Tomorrow Lab

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01 — Developing the Smart Vent

By conducting in-home research, we were able to gain a better understanding of the range of consumer needs across different-sized homes and floor plans. We constructed an HVAC system rig in the lab in order to measure temperature, test airflow requirements, and develop standard thresholds. Utilizing ZigBee modules, the Keen Home Smart Vent works through a wireless networking system, sending information directly to your Smartphone to control the amount of air transferred to specific rooms in a home. Rather than treating the Smart Vent like an analog, we assisted the Keen Home team in building a user experience that centered on sensations of comfort in each room, giving users the ability to control comfort and efficiency.

Keen Home Vent — Customizing Smart Home Comfort

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02 — Product Architecture & Mechanical Engineering

Tomorrow Lab developed a custom and patent pending airfoil louver design, incorporated temperature sensing, and assisted in creating battery life-maximizing algorithms. With the aid of computer modeling, we determined that using louvers instead of sliders was the superior option providing 0%-100% airflow occlusion where competitive products allow for a maximum of 50% open air flow. After determining the internal mechanicals of the Smart Vent, we began to examine the outer design aesthetics of the faceplate using both Rhino and Grasshopper software platforms.

With multiple faceplate options designed by Tomorrow Lab, the Smart Vent integrates easily and tastefully into your lifestyle and home decor.

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03 — Connecting the Smart Vent

As a connected, battery-operated home device, the Keen Home Smart Vent operates on a ZigBee network which is a lower-power, self-healing, wireless communication solution available in a number of commercial implementations. For the Smart Vent, we developed two versions: one using Digi’s XBee for prototyping purposes and one using the Ember357 chipset for high volume production. In addition, the Smart Vent uses a light source to indicate when the vent is repositioning its louvers, incorporating red/blue LEDs to indicate a heating or cooling cycle.

Keen Home Vent — Customizing Smart Home Comfort

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Keen Home Smart Vent Customizing Smart Home Comfort

01 — Developing the Smart Vent

Keen Home Vent — Customizing Smart Home Comfort

02 — Product Architecture & Mechanical Engineering

03 — Connecting the Smart Vent

Keen Home Vent — Customizing Smart Home Comfort

Keen Home Smart Vent
Customizing Smart Home Comfort