Goes to show, the age of connected living has arrived.
Back at CES 2015, wearable technology was once again smack dab in the middle of all the buzz. This time, the focus shifted towards its role in the burgeoning Internet of Things, most notably connected living. Among the notable companies leading the pack was Misfit, who revealed plans to move beyond fitness tracking with particular attention towards the smart home.
Released last year, Flash is an entry-level wearable boasting a sleek and sporty design that measures your activity and sleep and syncs with your smartphone. That same connected functionally will soon serve as remote control for in-house devices as well, ranging from the lights to the thermostat and beyond. Flash will be compatible with a wide-range of smart home platforms and services, including IFTTT, Logitech’s Harmony API, Nest thermostats, August Smart Locks, as well as Misfit’s own Bolt light bulbs. For instance, double-clicking the band’s lone button will allow wearers to start a Spotify playlist or turn on the lights, while holding it down can set the mood or a desirable temperature.
Seeing as though it only has one button, Flash’s interactions with other smart devices may be limited. Needless to say, the integration definitely demonstrates how wearable tech and the Internet of Things can work together. Hendrik Bartel, an analyst at Gartner, told the Wall Street Journal that Flash’s app and smart home controls are a testament to the progress of the so-called IoT. “Sometimes it may feel like Misfit doesn’t have much of an identity, because they make fitness and sleep trackers and smart lightbulbs. But, really, that’s how the Internet of Things is. It’s the Internet of Everything. And we’re still in the early stages of that.”
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