Raising Home Comfort to New Levels with IoT Technology

Challenges:

As digitalization in the furniture industry progressed, low-priced furniture manufacturers, focusing on cost-effectiveness, began to rapidly introduce blinds with IoT functionality. For Hunter Douglas, which had established itself as a luxury brand, product development to maintain a competitive advantage became an urgent necessity.

The existing IoT solutions offered by the company were a traditional form that used an IoT bridge to connect devices to the internet. As a result, the initial setup time was long, and multiple devices were required, presenting challenges in terms of both usability and cost.

The project emphasized achieving a simpler IoT integration than before without compromising the brand. There was a need for app development that worked in conjunction with the products, forming the core of a new smart blind brand rollout.

Solutions:

Monstarlab proposed using Bluetooth for the IoT components. This enabled direct connection between the motorized blinds and the app, realizing a simple UX that eliminated unnecessary devices. Users could not only control the blinds like a remote control but also monitor the curtain status on their smartphones.

We also incorporated a setup mechanism using QR code scanning, eliminating the hassle of initial setup for users. Features such as group management of multiple blinds, timer settings for blind opening/closing and dimming (automatic operation with day and time specifications), and support for voice assistants were included to enhance usability.