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FROM SMART HOME TO SMART BUILDING 2018 is another year in which we see a big wave of technology convergence. Thanks to the latest development in all kinds of connectivity technologies, like 5G, Wi-Fi, NB-IoT, LoRa, Bluetooth, Zigbee, and Z-Wave, the penetration of IoT has become much more widespread across industries. If we look at the value of smart technology spending, smart city is usually the main driver that pushes governments, enterprises, homes, and the individuals to make investment and become connected. According to a report from International Data Corporation (IDC), smart cities spending will grow to US$158 billion in 2022. Along with the trend of smart cities, we have seen all the industries prepare for their next development for IoT. One of the examples is smart building. Smart buildings are like houses which have a management system connected to
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different electrical appliances. Since the building’s demand for energy efficiency is getting higher, many startups also provide innovations to the industry. A recent IDC report also indicated, “The global smart building technology market is projected to expand from $7.3 billion in 2014 to roughly $22 billion by 2018, good for a compound annual growth rate of more than 28 percent.” In the next half of 2018, SMAhome will also expand our editorial coverage, from homes and buildings to all businesses, to give our readers the update of latest IoT development. Just stay tuned and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
JILL LAI
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C O N T E N T S
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THROUGHTEK OFFERS COMPLETE CLOUD SOLUTION WITH ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE TUTK’s flagship service, the Kalay Platform, supports continuous video streaming and real-time data analytics. It leverages point-to-point (P2P) technology to enable live video transmission and help businesses save on operating costs associated with using more expensive relay servers.
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E X P L O R A T I O N
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18 Smart Lock Provides Multitude of Benefits to Hospitality Industry Players
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22 Hotels Embrace Mobile Strategy to Provide Custom Guest Service
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24 10 Smart Lock Solutions Made for the Hospitality Industry
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Home Security Automation & Control Lighting & Energy Other
2 E D I T O R
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10 LoRaWAN Going Strong in Connected Buildings from Simplicity and Cost Aspects
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36 S T A T S & F I G U R E S 42 N E W S
14 10 LoRa Gateways to Talk to Your Devices Kilometers Away V I E W P O I N T
38 Home Smart Home: ABB
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28 Amazon Alexa Gets Smarter and Continues to Improve 32 10 New Products with Amazon Alexa Integration 6 mySMAhome.com 2018
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41 Vietnam’s Top Smart Home Specialist Lumi Extends Its Muscles to Exporting and Hospitality Markets S OUR C I N G
G U I DE
47 Smart Home Sourcing Guide 2018 Autumn
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M Y S M A H O M E . C O M
40 Data Protection in the Center of Home Storage Universe: Seagate Technology
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By John Liu
ThroughTek Offers In the era of Internet of Things (IoT), cloud is an essential component. Companies large and small have entered the field to offer cloud solutions. Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Google Cloud, for example, have sophisticated services that perform all kinds of analytics and data crunching. There are also companies that offer more tailor-made or specialized analytics. One of them is platform provider ThroughTek Co. (also known as TUTK), which facilitates transmission of video data among connected devices.
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Complete Cloud Solution with Artificial Intelligence
UTK's flagship service, the Kalay Platform, supports continuous video streaming and real-time data analytics. It leverages point-to-point (P2P) technology to enable live video transmission and help businesses save on operating costs associated with using more expensive relay servers. The Kalay Platform offers a variety of modular features that include video streaming, recording solution, cloud storage, device management, account management, online payment, over-theair (OTA) update, push notifications and data analytics. With cloud storage, users have flexible storage options at lower costs; with account management, companies can define multiple user types and manage user permissions; with push notifications, users will be informed on device status and event triggers; with OTA update, users can upgrade software from their mobile app.
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“Every smart home will have some video requirement, especially for surveillance purposes. Many IoT companies are working with us, even Xiaomi’s video service uses TUTK’s solution. Our competitive advantage lies in our video data solution,” said Kenny Wu, Sales Director at TUTK. “Today the Kalay platform has about 40 million devices connected to it. The devices are not just sensors that transmit little data, up to 70-80% are video devices that require higher bandwidth for data transmission. A higher level of technical expertise is required,” said Vivian Huang, Manager of Marketing Department at TUTK. Most of TUTK’s customers are consumer brands in the U.S. and Europe. The U.S. market is very receptive to the cloud recording service, and people are comfortable paying it via monthly subscription. In the U.S., TUTK targets companies that sell DIY products in retail
stores like Best Buy. In fact, some camera makers are using the Kalay Platform for their backend services. Since the European market has more security and privacy concerns regarding cloud recording, TUTK works with local reputable telecoms that find Kalay Platform’s services appealing.
