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FlipFlic IoT Gadget Automates Window Blinds

Posted: 13 Apr 2016 02:03 PM PDT

We focus so much on automating complex mechanism that we tend to forget about the things that could truly use going through such a process. A good example are window blinds, which now, thanks to FlipFlic can be opened or closed automatically, thus no longer causing you to waste time.

Touted as the first plug & play solution for window blinds, FlipFlic by Jalousier (read my first post on this company here here) is a zero-maintenance IoT gadget – in that it is solar powered and doesn’t require you to change its batteries – that will simply make your life better in more than just one way. Sure, it can save you the time you’d otherwise spend opening and closing the blinds, but on top of that, FlipFlic can also adjust the blinds when there’s too much light or heat. Not to mention that it can help you get a head start in the morning, as it can open the blinds just before you wake up.

“It just hit me; there’s got to be a way to automatically control indoor light and temperature without breaking your wallet on expensive and low tech motorized blinds,” recalls Ksenia Vinogradova, FlipFlic’s CEO and “Mom in Tech,” of the moment when she was confronted with opening 12 window blinds at home and even more at work. “Window blinds are there to regulate incoming heat and light, but it is nobody’s job to open and close them several times a day. Such a simple, but annoying task has got to be automated, just like many other things at home.”

“This is an exciting opportunity to design a really practical product that incorporates a lot of cutting-edge technology, including smart sensors and wireless integration,” added Sergey Vinogradov, FlipFlic co-founder and technology lead. “Our team was challenged to come up with a distinctive and iconic product design that would look terrific in any home.”

As any respectable IoT gadget, the FlipFlic comes with a companion app (available for both iOS and Android) that grants you full control over your blinds. Basically, you can set the FlipFlic to open or close them based on temperature, light, or according to a timer. Best of all, you can control multiple FlipFlic kits from within a single app, so imagine how easy it would be to lighten up a large conference room!

FlipFlic is currently featured on Kickstarter, where Ksenia and Sergey set a funding goal of $50,000. Given the innovation factor, it’s no wonder that the project hit this goal in just 9 days, and it’s now getting stretch goals. Early birds could get a FlipFlic kit for as little as $60, but those spots have long been gone, and now you’d have to pledge $85+ for a kit. Even so, the gadget is well worth the money, as it can help you save a lot of time and frustration.