We have been piloting a smart home project with our youth ambassador to give our children independence within their own home. When we began researching smart homes we were shocked to learn the prices that professional companies were charging started from £10,000. We found this particularly frustrating as smart homes encompass the technology to enable disabled people to live a more independent life. We arranged for Maplin Electronics to visit Myles for a free smart home survey and purchased the equipment for Myles to trial. Myles is now able to control his TV, lights, plugs and blinds via voice activation smart home technology. This is ground-breaking for children like Myles who have had to rely on others to complete tasks such as opening curtains or turning on a piece of equipment. Myles is now able to control all of this from his Amazon Show, which is a tablet form of the smart home amazon Echo. This coupled with TP Link plugs has enabled Myles to gain access to a new world of freedom.
The smart home kit will comprise of a Amazon Show, 6 TP Link plugs, a WIFI booster, an Amazon Firestick, 2 light sockets and an Amazon Dot at a cost of £500 per kit.
The extraordinary aspect of these kits is the lack of limitation to the technology and that existing kits can be built upon, i.e. lift and thermostat controls, front door locks, and kitchen appliances. Amazon technology also provides multiple apps to access educational learning, which non-vocal children can access though touch technology as opposed to voice command. We have hundreds of children that are ready to access this technology now and begin enjoying the huge benefit and self-esteem building it will bring to their lives. We now need the funding.
Below are two videos of our youth ambassador showing you what can be achieved from the new packs and also how to programme your alexa.