When talking about a smart home, often the focus is on comfort, pleasure, and a taste for technology, which in some ways is considered a luxury and a “gadget” that doesn’t have much practical utility.

It’s clear that many people indeed use these innovations to the minimum of their potential, often due to a lack of knowledge that could demonstrate and explain the maximum benefits, especially in some situations, and due to solutions that aren’t actually that intelligent (yes, knowing how to choose is crucial, and choosing requires accurate information).
For example, to help and support those who need to care for elderly parents or relatives living alone, home automation becomes a very useful ally that ensures safety, peace of mind, and quick response times.

However, as we mentioned, not all technology is “smart enough” and, in our case, can be even considered invasive. For instance, voice assistants are often limited by the hearing impairments typical of elderly people. The presence of webcams is poorly tolerated, especially if covering times and spaces would require several devices to be effective. WiOO is not perceived as an “additional control device” but, unlike common switches, it allows the use of a color or flashing halo as a light signal. For example, it could inform the elderly that they need to drink water, take their medication, or that it’s time to move around.
Technology should not be invasive, especially concerning people’s privacy (elderly or young, everyone has the right to privacy equally), and thus, even though cameras could be useful, it is best if they are only activated when there is a concrete need.

WiDesign designed WiOO to be supportive even in particular situations due to its ability to integrate with devices in the Apple Homekit ecosystem, which can be managed remotely.

Finally, in case of a router connection loss, the lighting control system continues to work since WiOO uses its internal network that maintains the connection between all switches.

In summary, smart technology offers powerful tools to improve the quality of life for the elderly and reduce the burden on those who care for them, but it requires careful and personalized implementation to overcome individual and technical limitations. WiOO is designed to look at the smart home in a smarter way.