There has been a wash of smart smoke alarms, smart home invasion alarms, robots that are so smart they can sing your kids to sleep while sending you updates on your smart smoke and home invasion alarms, ect. For those who don’t want to spend that much money, but still want a bit of information while away, there is Roost.
A rather simple idea, this Kickstarter project is a single 9-volt style battery that goes into your smoke alarm, and turns it into one of the smart variety.
It does things like eliminate the low-battery chirp we have all come to dread, sends smartphone notifications if the alarm goes off due to smoke detection, and nothing else. Nothing at all.
Ar first glance, that might seem like it isn’t that helpful. But think about all of the extra bells and whistles on other smart technology. They are cool, and they may provide peace of mind for some. But those of us who find the sheer scope of those products invasive, and aren’t really interested in knowing it every time the front door is opened or our pet sneezes, need something simpler.
Roost is simple. It works as a smoke detector that just happens to notify you if the battery has to be charged, or if there is a potential fire. Those are the two things you want from a smoke detector. Plus, it is just a battery that can fit into different models, in the same way a standard 9-volt can.
It isn’t a surprise that this project has gone over their goal with 34 days to go. It is a way to get a bit more safety out of your smoke detector, without having to spend a lot of money or deal with a lot of unnecessary extras or privacy issues to do so. It costs $35 per battery at the moment, and estimated delivery is set for May-June of 2015. They have specials for those who want to buy more.
Normally, I would say more about a project like this, but there isn’t a lot to say. It is a cool, ultra simplistic and useful tool that integrates itself into a current item every home has, making it better. It is exactly what you hope for in a technology that seeks to innovate an already well established industry, without reinventing the wheel, so to speak.
Source: Kickstarter