INTEGRATION WITH AI SOLUTIONS Recently TUTK began to integrate artificial intelligence (AI) into the Kalay Platform for applications in smart retail, home automation, surveillance and connected car. TUTK has the API to link the Kalay Platform to AI solutions provided by Google, AWS and other firms. One main application that uses TUTK's platform can be found in homes. When motion detection and facial recognition are used together, home security can be enhanced. When motion is detected,
TUTK is Committed to the GDPR Lately people have received emails from different companies detailing their personal data and privacy protection commitment. This is all due to the formal implementation of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in the European Union. The implementation of GDPR is of grave concern to enterprises worldwide, especially in this era of massive information transmission on the Internet and the increasing popularity of IoT applications. It is easy for companies to obtain and/or process information beyond the personal data collection process and overstep the boundaries of the GDPR. ThroughTek is an Internet of Things cloud-based service company with customers located around the globe in Europe, America, Japan, South Korea and China. As such, the company is aware of its responsibility to respect and protect personal privacy. It was certified by the British Standards Institute (BSI) in September 2017 and was also issued the ISO 27001 (Information Security Management System) certificate. ThroughTek has closely followed the GDPR, conducted education training to improve staff awareness of privacy protection, and adjusted the company’s organizational processes and services to enhance the transparency of personal data processing. The company continues to follow up and shares its experience with customers and supplier partners, by utilizing higher information security technology, updating privacy policy, optimizing products and services, appointing data protecting experts, and more. The European Parliament is currently reviewing another bill called Regulation on Privacy and Electronic Communications (ePrivacy). If the bill is approved, it may be implemented as soon as 2019. ePrivacy’s legislative spirit is the same with that of the GDPR, but focuses on network communication software and equipment. ePrivacy’s standards will cover online instant messaging services such as Skype, Line, WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger. Whenever companies want to use cookies, IP addresses, GPS coordinates, etc., they must obtain the user’s consent before placing the tracking code and data in the mobile phone. ThroughTek says its corporate growth goals are based on the concept of “respecting privacy and giving personal data control rights to individuals” and will continue to optimize privacy protection in its services in light of the future’s stricter privacy protection standards in the EU or other countries.
alay Home Smart Light Camera gives end-users access to all the solutions on the Kalay platform, K including P2P live view, cloud recording, push notification, OTA and AI applications.
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an outdoor camera will use facial recognition to identify people outside the door. A client of TUTK has integrated the Kalay Platform with AI so that an outdoor camera can perform facial recognition and send push notifications when someone rings the doorbell. The camera can tell whether it’s a family member or a stranger that comes to the door. If it is a family member, the door that is connected to the camera will be unlocked automatically. Likewise, an indoor camera can utilize facial recognition to identify family members in the house. And when a senior falls, the event will be detected by motion sensors while the camera verifies the senior’s identity. A push notification will be triggered from the Kalay Platform automatically, so that other family members will be alerted of the event. An indoor camera can also be applied for baby monitoring purpose. With facial recognition, the camera recognizes the baby’s identity. And the video feed will be used in combination with the breath, pulse and body temperature data gathered to verify the health condition of the baby. The camera’s facial recognition also have many applications outside homes. It can be applied in a smart retail setting, where merchants want to install cameras that can identify customers, so that they know when a frequent customer has arrived at the store and make merchandise promotions accordingly. In addition, AI can be applied in the transportation industry. For example, a camera can be embedded in the rear mirror to monitor the driver’s state. An alert may be triggered when the driver closes his or her eyes for more than three seconds, which may signal that the driver is very tired. An alert can then be triggered to prevent the driver from dozing off. Bus service and taxi service companies are likely to find the solution appealing. "Depending on what AI solutions our customers are looking for, we can integrate the needed services. The solutions are readily available, and we can help clients get them at reasonable prices," said Patrick Kuo, General Manager at TUTK. Facial recognition is becoming a mature technology that can have a 100% accuracy. Average consumers, however, normally would not require such level of accuracy because they mostly use it to identify a few people. The task, therefore, is finding the right solution provider. Providing AI as a service requires another set of know-how and expertise, which is not TUTK’s strong suit. The company wants to focus on strengthening the Kalay Platform, providing the right environment to enable AI. As such, it will be “AI services powered by TUTK or the Kalay Platform.” Kuo explained.
