The Mark Cuban-backed and Shark Tank-funded ilumi is returning to the crowdfunding community to bring its Smartstrip to life via Kickstarter. I've been playing with the prototypes and it is one of the most compelling products under $100 to come down the road in a while.
ilumi’s Smartstrip is the first strip to merge Bluetooth Mesh wireless connectivity, outdoor-rated materials, and a digitally addressable RGB+W LEDs. This unique combination enables the Smartstrip to be controlled from smartphones up to 150 feet away without the need for a hub, survive in the outdoors through tough weather conditions, and illuminate any and all colors within the spectrum. The Smartstrip enables consumers to display dynamic effects and patterns throughout their homes, bars, venues, workspaces and more.
The color tunable and waterproof LED light strip is designed with an adhesive backing. This clever design makes for an easy installation process, allowing consumers to effortlessly liven any indoor or outdoor space. Users can install the ilumi Smartstrip behind a bed’s headboard and schedule a Maui morning sunrise to wake up feeling relaxed and ready for the day. Users can also place the Smartstrip underneath kitchen cabinetry and seamlessly transition atmospheres from bright white light for meal preparation to a warm glow when entertaining guests.
The IP65-rated Smartstrip can be placed around a front or back porch awning. Through the app, consumers can create schedules for the lighting to deter intruders. My favorite feature is the ability to create special lighting affects to show holiday spirit (we have some nice moving red & green effects), pride for favorite sports teams on game days (streaming virtually any color except black), or observe national holidays with red/white/blue color bars. Since it is the first outdoor rated IoT Bluetooth mesh light strip - I am especially looking forward to dressing up my deck with some nice color effects along with the outdoor rated B30 color tunable floodlights.
Cnet has a nice overview of the product and how it matches up to other strips on the market. The Kickstarter price starts at $59, and when the product reaches the market this fall, the street price will be $89. If you would like to back the project can order one here.
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