Seven futuristic gadgets to turn your living space into a smart home
Including robots, talking pets and plenty of environmentally friendly tech
1 Rainstick
A typical 10-minute shower uses up to 100 litres of water. Rainstick’s circular system captures that would-be wasted water, runs it through a micron-level filter, treats it with high-intensity UV rays and then sends it back through the shower head, reducing water usage by 80 per cent. Water gets cycled through up to six times before it finally heads down the drain. $6,600. rainstickshower.com
Related: Inside a Lawrence Park home that generates negative energy bills
2 Powerhouse
The Powerhouse is a prefabricated mini building with integrated photovoltaic technology. Translated, that means exterior walls are made of slick-looking solar panels—a simple net-zero option for a backyard office, home gym or studio. The stand-alone structure can also be connected to a municipal electricity grid to meet higher energy demands or feed excess energy into your home. The units range in size from 256 to 480 square feet. Starting at $90,000. mitrex.com/powerhouse
3 Helight
The Helight emits wavelengths that pass through closed eyelids and activate photosensitive cells in the retina. Those cells then trigger the hypothalamus to release melatonin, the hormone that helps your body relax. The red beams also help neutralize the blue light emitted by electronic devices, which can disrupt natural circadian rhythms if used before bed. $139.99. helight.ca
4 FluentPet
Ever wonder what the dog is thinking? FluentPet wants to make interspecies communication a reality. The company sells kits of recordable buttons that can be customized to speak certain words, like outside, ball or play. With training, dogs can learn to “talk” by pressing the buttons. $105 for a starter kit. fluent.pet
5 Alfred
This smart lock system is not quite an AI butler—but it’s close. Alfred can be programmed with up to 20 unique PIN codes and allows homeowners to keep track of who’s coming in and out and when. It also allows one-touch entry when your phone is within 30 feet. So, if your arms are full of groceries, you need only tap its surface and it will unlock. Haughty British accent not included. Starting at $349.99. alfredinc.ca
6 Landroid
Think of the Landroid as something like an outdoor Roomba. The AI-powered mower is designed to distinguish grass from obstacles and other things you don’t want it to run over. Lawn care can be customized based on your soil texture and grass type—and, if you don’t know, the robot’s “botanical brain” will figure it out. Starting at $1,299.99. worx.com/landroid
7 Tero
The Tero is an electric food composter that’s small enough for the kitchen counter and will grind and then dehydrate whatever organic waste you toss inside. The entire process takes about three to eight hours, depending on the moisture level of your food scraps, and results in about 500 mL of dry fertilizer for your houseplants or garden. Starting at $695. teroinnovation.ca
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1 Rainstick
A typical 10-minute shower uses up to 100 litres of water. Rainstick’s circular system captures that would-be wasted water, runs it through a micron-level filter, treats it with high-intensity UV rays and then sends it back through the shower head, reducing water usage by 80 per cent. Water gets cycled through up to six times before it finally heads down the drain. $6,600. rainstickshower.com
Related: Inside a Lawrence Park home that generates negative energy bills
2 Powerhouse
The Powerhouse is a prefabricated mini building with integrated photovoltaic technology. Translated, that means exterior walls are made of slick-looking solar panels—a simple net-zero option for a backyard office, home gym or studio. The stand-alone structure can also be connected to a municipal electricity grid to meet higher energy demands or feed excess energy into your home. The units range in size from 256 to 480 square feet. Starting at $90,000. mitrex.com/powerhouse
3 Helight
The Helight emits wavelengths that pass through closed eyelids and activate photosensitive cells in the retina. Those cells then trigger the hypothalamus to release melatonin, the hormone that helps your body relax. The red beams also help neutralize the blue light emitted by electronic devices, which can disrupt natural circadian rhythms if used before bed. $139.99. helight.ca
4 FluentPet
Ever wonder what the dog is thinking? FluentPet wants to make interspecies communication a reality. The company sells kits of recordable buttons that can be customized to speak certain words, like outside, ball or play. With training, dogs can learn to “talk” by pressing the buttons. $105 for a starter kit. fluent.pet
5 Alfred
This smart lock system is not quite an AI butler—but it’s close. Alfred can be programmed with up to 20 unique PIN codes and allows homeowners to keep track of who’s coming in and out and when. It also allows one-touch entry when your phone is within 30 feet. So, if your arms are full of groceries, you need only tap its surface and it will unlock. Haughty British accent not included. Starting at $349.99. alfredinc.ca
6 Landroid
Think of the Landroid as something like an outdoor Roomba. The AI-powered mower is designed to distinguish grass from obstacles and other things you don’t want it to run over. Lawn care can be customized based on your soil texture and grass type—and, if you don’t know, the robot’s “botanical brain” will figure it out. Starting at $1,299.99. worx.com/landroid
7 Tero
The Tero is an electric food composter that’s small enough for the kitchen counter and will grind and then dehydrate whatever organic waste you toss inside. The entire process takes about three to eight hours, depending on the moisture level of your food scraps, and results in about 500 mL of dry fertilizer for your houseplants or garden. Starting at $695. teroinnovation.ca
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