See ThroughTek’s latest products and services at CES 2019, Sands Expo, Booth# MR46646 from January 8-11.
ThroughTek Co., Ltd. www.throughtek.com
Tel: +886-2-2653-5111
Fax: +886-2-2653-5112
2018 mySMAhome.com 9
F O C U S
By Samantha Shen
LoRaWAN Going Strong in Connected
Buildings from Simplicity and Cost Aspects LoRaWAN, a big name in IoT wireless connectivity, is gaining a greater presence in smart homes and buildings.
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oRaWAN open standard is a type of Low Power Wide Area Network (LPWAN) protocol designed to wirelessly connect battery-operated devices to the Internet. With the long range characteristic, LoRaWAN fulfills key IoT requirement, such as bi-directional communication, end-to-end security, mobility, and localization services, regardless of regional or global networks. “LoRa Alliance is backing the standard LoRaWAN with over 500 companies, including big names like Google, IBM, Cisco, and more,” said Ryan Hickey, LoRaWAN Ambassador and COO of Eleven-x, an IoT solution provider and a member of LoRa Alliance.
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“We are working toward the same goal offering this open ecosystem to allow all the device manufacturers, networking equipment makers, and software developers to develop technologies that can interoperate with each other, as they all adopt the common standard,” he said.
LORAWAN SPECIALTIES OVERCOME ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS According to Hickey, LoRaWAN has the great advantage of a 5to 10-kilometer transmission range, which overcomes outdoor environment for wider network areas. The technology also focuses on the low data rate applications, meaning it’s suitable for devices that only transmit smaller amount of data in a relatively infrequent intensity. Examples are sensing solutions and metering facilities. Low data rate also enables a longer battery life. This directly lowers the maintenance Ryan Hickey, LoRaWAN cost, making the installation and management Ambassador & COO of Eleven-x economical. In addition, the transmission in
buildings or wider area requires no extra access points and is not limited to Internet connection, further emphasizes the low-cost benefit for IoT industries. To clarify, LoRa is the physical layer to create the long-range communication, and LoRaWAN is the open networking layer that delivers bi-directional communication, mobility, as well as localization services. “Following the same open standard, all the LoRaWAN-compliant devices and networking software are able to interoperate in the ecosystem,” added Hickey. While the specification defines the technical implementation, it does not strictly define any type of deployment, therefore offers the industry players the freedom to innovate the LoRaWAN usage based on individual demands. Day after day, the technology is differentiated into either shared or private systems designed for enterprise use or endusers.
LORAWAN SENSORS ARE THE EARLY INDICATORS OF SMART BUILDING ENVIRONMENTS A growing number of industry players are looking into the opportunity to apply LoRaWAN into smart buildings and homes. For commercial buildings, there’s a large desire for the efficient operation and management. As for the residential homes, the simple installation, maintenance and monitoring features are appealing. Sensors and gateways are the most common devices using LoRaWAN technology. According to Hickey, there are three types of LoRaWAN devices, and the Class A is the most common. With preset time frame or schedule, Class A devices only wake up on the certain times and send sensing data to the gateway, therefore consuming least power. Those long-lifetime battery powered sensors are within this type. On the other hand, the Class C devices are always listening to commands and are plugged to power. They can work as emergency alerts or automation controls with the lowest latency on downlink. Netvox and Radio Bridge are two IoT experts developing LoRaWAN devices and focusing in Kent Shen, Vice applications of smart home President of Netvox Technology and building.
