Wireless tags make any object a smart device

MESH Tags enable users to assign tasks to household items, making conventional objects smart and connected.

The rapid growth of the internet of things has brought a host of connected devices into today’s homes. From smart home systems which operate through facial recognition to a cloud-connected keyboard, users are accustomed to a range of smart devices at their fingertips. Most objects remain unconnected though, and it can be tedious to switch between automatic and manual tasks. MESH aims to change that, enabling any object to become smart.

The MESH kit consists of a set of wireless tags and an accompanying app for programming them. Users simply place the Tag on an everyday object, and use the app to assign it certain tasks. Put an acceleration-tracking Tag on the front door to program it to turn on lights in the house when moved; set an alarm on the phone and use a Tag as a physical snooze button, anywhere in the house; set a Tag to monitor conversation in a room and adjust the volume of music accordingly. What’s more, the tags can work together to form more complicated tasks, such as watering a pot plant from across the room.

MESH’s appeal lies in its simplicity. The clean, domino-shaped Tags and the app’s simple interface mean that technological novices can enjoy an IoT-enabled home, without needing coding expertise or breaking the bank. A starter kit of four Tags and the MESH app costs USD 190, and Tags cost USD 60 thereafter. There are seven different Tags, from humidity and motion sensors to LEDs and simple buttons.

How else could everyday objects be brought into the world of connected devices?