http://www.straitstimes.com/business...ystem-at-condo

M1, Keppel Land run pilot of smart home system at condo

Dec 21, 2015

Jeremy Koh


A pilot programme to create smart homes has been introduced by M1 and Keppel Land.

Thirty households at The Luxurie, a 622-unit condominium in Sengkang, will have smart healthcare and home solutions installed in their homes under the M1-Keppel Smart Lives programme.

Mr Alan Ang, who owns a unit, is pleased with these technology enablers set up in his home's security system as well as lights and healthcare devices. He has been making full use of the technology.

A security camera installed on the front door takes a picture and sends it to Mr Ang when motion is detected at his doorstep at certain times in the day. Through the camera, Mr Ang can also get a live stream of what is happening at the front door of his home. He can unlock his front door remotely.

When someone enters his home, a light in his living room is automatically switched on. In his bedroom, lights are programmed to turn on at 6.15am on weekdays as a wake-up call and switch off at 7am.

Healthcare devices connected to a remote server have also been set up. The readings taken by these devices - blood pressure monitor, glucometer and pulse oximeter - are stored digitally and can be shared with medical staff, who can then make recommendations remotely.

"I like the security system because... as I'm at work, I'm being notified if my kids are home. That's very nice and, in the worst-case event, if my kids forget the key I can even unlock (the door) if I want to," Mr Ang, 38, said.

"It's (also) good to have someone monitoring my vital signs," added Mr Ang, who is head of finance at a multinational company.

Residents involved in the pilot programme do not need to pay for it, said Keppel Land. It is still working out how much it would cost future households to implement the integrated suite of solutions.

The system comprising the security devices and lights installed in Mr Ang's house costs around $2,500 on the market. Three of the programmable bulbs and a central system controlling them are sold by lighting company Philips for about $320 to the public. Each medical device is priced at around $120 on the market.

Other participants of the pilot programme, which will run for 12 months from early next year, will be picked randomly from a pool of applicants. Priority will be given to M1 fibre broadband users.

M1 chief product development and corporate solutions officer Willis Sim said the programme uses the "latest in Internet of Things developments to make lives safer, more comfortable and productive".