Based on the abundant experience in IoT and Zigbee development, Netvox is an industry pioneer who already markets over 70 types of LoRaWAN products globally including hardware, cloud and software. “At the time we joined the LoRa market, a lot of areas have just passed infrastructural POC (Proof of Concept) and needed a lot of applicable solutions. Netvox devices supports multiple radio frequencies of different areas like Europe, US, Australia, Japan, India, and China, and had chances to deploy the IoT devices rapidly in cooperation with operators,” shared Kent Shen, Vice President of Netvox Technology. Netvox has complete product lines of gateways, environmental sensors, security sensors, wireless controls, and metering devices, covering both indoor and outdoor part of smart homes, offices, campus, and smart agriculture. For property managers or rental house owners, the Netvox patented multi-gateway system is a handy solution. The system combines all the management and data monitoring into one platform, making it easier to collect and supervise sensor readings from various locations under different networks. Denver-based Radio Bridge is a LPWAN technologies leader who supplies finished sensor to cloud solutions that run on LoRaWAN, Sigfox, and the proprietary protocol SUBGIG. “Long range, extended battery life and low cost are the three pillars of ideal sensor design. In the case of both LoRaWAN and Sigfox, the cost is less Steve Kilts, Co-founder than a dollar per month, per device, to connect and CEO of Radio Bridge directly to the network operator,” cited Steve Kilts, Co-founder and CEO of Radio Bridge. Radio Bridge works with network operators, gateway providers, and IT technology companies to deliver complete customized solutions. Kilts sees that the US market is having great interests in LoRaWAN deployment, and the building monitoring application is a potential that cannot be overlooked. “LoRaWAN technology doesn’t require additional wiring or building infrastructure. We’ve been discussing this benefit with hospitality customers and property managers who generally only need one gateway to cover the entire building for information collection,” explained Kilts. “This technology is the next step for home security and building monitoring. For service providers that focus on maintenance and warranties, the sensors are the early indicators for costly problems.”
LORAWAN FLEXIBILITY PUSHES ADOPTION UP The flexibility for tailored solution turns out to be another base of the innovations. “A proprietary hybrid IoT system by Netvox combines the advantages of LoRa and Zigbee, in this way the solution can overcome the communication of the wide outdoor environment and smart homes,” said Shen. “Within 1.5 years, Netvox’s LoRaWAN solution has gained success in this IoT trend. We are looking forward to the unlimited future of this technology.” Semtech, the provider who first rolled out LoRa technology and
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E X P L O R A T I O N
Smart home technologies are finding their way into hotels. It starts with the doors. Hoteliers are working on making their doors Bluetooth-enabled, so that guests can unlock the doors using their smartphones, which can then be used to control appliances inside the room, to connect to the hotel’s backend system to check in, to make payment for on-site services, among other functionalities.
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oday’s smart locks are known for their versatile ways to unlock: passcodes, fingerprint, physical key, IC card and smartphone. Of all these methods, IC card is most commonly seen in hotels. However, doors in hotels are about to be upgraded in the age of Internet of Things (IoT), allowing guests to unlock the doors using their smartphones. In order to let customers open door with their smartphones, hoteliers will need to add Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) connectivity to their doors. Bluetooth is like a standard in today’s smartphones, and with that, users can swipe their phone by Bluetoothenabled locks to open the door. When this happens, hotel guests will no longer need to check in at the front desk. Instead, they can just go straight to the room. Their phone essentially turns into an IC card that may also be used to take the elevator, enter the parking lot, use the gym, etc. Allowing guests to enter their rooms without stopping at the reception can cut down on expenses. This is one major incentive for hotels to implement smart doors. 18 mySMAhome.com 2018
By John Liu
Smart Lock Provides Multitude of Benefits to Hospitality Industry Players Some companies in the hospitality work and costs less than US$100 per industry are planning or in the stage door. ATW’s BLE connection runs of implementing BLE locks already. on the AES 256 bank-level security. It’s the latest door entry innovation “Compared with replacing the whole in the industry, according to Kevin door, the BLE module offers a painless Chen, General Manager of PowerTek upgrade,” said Sam Lin, CEO of ATW Hardware Co., an original design Technology. manufacturer that makes high-end Right now ATW is working with a door locks for clients in Europe and 5-star hotel in Taiwan that plans to North America. “Many technology add BLE connectivity for its doors. The companies, including ourselves as a installation can be completed by the lock provider, are thinking how to end of 2018 at the earliest, according implement mobile BLE for hotel door to Lin. locks,” Chen said. MOBILE APP FOR MORE Most existing doors in hotel are SERVICES equipped with RFID locks, which can In order to use the phone as a key, be opened with IC cards. Replacing consumers will have to download all the doors for BLE-enabled ones an app provided by the hotel. The will require substantial investment in app will provide even more services time and money, and therefore, can be and bring more conveniences to the challenging for hotels that are still in operation. To address this problem, ATW Technology Inc. has created a BLE module that can be inserted into RFID doors. This requires The BLE module made by ATW Technology is placed beside n a coin to illustrate its size. little mechanical installation
