Noutăți și sfaturi din lumea caselor inteligente
Beside the main features, VIKI integrates some smaller ones, but with equally important benefits to our comfort.
And because for many families the kitchen is the center of the house and the place where we spend the most enjoyable moments, we cannot overlook the benefits of an automation system in this space.
Continue reading “How smart is your life?” »
In a recent article we were mentioning the fact that although the installation of a home automation system it may seem a complex process, in fact it requires an activity of one or two days and a few minor adjustments.
But what are the components that make a smart home functional?
The first to be mentioned is the home server that orchestrate the communication between all electronic 
devices controling lighting, heating, or multimedia, by using VIKI’ s intelligence.
This “brain” of the house is called VIKI Central Unit.
To intelligently control the heating we recommend a kit consisting of a LCD radiator thermostat and an actuator for the central heating system,
and for the hot summer days when we need to remotely start the air conditioning , it will be possible via the dedicated Z-Wave controller.
In addition to the classic motion detection function the multi sensors measure the ambient temperature and the light intensity, all this information being then forwarded to the home server which will implement actions according to our previous settings.
In what concernes our home security, the sensors that have been mounted on the doors and windows will alert us if we forget them opened when we live home,
or when we prepare for sleep. Also a security alert, the flood sensor is particularly useful for our peace of mind when we leave home for longer period.
Smoke sensors, actuators for switches and other electronic devices which can be controlled via VIKI functionalities are available on http://vikiknows.com/tested_equipment.php.
We are all fascinated by technology, but this fascination goes often to the point to which we understand how things work and learn how to use it without too much hassles, and most of the times even without touching the user’s guide.
We often get asked whether VIKI the home automation system requires major changes in the configuration of the house, or if after installation will require periodic intervention from a specialist. The answer is in both cases negative.
Installing a home intelligent automation system
Whether it’s about a house under construction or a flat already compleatly furnished the installation is as simple because it does not require dedicated wiring. Depending on the configuration chosen there will be sensors that record motion, lighting, heat and humidity, and all the electrical switches and devices will be upgraded so as to communicate with the house server.
Each device in the installation kit is configured with VIKI intelligence by our technical staff, before being sent to the user’s house, according to its specifications and preferences. Installation can be done by a electrician or home security systems specialist.
Configuring the Home automation system
Certainly a home automation solution involves some changes in the daily routine of the users. Once the system is installed in your home will learn all the family members related habits regarding lights, climate and multimedia devices and know when is the right time to put them into action. Of course there is no need to quit operating the light’s swithers or the remote controlers, they will operate as before, only that now you have VIKI’s predictive intelligence .
But what happens when your routine changes completely or if there will be another member in the familly ? Will you need to turn to a specialist for reconfiguration? Of course no, because VIKI is an adaptable system that reconfigures alone with the changes they register is user’s habits.
Even if apparently installing an home automation system seems a complex process, once you established the configuration and desired facilities, integrating the system in your home is a process of maximum two days with results that are going to surprise you.
Another VIKI functionality that brings together energy savings and confort is the lighting control.
Lights forgotten on are no longer a problem, and the right intensity adjustments depending on outside light is from now on VIKI’s task.
With smartphone or tablet, classical or touch Vitrum switches we present you a brief demonstration of lighting control function.
Moreover, you can even see how you can easily adapt the classical wall switches to operate smart under the command of VIKI.
One of the main facilities of a home automation solution is the security of the home, and when it comes to safety one thing we must pay special attention is the house acces.
Lost or misplaced keys, the front door forgotten opened or facilitating access to the house for someone when you’re not nearby are situations that we all have been into, and for which VIKI is the solution.
With the Access Control feature you can open or close the door with a simple click on your iOS or Android smartphone and also you can view the status of the doors and windows even from hundreds of kilometers away.
