1 digital input which can be connected to a maximum of 6 temperature sensors (DS18B20), or a temperature and humidity sensor (DHT-22). Once connected to 2 external buttons, the device can send up to 12 different control instructions.
Price and availability
Smart Implant, which will debut in Berlin, will be available at a suggested retail price of around PLN 179* gross. Release dates for particular markets will be announced soon.
*This price is subject to change.