Category: Technology Corner

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Universal Electronics works with Firedome to bring enhanced cybersecurity features to digital assistant platform

We will be teaming up with Firedome Inc., the creators of the leading endpoint cybersecurity solutions for home IoT manufacturers, to include Firedome Home solution as part of our Nevo® Butler platform. Firedome Home adds cybersecurity protection, home digital diary, and enhanced remote customer support to our product.

IoT devices are "low hanging fruit” for attackers for their low cost of attack and lack of supervision, making them a common target by hackers.

 

Firedome's solutions are designed to close critical security gaps that are a byproduct of the IoT era. IoT devices have become “low hanging fruit” for attackers for their low cost of attack and lack of supervision, making them a common target by hackers. Cryptojacking, DDoS and ransomware attacks are only a few examples of cyber crimes that is threatening the home IoT ecosystem.

"Privacy and security have been the core foundation of Nevo Butler's design since inception, and are offered as a managed service rooted in hardware."

 

Nevo Butler is pre-integrated with Firedome Home to include advanced monitoring and insights derived from any connected device in the home environment. Firedome’s non-intrusive solution includes digital presence alerts, parental control mechanisms and network enhanced data. Offered as part of a marketplace of partner services, this capability can extend and compliment the physical security services offered in the safety & monitoring segments, as well as an enhanced digital well-being under broadband services.

“We are excited to join forces with Universal Electronics, the worldwide leader in universal control and sensing technologies for the smart home, to help enable service providers and device manufacturers become the home security gatekeeper, and enrich their value added services through our innovative, non-intrusive software-only solution.” says Moti Shkolnik, Firedome’s Co-founder and CEO.

"It is only logical for such a platform to not only offer physical security services, but also address the digital security of connected homes, and include cybersecurity as-a-service..."

 

“Privacy and security have been the core foundation of Nevo Butler's design since inception, and are offered as a managed service rooted in hardware. It is only logical for such a platform to not only offer physical security services, but also address the digital security of connected homes and include cybersecurity as-a-service to our customers, and end consumers.” says Arsham Hatambeiki, SVP Product and Technology, Universal Electronics Inc.

We will host product demonstrations for all our latest technologies and design concepts, and unveil our latest product, Nevo® Butler and related platform kits at booth #42325 in the Sands Expo at CES 2019 in Las Vegas from January 8-11 and will jointly showcase the combined solution with presentations and demos.  Nikki Ahmadi, Director of Cloud and Software Products, will be available to discuss how Nevo Butler and curated kits and services can be used to introduce or expand offerings in a range of channels.

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Ayla Networks selected by Universal Electronics to enhance the Smart Home experience

We are happy to team with Ayla Networks - Internet of Things (IoT) platform-as-a-service (PaaS) for Smart Home device manufacturers and service providers, to announce a new platform for the Smart Home where we will pre-integrate Ayla's platform with our world-leading QuickSet® Cloud  platform, and offer it through a resell service as part of a new line of Smart Home managed hardware solutions.

"... the new solutions from UEI will drive new services, innovative business models and rapid time to value from data analytics.” said Jonathan Cobb, CEO of Ayla Networks.

 

The relationship, which will officially launch at CES 2019 in Las Vegas, will allow us to further solidify our footprint in the rapidly growing IoT space by expanding our portfolio of home sensing, monitoring, and control solutions to include industry-leading device management and application enablement capabilities from Ayla Networks. Together, we will accelerate the transformation of the Smart Home market, bringing core technology and end-to-end applications to enable quick time-to-value and an elevated customer experience.

Nevo Butler is an end-to-end voice-enabled Smart Home hub with built-in white label digital assistant that unifies entertainment control and home automation experiences, enabling interoperability across fragmented ecosystems. Powered by QuickSet Cloud, Nevo Butler delivers a versatile monitoring and control digital assistant solution for the home, capable of addressing a wide range of devices and use cases, ranging from voice control of an existing installed base of devices, to innovative new Cloud services. With a customizable digital assistant front-end, enterprise-level integration services and an expanding ecosystem of add-on services, this platform allows service providers and consumer electronics brands to bring voice-enabled services to their customers while remaining in control of the consumer relationship.

Available as kits that address specific channel needs, Nevo Butler can be bundled with a range of certified devices including Ecolink® sensors, offering safety and security, energy management and hospitality applications, in addition to voice-enabled universal entertainment control.

Together, we will accelerate the transformation of the Smart Home market, bringing core technology and end-to-end applications to enable quick time-to-value and an elevated customer experience.

 

“This landmark partnership is the latest example of how the Ayla platform can seamlessly combine with leading Smart Home solution providers to create winning products,” said Jonathan Cobb, CEO of Ayla Networks. “Ayla Networks has always stood for accelerating IoT-led transformation, and the new solutions from UEI will drive new services, innovative business models and rapid time to value from data analytics.”

