LG plans to showcase a range of smart home technology and products at the upcoming IFA 2015, including a sensor to make "dumb" appliances smart.
According to the company, its IFA announcements will include the Smart ThinQ sensor, as well as a Smart Lightwave Oven and a Smart Air Conditioner that support AllJoyn: an open platform that AllSeen Alliance developed for the Internet of things (IoT).
The Smart ThinQ Sensor (pictured above) is designed to work with traditional, low-tech home appliances such as refrigerators, washing machines and others, turning them into smart appliances or, as LG puts it, making them "smart-aware."
Once attached to home appliances, this circular Smart ThinQ Sensor gets feedback such as temperature or vibration and transmits its readings to the Smart ThinQ app on the user's smartphone.
LG offers examples to illustrate how this will work out when paired with existing home appliances. Attached to a traditional washing machine, for instance, the Smart ThinQ device can sense when the machine completes a laundry cycle, sending a notification to the user's smartphone. Attached to a refrigerator, it can send the user a notification when a food item is approaching its expiration date. Connected to an air conditioner or some other such appliance, the Smart ThinQ allows users to remotely control the appliances via the smartphone app.
"LG is committed to continuing its leadership in the smart home market with innovations such as LG Smart ThinQ, which provides real-life benefits and offers new lifestyle conveniences through technology that is easy to use," the company boasts in a press release announcing its plans for the IFA 2015 trade show.
The Smart Lightwave Oven, meanwhile, leverages the AllJoyn platform and is Wi-Fi enabled — designed to allow users to download and share recipes with others via smartphone. Users can set a cooking mode on their smartphone, as well as the cooking time and temperature for a dish, and the Smart Lightwave Oven will set everything accordingly. The gadget can even perform self-diagnosis in case something's not working properly and use an LG service center to find solutions and information regarding the necessary repair.
Lastly, the Smart Air Conditioner will allow users to remotely control the appliance from a mobile device, which significantly increases convenience. On a hot day, you could set the Smart Air Conditioner to start running as you're planning to leave the office and go home — so when you arrive, it's already cool and breathable. As expected, the Smart Air Conditioner will also notify users when it's time to replace the air filter.
