New and Trending Technologies

Mills team members Bryan, Brendan, Jack, Chris, Ivo and Benjamin recently attended the CEDIA (Custom Electronics Design & Installation Association) Expo.  The CEDIA Expo is THE annual event for home tech professionals – it allows home tech pros access to new products and innovations in home technology, as well as offering continuing eduation training courses for attendees.  Because technology changes so rapidly and manufacturers unveil both wild and cutting-edge technologies at CEDIA, we asked the crew to share some highlights from the show:

What product or technology that is available now did you see that you feel can benefit our clients?
Ketra lighting.  Ketra’s Natural Light solution is a technology that allows shifts in color temperature and intensity that mimics the sunlight – from the bluish glow of dawn to the warmer, gold tones of sunset.  Light significantly affects our circadian rhythms – we’ve all heard that screen time should be limited before bedtime because the blue-tinged light from our smart phones, tablets and televisions can disrupt sleep, right?   There are many benefits to circadian lighting in the home – improved sleep, mood, productivity and alertness, faster cognitive processing, etc.  See Ketra’s circadian lighting in action:

What did you see that you think will be trending in the next 5 years?
Healthy homes.  For years, the focus has been on energy efficiency and green building design.  While that is still important, the industry is starting to shift its focus to wellness and the health of the home.  How can technology make your home environment healthier, more of a santuary for your family?  We’ve already discussed some of the benefits of circadian lighting.  How about the air quality in your home? What if an app on your smart phone could show you real time data about the levels of carbon dioxide, VOC’s (volatile organic compounds) and radon in your home? And then a smart thermostat that receives a bad air quality signal then activates the fan on your HVAC system to boost airflow and direct bad air through the return ducts and whole house filter so that clean, purified air comes out of the vents. This technology is right around the corner, and look for the capabilities to expand further, like water quality testing.

And, finally, what did you guys see that was off-the-wall, unusual, outlandish, so cool that you’d love to have it in your own homes?
Massive video displays from Sony and Samsung:

Sony’s Crystal LED – Supersize LED walls.  A 220-inch screen that will only require 16-feet of wall width and only costs about $800,000!

Samsung – The Wall, a 146-inch microLED display made up of borderless tiles and retailing at around $100,000. The modular design allows additional tiles to be added, making an even-bigger version of The Wall (The Wall Luxury, 219-inches) possible.

Samsung – The Wall, a 146-inch microLED display made up of borderless tiles and retailing at around $100,000. The modular design allows additional tiles to be added, making an even-bigger version of The Wall (The Wall Luxury, 219-inches) possible.