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The VIKI team has started a series of meetings-seminars, in order to introduce this smart home automation system to those interested – architects, builders, specialists etc., decision makers from companies with an interest in promoting / VIKI installation / design.
A first meeting has already taken place, and some of the participants were later able to visit a “VIKI site”, a house where the system is currently being installed.
Continue reading “Meet VIKI!” »
After a 2016/2017 winter with many nights and days below 15 degrees Celsius, we can draw some conclusions about the use of thermostatic heads to control heating on radiators, connected to a classic apartment boiler.
Both Danfoss Living Connect and Stella Z are robust products in terms of manufacturing, with an obvious design gain for Danfoss. This, through the LCD screen on which you can view the temperature and the status signaling icons, as well as the manual temperature adjustment buttons, brings an extra ease to use.
Continue reading “Should we automate the central heating with DANFOSS LIVING CONNECT Z or Stella Z Eurotronic?” »
The house of the future is the house where technology blends harmoniously with your lifestyle, ensuring a perfect balance between comfort and relaxation. Designed for the whole family, VIKI technology is more than “home automation”, it means an intelligent system that constantly learns, becoming through its unique functions a “virtual butler” of the house.
Continue reading “The smart home: 10 ways VIKI can improve your life” »
Having a virtual assistant attributions, installing a smart home system may seem a complex and difficult process, but not if we are speaking about VIKI.
One of VIKI’s particularities is the fact that it is easy to install and configure. Thanks to the learning and the imitation of the human behaviour algorithms, the system is automaticaly adapting to the changes in the environment where it is installed, without needing a manual reconfiguration of the settings every time the family makes changes in its preferences.
The solution may be installed in new or finished houses, using a wireless technology that does not require special cabling.
Sensors and access control equipment are able to function on network energy or batteries with a 4 months to 2 years life, depending on the chosen type.
Once the system is installed in your home it will learn all the habits of family members related to lighting, climate and multimedia devices and know when to put them into action, and when the daily routine of the family is changing, the system reconfigures itself with the changes it register.
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.
Developed with the purpose of making our time in front of the TV more enjoyable, remote controls have become absolutely essential, just too many and too often lost.
You can’t find your remote? Surely your phone or tablet are always at your fingertips where you have VIKI’s multimedia control feature from which you can control your TV, the audio system, and the home theatre.
Possibility of on / off directly from your phone or tablet tv, all available channels list and with the possibility to change them with a simple click. See the video below:
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)