Rudy Kern
Rudy Kern spent a decade being challenged like everyone else by the sheer volume of time that networking requires — especially for systems integrators. Then the founder of Custom Integration Solutions hit upon an idea: what if I reverse the course so that integration can be optimized while shrinking networking time? “I didn’t see any structure to the network side of the systems we built,” Rudy Kern said, “As I spoke to my peers, I found that they too were experiencing the same problem.”
“Networking has been the highest investment of time with the smallest return. This is compounded by the fact that the entire system relies on this single component to work efficiently. I believe networking should require the smallest investment of time with a healthy margin and proven stability.”
This is where CIS’ newest solution comes into play for integrators in the home and commercial automation world — and also provides plenty of capacity for more hook-ins during our wild ride into the Internet of Things. An alternative to port- and cloud-based solutions, the CIS solution, of which new recurring revenue models will be formally introduced at CEDIA in Dallas in October, focuses on ease-of-installation (less than an hour) and two-ended security from intrusion on both the end user and integrator side.
“Our solution puts the tick marks in a number of boxes,” Kern said. “We have built multiple models for recurring revenue for the integrator. This has been in effect for some time now and will be formally introduced at CEDIA along with some other key features that we believe to be forward thinking.”
Kern used a catchy, instantly relatable analogy for Baby Boomers and Gen Xers to show the difference in range and performance integrators have seen thus far from the new solution. “As a young boy, I once built my own telephone,” he recalled. “It was highly efficient and effective, although it had a range issues. Sadly, the length of the string between the two tin cans was a limitation.
When I was a young man and required a mobile phone, I went to my provider, bought the phone, and they activated it. Performance with no range limitations!
Next Generation Systems
The current model has been distributed in Canada since January 2014, and has achieved three master distributors in the United States. Kern and his CIS team have been building relationships with key distributors to facilitate solid solutions for partners from distributors to integrators. A significant milestone is they are now a URC Total Control Industry Partner.
This major leap into next-generation systems integration is the culmination of 12 years of work for Kern. In that time, CIS has evolved from small to large systems, and is now versed in primary and subsystems systems involving the automation of heating/air, lighting, lighting distributed audio/visual/pools, gates, and more.When we discuss home automation, rarely do we hear about specific plants in specific parts of the yard. Or elderly living. Or creating instant water. Then again, it’s all part of “harmonizing the connected life”, as the Smartenit slogan goes, to take us further into seamlessness.
We paid a drop-in visit to Smartenit’s Southern California office on a sweltering late July afternoon to talk with CEO Al Choperena about the more refined applications of his technology. We got a quick idea of Choperena’s passion by the opened-up motherboards and circuit boards strewn across his office, a latter-life version of a Lego-covered boy’s bedroom. Then, Choperena showed a short video that encapsulated Smartenit’s state-of-the-industry, app-driven offering. “We take our firmware and put it into many different platforms, which satisfies our vision,” he said.
Two subjects were on Choperena’s mind. Not surprisingly during California’s Summer of Drought, one was water. “One of the biggest wastes of water comes when we turn it on and heat it up; sometimes, you wait a long time,” Choperena said. “However, it’s easy to get hot water instantly by circulating it through a pump with our controller after its first use, rather than using the water heater again — which uses up more water and energy. You’ll lower your energy costs.”
The other side of an overly dry — or wet — water season is outdoor watering. Smartenit has been ahead of the curve since day one through its integration with partner brands; now, Choperena and his team have ratcheted up the quality another notch. A sprinkler management kit embedding their technology includes the Smartenit Gateway, a ZigBee HA Range Extender, and ZigBee 16-valve irrigation controller. It all runs on the iSmartenit app.
“This is really important with the water scarcity we have,” he said, “You can deal with microclimates. The bad thing about smart timers is they don’t take every zone into account; how you plant the front is going to be different than how you plant the back. We can set each timer to the specific types of plants, their water needs, and soil and air conditions.
“This technology is also great for detecting slab leaks, which are prevalent in Southern California. Our pipes are buried beneath slabs, and they cause major issues. Yet another related application is the early detection of the overflow of air conditioner condensate so as to avoid damage to rafters.”
His other focus was on senior living and assisted care. Smartenit’s approach reaches beyond killer solutions and ease-of-use, and into the one thing most important to seniors: living with dignity. “There are many applications with our technology to help elderly people maintain their quality of life and independence,” Choperena said. “It’s a matter of dignity. But reality is reality. So, for example, we can put sensors on doors, include motion sensors, and everything can be monitored and controlled from the gateway. With that smart intelligence, you can alert someone when an undesirable situation occurs. You hit your Smartenit app, and it alerts a nurse, a monitoring center, facility personnel, relatives, etc.”— R.Y.
From intuitive set-up wizards, to viewing different areas of your home, Smartenit has a solution to fit your needs and is compatible with a growing number of manufacturer products.
Photo Credits: http://www.freeimages.com/jakub-krechowicz