How easy is to operate it you can see in the footage below where we used for demonstration a YDM 3168 (Yale) lock from ASSA ABLOY. (romanian language only)
If until now we have talked about the ways in which VIKI can improve our lifestyle and the time we spend at home, you should know that we are implementing a solution even for those who travel a lot. The goal: to feel like home anywhere; The name: MnemoniQ.
Be it a hotel or vacation home where you often go with your family, now it’s very easy to take your home automation preferences with you. If at home you’re accustomed to a certain temperature, light settings or a relaxing audio ambience while dinning, using MnemoniQ you can have the same facilities wherever you go.
With this feature, the preferences that VIKI had learned and applied at home can be replicated by means of the smartphone to another location, where it will operate identically. The only condition is to have a VIKI system installed in that location too.
“HOME is where VIKI is!“ is not just a status, but rather a purpose for VIKI – to give you the best experience at home or wherever you might go.
In less than 10 years a typical family house will contain somewhere around 200 smart objects, from the refrigerator to the washing machine, all devices with a certain level of “intelligence” and “communication skills”.
The solution for the control of all of the device’s is not a specific application for each device but rather one solution that controls everything and which anticipates your action and your preferences based on your previous behavior – a Connected Home
From here arises the need for home automation, a need that did not exist until now and that is why it was difficult for the industry to develop. Although the home automation solutions have emerged more than 20 years, there is still a small percentage of the population using them.
But with the significant growth of electronics and the gadgets we buy, intelligent home control is a must, as confirmed by the studies below:
“How the next evolution of the Internet is changing everything” the Cisco report which highlights the fact that by 2020 there will be about 7 internet connected devices per capita.
And according to Strategy Analytics, 30% of Western Europe homes will hold by 2019 a certain degree of inteligence. What the people who look for an automation solution consider as essential? Firstly the safty of their homes and the energy efficiecy.
The Smart Home report results performed on a sample of 1,600 people in the US and Canada confirms this:
As one of the first developers of smart homes in Romania, we are delighted by the fact that we managed to raise attention and to make people want to benefit from a smart home solution.
Continue reading “(Română) VIKI-The Ubiquitous Home @ JCI Danube Conference” »
Two companies, ten people, different backgrounds and interests, but one common goal: to offer a unique experience in what concernes the automation of the intelligent homes.
VIKI means more than a project for us, VIKI has become a part of our team and we hope it will become a “virtual member” of every familly who will receive it in their homes.
QSound Soft and Napoca Software are both IT companies located in Cluj-Napoca, operating on the Romanian and international market for over ten years.
Napoca Software has developed and implemented projects for romanian customers such as Commercial Manager, a radio advertising automation application, or Columna, a inventory managing application for retail stores. The company founded in 2003 is also developing complex projects with clients from other countries.
QSound Soft in known for the most used radio automation and broadcasting software in Romania, having more than 250 radio stations as clients. Apart from the radio software modules, another field of activity is dedicated to in-store music systems for HoReCa and Retail operators, and InfoTrafic, our own radio station.
Dan Chiuzbăian, CEO QSound Soft and Project Manager for VIKI is the man behind the idea. 
“In the last years the development of IoT (Internet of Things) exploded, many equipment manufacturers and interconnecting technologies reaching the market. The attention of market players focused on developing products but also interconnecting them. Our project tries to bring more value to this growing market: artificial intelligence that imitates the human behavior. Since the beginning of the project (2012), the team developed algorithms that analyze the context in which the user is, evaluate possible actions and determine the known preferences of the human factor, then acting to satisfy them. This is the major innovation of the project and the way in which VIKI is different from other home automation solutions. “
Florin Roman is theTechnical Manager and the man responsible with the implementation and coordination of the team.
“VIKI means a daily challenge both for me and for the team. We joined with confidence into this project, driven by the idea that in this field you can always discover something new, something that no one has thought yet. “
Our motto “None of us is as smart as all of us.” and a lot of work.
The VIKI team 🙂
Sorry, this entry is only available in Română.