Automating your roller blinds to open and close is easier than you think. Eve Systems has announced a programming capability for its MotionBlinds that takes this automation further.
Transforming your blinds so that they roll up and down automatically has been with us for years. You replace the manual roller controller with a motor system that rolls the blind up or down using a remote control. But the smart home is offering further improvements.
For starters, Eve Systems’ MotionBlinds don’t need an electrical connection for power. The blinds are charged using a USB-C cable. A chain dangles down underneath the motor so you don’t need to get out a ladder for this. Eve says charging is required just once or twice a year.
Once charged, blinds can be activated using the MotionBlinds Bluetooth app and you can set timers to have the window coverings open and shut automatically.
You can open and close the blinds via the app when you’re away from home, although up till now, it was an Apple-specific feature and you needed an Apple HomePod mini or Apple TV as a home hub.
This is changing with an upgrade to add the universal smart home control language Matter. You’ll soon be able to operate your blinds using other smart home command systems such as Google Home and Amazon Alexa.
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At IFA Berlin 2023, Eve also announced an “adaptive shading” feature in the Eve app for iOS that lets you program your blinds to automatically open and close based on location, date and time, to shade a room optimally according to the exact position of the sun, relative to the Eve MotionBlinds.
“Hyperlocal programming of the Eve MotionBlinds motor is handled by the Eve app for iOS which calculates based on the location and orientation of the window,” the company says. “This allows the blind to act dynamically according to the position of the sun and, for example, help to reduce heat loss during winter and save energy costs.”
In other news at IFA, Eve says it will expand its energy efficiency-focused portfolio at the end of the year with a curated collection of made to measure blinds featuring Eve MotionBlinds technology. They can be ordered from Eve’s online store. However you can upgrade to Eve and retain your existing blinds by installing the MotionBlinds Upgrade Kit motor.
Eve also announced an Eve Thermo Control unit that lets you set the indoor climate temperature based on where you are located in your home rather than the temperature at your heating or cooling device.
Eve says it will release the Matter update for the Eve MotionBlinds roller blind motors and Eve MotionBlinds Upgrade Kit for roller blinds on November 14 this year.
