Devices turn ordinary appliances into smart tech

Simple mechanical tools can turn many home appliances into smart devices.

Every day new smart devices for the home are developed. At Springwise, we have seen devices such as smart air vents that adapt to changing weather and an appliance that dries and irons clothes in minutes. But in this age of waste-consciousness, it doesn’t always make sense to buy a new smart device just to replace a perfectly functional device. So, product design company Frolic Studio has come up with a solution. Their Smartians allow users to hack their existing home appliances to create a DIY smart home.

Smartians are a set of app-connected, motorised knobs and switches. They can be attached to or placed near existing gadgets and appliances. When activated from an app, they press, turn or flick the switches on the analog devices, allowing them to be operated digitally. The Smartians can be used for purposes as varied as boiling a kettle, opening the curtains and adjusting the volume on a stereo.

According to Frolic co-founder Andrew Spitz, “We want to [empower] people to build their own smart home while still keeping their existing and often beloved devices”. Smartians not only allow people to smarten up existing devices, they do so at a fraction of the cost of buying new smart devices. They also reduce the environmental impact of turning a house into a smart home. The Smartians starter kit will come with two motors, a base, a hub and one turning, one pressing and one customisable tool. The starter kit will be priced at around 200 EUR. Frolic is currently looking for an investor and hopes to have the Smartians available in 2019.