UPDATED 07:10 EDT / JUNE 01 2015

NEWS

Multifaceted smart home system Oomi gets some serious love on Indiegogo, and for a reason

Smart home package Oomi from Fantem Pty. Ltd. has hit new record highs for a smart home startup on Indiegogo this week as word on what’s on offer continues to spread.

Smart home packages aren’t exactly new, and they are a dime a dozen in 2015, but Oomi’s complete smart home package combines the various aspects we’ve seen from other companies, including the Google-owned Nest, in a multifaceted, easy to use, even good looking package.

The first thing that makes Oomi stand out is the fact it’s not reliant on a mobile phone to control it, or even internet access. Instead, the company is offering two products that work in sync, the Oomi Cube, and the Oomi Touch.

oomi2The Cube is the central controller for the system, and along with being the brains to make all the varying parts work, it also comes with a night-vision IP camera, environmental sensor (motion, vibration, sound, temperature, humidity, glass break, and ambient light), and an infrared emitter, which can be used for controlling a home-theater system.

But that’s not all, with the Cube also supporting Wi-Fi networking, Bluetooth Low Energy, Z-Wave (a protocol designed for home automation), and near-field communication (NFC) for pairing.

The Touch is the master controller for the end user, a dedicated 7.0-inch touchscreen tablet with a good looking user interface that allows users to control every aspect of the system; smart phones can be handy, but for a serious system with multiple components, the tablet definitely offers advantages.

Have no fear though, if you’d rather use your phone, and in particular if you’re not in your home and want to access your smart home: the system naturally does support Android and iOS devices as well for remote access.

Beyond the core of the system, which already offers a bevy of control options, additionally Oomi offers a smart plug (fully controllable), a smart LED light bulb, an air-quality monitor, a stand-alone multi-sensor that monitors ambient light, motion, temperature, humidity, UV, and vibration, and an audio/video streamer stick with HDMI that can be controlled by the Oomi Touch.

One stand out feature in the Oomi system is ease of use when it come to adding new items to the system. Where many existing platforms require somewhat complex coding, the Oomi is set up to allow users to simply tap a new accessory onto the Oomi Touch remote, and after a second or two it’s added to the system and ready to use without any hassle.

oomi4Of particular note, and unlike some other smart home systems, Oomi also supports third party smart devices that support Z-Wave, which is quickly becoming the standard communications platform for smart devices.

Last but not least, Oomi also claims that it has a level of artificial intelligence (likely used in the broader sense of the word than a strict one) in that like some other systems on the market it uses smart learning based on previous use patterns to suggest actions, for example, it might know you get home from work at 6:30 p.m. so it turns the lights on for you, or that you like to watch television a 7 p.m.

Serious love

Although we can’t confirm this independently we’re told that Oomi is breaking records for a smart home system on Indiegogo and has surpassed Smart Things, a previous company that raised money on Indiegogo and was later acquired by Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.

Whether that’s true or not really is probably besides the point: at the time of writing Oomi has raised $1.45 million on Indiegogo after initially chasing a measly (by comparison) $50,000 to get its product to market; that’s an impressive figure whether it’s a record or not, and there’s still 19 days left to go on its campaign.

If you’re interested in buying the system, the prices vary from $299 for a basic kit including Oomi Cube, Oomi Touch and one accessory (with free shipping in the United States) through to $459 for a “Gold Kit” that includes which includes 4 accessories. Accessories can also be purchased separately. Orders can be placed here.

Shipment is currently expected in October 2015.


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