Why it matters: Ikea is a brand universally known for cheap, ready-to-assemble furniture, home appliances, and other home accessories. The company is now trying to put its mark on the smart home business as well, bringing the same affordable and minimalistic approach to the hi-tech monitoring market.
Ikea has a trio of smart sensors for remote home monitoring and control coming in 2024, a new line of smart home products designed to furnish hi-tech security to its customers. The Swedish conglomerate did its research, discovering that all people want for their homes is “peace of mind” and a greater sense of control and comfort.
The three new sensors are Parasoll, Vallhorn and Badring, Ikea says, and they are designed to enable customers to “handle and monitor” their homes from anywhere in the world. The sensors can deliver real-time notifications whenever some activity is detected, so that users are informed about what’s happening to their home and can act when needed.
Parasoll is a door and window sensor designed for “discreet mounting” on windows and doors, obviously. The sensor sends notifications when the “access points” being monitored are opened or closed, making users aware of potentially unwanted or unexpected entries.
While Parasoll works better in interior environments, Vallhorn is a wireless motion sensor that can be placed both indoors and outdoors. The device activates lights when movement is detected, offering customizable lighting effects for colors and intensity.
Last but not least, Badring is a water leakage sensor that can be placed near “areas of water usage” to send a mobile notification when a water leak is detected. The sensor can also activate its built-in alarm, minimizing the impact of “water-related incidents” as users can act right away.
The three smart sensors are expected to cost no more than $10 each, so they should be both (very) affordable and easy to use for everyone. Their sleek, minimalistic design should ensure they remain unnoticed in any home, Ikea states. They will both work standalone or with other smart home products from the company, triggering other smart devices or smartphones through the Dirigera hub or the Ikea Home smart app.
Parasoll, Vallhorn and Badring merge hi-tech technology with Ikea’s expertise in home furniture, Ikea Sweden’s Range Manager David Granath said. The sensors make use of the Zigbee communication standard, and will be updated with more “features and options” over time after coming to the market in January (Parasoll, Vallhorn) and April 2024 (Badring).
