What’s Smarter about the 2020 SMART Home
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By Versatek.com
Versa PoE Devices Case Study | Smart Power Shades
As homeowners and building managers move further into the Internet of Things (IoT), they are experiencing an unprecedented cadence in new PoE device connection. The role of Power over Ethernet (PoE) for device integration is expanding in everyday work and home life, making it easier to provide comfort and convenience in new and exciting ways. One device that is making surprising headway thanks to a Missouri based company is the PowerShade.
People are turning to devices like PoE powershades because they solve day-to-day problems with digital “tools.” For people with large numbers of windows to manage or mobility issues, these solutions are ideal. In a White Paper done by Amazon Web Services on The Core Tenets of IoT, the authors point to four main pillars that cross the spectrum of successful IoT deployments.
- Agility
- Scale
- Cost
- Security
Agility points to the ability to quickly analyze and execute a solution. Because powershades are in PoE format, they only require one cable for both power and data.
Scale points to expandability. The PoE aspects of powershade make them a plug and play deployment. You can literally daisy chain these low-power window systems throughout a room and facility, provided your original power source has enough juice.
You can also easily add more shade systems in other rooms with the same ease. In terms of cost, powershades were designed with affordability in mind. One of the initiatives with the powershades project was to remove barriers by making their systems cost effective to buy and implement.
And finally, powershades are as secure as the smart network to which they are attached without adding any vulnerabilities.
With all of this in mind, let’s take a closer look at the actual powershades solution.
What Is A PoE Powershade?
A Powershade, introduced at the CEDIA Expo in Denver on September 12-14, is the industry’s first automated window shade for residential, commercial and hospitality applications in Power Over Ethernet (PoE) format. Winner of the 2019 IoT Integration Award, Powershades state-of-the-art intelligent motorized shades are part of this new generation of PoE device home automation. The Powershade is a stylish, time-saving and environmentally friendly solution.
The developer, also named Powershades, has designed their easy to install window coverings for residential, commercial and hospitality applications. These systems integrate easily into existing networks, making the process simple for people who are not professional IT technicians to operate and maintain. In essence, Powershades has created a shade the uses high tech PoE that most low tech people can afford and deploy.
Powershade systems come in a wide variety of operating methods, other than PoE, to conveniently suit a broad range of customer deployment scenarios across a facility or campus.
The quiet PoE smartshade system requires Cat5e (or higher) ethernet cable to enable control and power, while eliminating the hassle and environmental impact of batteries or “ugly” wall art to disguise power cords. There’s no electrical hardwiring required, so a homeowner or building manager can handle the installation without the expense of hiring a licensed electrician.
With power transfer coming from a single central source, and information transfer on the network cable, powershades can also be deployed using an RF format that is more reliable the traditional RF technology. Additional sensors may be added to the motor to allow for capacity expansion as the needs of the customer change over time.
In terms of smart home operation, powershades integrate into home networks and may be timed to raise and lower according to the current angles of the sun. This feature allows end-users the ability to leverage passive heating and cooling capabilities to augment the output of HVAC units while saving power and sustainably impacting internal air temperatures.
The People Behind The PoE Powershade
Longtime friends and colleagues Jason Turner and Ryan Chacon founded the Powershades company. They bring a combined 50 years of product development and innovation experience in furniture automation to the Missouri-based company. They believe technology should enhance daily life, not complicate it. And true-to-form, they’ve priced Powershades to make it accessible to everyone while offering a wide range of color options, light-blocking levels and other custom design features to suit the design aesthetic of the consumer’s space.
“PoE technology is a proven method for delivering fast, convenient power to other smart home and smart building PoE devices, including secure access points, VoIP phones, IP cameras and display screens among an ever-expanding array of automated devices,” said Jason Turner, Powershades president. “We feel our customized, easy-to-operate, automated window treatments are a natural fit for customers seeking the simplicity and convenience provided by PoE technology.”
Powershades may be accessed over the cloud on a smartphone, tablet or PC control from anywhere in the world. This digital access allows IT administrators the ability to group, schedules and monitor across multiple facilities.
Features include:
- Favorites settings for quick default operation
- Soft start and stop
- Intuitive settings and limits
- Low voltage sustainability of ethernet technology
- Easy integration with existing networks
Customers may add a PoE motor to any Powershades products. Those with existing installations can convert their current system to PoE device while adding to their smart home or building network capabilities.
All window shades are customized, allowing customers to pick from a wide variety of fabrics, power options and styles, including roller, pleated, and honeycomb shades, horizontal blinds, and more.
Powershade PoE Device Compatibility
Powershades’ PoE automated shades are compatible with a broad range of the top home and industrial automation systems.
- Amazon Alexa
- RTI
- Google Home
- SmartThings
- Crestron
- ELAN
- Control4
- URC
Powershades’ PoE automated shades are custom designed and built to meet customer needs and specifications.
The Powershade Is Foreshadowing Future PoE Device Innovation
As we move into the golden year of 2020, one that has been predicted by analysts to be a pivotal massing of billions of devices, it’s comforting to see how less like an HG Wells novel and more like The Waltons this revolution has become. As it turns out, the IoT is more about comfort than anything.
What could be more comforting than walking into a light-filled room in the heat of summer and being able to back off the strain on your AC by lowering the shades with a remote control? Or into the same room in the dead of winter and raising the shades to allow the sun to warm things up and save on your heating bill? Powershades in PoE format are making this vision into a reality for many and at a price point that’s doable.
If you’re planning to add a powershades system and need a little help designing your switch setup, be sure to reach out. Our analysts are happy to help you choose the right solution for your deployment.