IKEA is currently known for its budget-friendly, hard-to-assemble furniture, but it may be associated with smart home technology in the future. The Swedish furniture company is working with Frog Design to create an affordable smart home lighting system called the Home Smart II Lighting Collection, according to Gizmodo. If all goes according to plan, it will debut next fall.
The system will include lighting kits which can imitate a sunrise, and the technology to automate appliances such as coffee makers. With IKEA’s product, you’ll never have to think about manually switching on your lights again.
Bjorn Block, the head of the IKEA smart home lighting project, told Gizmodo that the firm is seeking to make these products as “cheap as possible.” A low price will enable more consumers to have them in their homes, which is the ultimate goal.
If you’re picturing a large contraption with buttons and knobs, think again. IKEA is going for plain and simple with its design. A sketch of the product shows that all of the system’s functionality will be situated within bulbs. The light bulbs you put into your lighting fixtures will communicate with an IKEA smartphone app. The result will be that from your mobile device, you’ll be able to control the amount of light throughout your home. No large electrical gadgets or wiring needed.
IKEA has already wowed the world with its futuristic kitchen concept, showing us what our cooking spaces might look like in a couple of years. And in just the past few months, it has drawn attention for its customizable wireless charging system. The Home Smart II Lighting Collection would just add to IKEA’s move toward a more futuristic abode.
At the moment, IKEA has not released any specifications on the Home Smart II Lighting Collection or how much it will cost. For now, it seems that we’ll have to wait for more details on the final product.