Arsham Hatambeiki, UEI’s SVP Product & Technology said, “The Ayla partnership represents an important step toward our goal to be the leader in control and sensing technologies for the Smart Home. This collaboration strengthens our position in the existing Smart Home business by allowing us to simplify the IoT device management and onboarding process, allowing us to expand our offerings to equipment manufacturers in HVAC.”

"This collaboration strengthens our position in the existing Smart Home business by allowing us to simplify the IoT device management and onboarding process, helping us expand our offerings to equipment manufacturers in HVAC."

 

The Smart Home market is projected to have accelerated growth over the next five years, driven by several factors, including advancements in communication technologies; consumer interest in home automation and monitoring; a push for energy conservation; and the growth of utility and government-sponsored programs. According to data from Navigant Research, the global market is expected to double in size, from $1.1 billion in 2016 to $2.2 billion in 2020, with the largest growth forecasted in North America.

Ayla Networks and UEI will participate at CES 2019 in Las Vegas from January 8-11 and will jointly showcase the combined solution with presentations and demos. Nikki Ahmadi, Director of Cloud and Software Products, will be available to discuss how Nevo Butler and curated kits and services can be used to introduce or expand offerings in a range of channels.

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Launching Smarter Living Kits powered by Nevo® Butler to accelerate introduction of new Smart Home services at CES 2019

In order to accelerate the introduction of new innovative services for the consumer home, we are introducing pre-integrated channel specific kits curated to address specific consumer demand and unique experiences. The kits are powered by Nevo® Butler, a white label, managed and secure smart home hub with built-in digital assistant. Configured with different sensors developed by the teams at Ecolink and RCS, including safety and security sensors; smart thermostats and temperature sensors; as well as IoT products curated through “Works with QuickSet” certification program, these kits will offer the quickest route to market while providing a flexible platform to build on.

The kits which will be demonstrated at our booth (#42325) in the Sands Expo include the following:

Care

A platform for offering a cost effective, self-monitored safety and security platform with Ecolink ZigBee window/door sensors and best-in-class pet-immune, motion sensors. This kit can expand to include leak/freeze detection sensors as well as security and monitoring use cases.  Add-on services are also available that can be bundled to offer cybersecurity as a service or monitoring services to provide additional value to consumers and monetization options for security service providers.

Eco

This kit includes an RCS-designed and developed, Zigbee connected thermostat and occupancy sensors to deliver a voice-enabled, energy efficient and user-friendly HVAC automation solution to provide comfort and convenience, as well as energy-cost savings for the owner.

Hospitality

This kit is specifically designed to address room automation needs of the hospitality channel with energy management, entertainment control, and in-room service integration opportunities. This kit will offer a platform to provide a consistent and branded experience for all in-room services and needs.

Smarter Living Kits, curated to address specific consumer demand and accelerate introduction of innovative Smart Home services, available for expansion through Works with QuickSet.

 

“Our Smarter Living kits are a great way for our customers to accelerate introduction or expansion of Smart Home services and for consumers to experience the power and convenience of the smart home,” says Arsham Hatambeiki, SVP of Product and Technology for Universal Electronics Inc.  “By offering add-on experiences for safety, security and energy management on top of the most reliable and accurate entertainment control experience, we can give consumers a reason to opt-in to the home automation trend, and our customers the confidence to scale their subscribers’ smart home experiences on a solid foundation.”

...giving our consumers a reason to opt-in to the home automation trend, and our customers the confidence to scale their subscribers’ Smart Home experiences on a solid foundation.

 

New research from Parks Associates shows the integration of smart home products will be key to drive new recurring monthly revenue (RMR) growth among security companies.  “Today, over three quarters of new security subscribers have interactive services, paying $9 per month on average for the service,” said Tom Kerber, Sr. Director, IoT Strategy, Parks Associates. “As adoption of interactive services matures and new entrants with low-cost, self-installed systems put downward pressure on RMR, the industry is seeking solutions to expand RMR. Cybersecurity services, video verification, and personal emergency response are a clear path to generating incremental RMR.”

"As the industry is seeking solutions to expand RMR, cybersecurity services, video verification, and personal emergency responses are a clear path to generate incremental RMR."

 

We will host product demonstrations for all our latest technologies and design concepts, and unveil our latest product, Nevo® Butler and related platform kits at booth #42325 in the Sands Expo at CES 2019 in Las Vegas from January 8-11.  Nikki Ahmadi, Director of Cloud and Software Products, will be available to discuss how Nevo Butler and curated kits and services can be used to introduce or expand offerings in a range of channels.