When it comes to the smart home niche of the Internet of Things world, consumers have a ton of options, but only a few have managed to gain a lot of consumer mindset, or even placement on physical store shelves in big box retailers. One of the brands that has managed to make it out of the “startup rut” is Netatmo, responsible for a secure camera system at the moment. Their single-product lineup will be expanding with the release of the Healthy Home Coach, a smart air monitor and then some, the main function of which is to advise the user of the various qualities and factors of the air that they’re breathing.
Any biologist can tell you that better quality air equals more oxygen and less stuff having to be filtered, which adds up to better health, so a system like this can certainly find a niche beyond asthmatics, indoor gardeners and others who already make it a point to monitor the air quality in their home. The appliance links to a compatible smartphone, with companion apps for both Android and iOS, and will show a variety of information about the air quality in your environment. The Healthy Home Coach can tell you about the amount of pollution around it, the humidity in the room, the current temperature, and the level of ambient noise in the environment. While these factors may seem inconsequential, they are each tied to health in an intricate and nuanced way, and users who choose to monitor and take steps to improve them will notice a difference in the way they feel on a day to day basis.
On top of simply monitoring the four factors of indoor air quality, the Healthy Home Coach can extrapolate the data it pulls in to provide feedback on a few more subtle factors and advise the user on how to change their environment. Humidity, for example, can be balanced individually for each room in the home to help find the intersection between the room’s natural humidity, environmental factors, and user preference. Temperature, meanwhile, can feel different to children and adults due to a variety of factors. The Healthy Home Coach will advise the user when a seemingly comfortable temperature may be objectionable with the younger members of the household. The Healthy Home Coach can also analyze noise data over time to help figure out how to reduce noise, and will remind the user to ensure a room is ventilated if the pollution ratings seem poor. The device is available for $99 direct from Netatmo on their website, and at retailers like Lowes, Best Buy, Home Depot, and Amazon.