guests. ATW is making an app for its hotel client that has the mobile pay functionality. What it does is that customers will be able to use Apple Pay, Google Pay or LINE Pay (depending on which one is available on their phone) to buy products or services during their stay at the hotel. ATW says it is the first company to create an app that simultaneously supports all the three mobile pay options. The app has multiple functions. One is room automation: hotel guests may use the app to control lighting, among other devices, in the room. They may place morning calls, which may turn on the TV, pull the window drapes and sound the alarm clock, to make sure that guests wake up. The guests may also use the app to request room cleaning during a specific period of time, between 9 am and 10 am, for
example, when they want to leave for breakfast. One reason smart lock in hotels will take off is that it can integrate with smartphones which will provide further on-site services, according to Rupert Spaetauf, Managing Director of Häfele Taiwan Limited. “Smart lock is the future, because it can integrate with other smart devices to provide value-added on-site services, such as nearby restaurant and shopping recommendations.” Besides supplying architectural hardware in more than 150 countries, Häfele provides access control solutions to five-star hotels around the world. It is currently working with KEYPR, a cloud platform provider for the hospitality industry, to install BLEenabled door locks. “Everything is in the pipeline. It will happen, possibly in the next two months. It will be rolled
out in different parts of the world, wherever KEYPR and Häfele’s presence are seen,” Spaetauf said.
MOBILE KEY FOR VACATION HOMES The hospitality app has also found its way in vacation rental homes. One example is HoomVip, which can integrate with the ENTR smart lock provided by ASSA ABLOY to help vacation home owners in Spain manage their properties. Hoomvip offers a “live” in-app channel, which can include a personal video introduction by the vacation home owner, or details about how to operate the boiler and other appliances. Thus the owner can assist his or her guests remotely. “They can check guests in and out without an in-person key handover – 24 hours a day. And this option is essential for a property to achieve Business Travel 2018 mySMAhome.com 19
F E A T U R E
GETS SMARTER AND CONTINUES TO IMPROVE By John Liu
Amazon is the current bellwether of the emerging smart home industry. The company was the first to launch smart speakers and its smart home platform boasts the most applications. Over the years, Amazon has made various improvement. The Alexa voice assistant is getting smarter, new functionalities were added, and new business models were introduced to help firms generate sales. 28 mySMAhome.com 2018
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Shawn Lin, Associate Manager of Quanta Computer
mazon has been the No. 1 player in the emerging smart home industry. Its voice assistant Alexa and smart speaker Echo line have had the greatest number of users compared with its rivals’. This early lead gives Amazon an edge as nine out of 10 smaller companies will always seek Alexa compatibility when launching smart products. “Amazon’s strategy is to continuously roll out new hardware with Alexa built-in, like Echo, Echo Look, and Echo Show, for different purposes and spaces at home,” said Shawn Lin, Associate Manager of Quanta Computer, who is leading product development for the company’s smart home business venture EQL Technology. “Amazon has been repeating this business cycle in the past year, and has a nice grasp of customers’ behaviors
and needs.” EQL’s smart hub Ripple can control Bluetooth devices (sensor, blood pressure monitor, etc), infrared devices (TV, air conditioner, etc) and WiFi devices (IP camera, robotics vacuum, etc). When Ripple is connected with an Echo smart speaker, users will be able to control all these devices with voice. “From a manufacture’s perspective, we need to add the integration,” Lin said. Alexa is even more popular in the U.S., where the voice assistant is gradually finding wider applications. The recently-built elderly care housing Park Creak Independent Living in Texas is one example. The facility is equipped with complimentary Echo devices so seniors may utter commands to set reminders, call families or the front desk, and get dining and activity information in the community housing. Compared with other new technologies, using voice is more intuitive and so much easier for seniors. The user experience has been very positive, according to Park Creek. Tyllen Bicakcic, co-founder of CT Home, which develops custom Alexa skills for Park Creek, noted, “Alexa had a lot of third party integrations that we were more comfortable with using. Also in the United States a lot more seniors seem to be familiar with Alexa than Google Assistant.”
APP INTERFACE AND BUSINESS MODEL IMPROVEMENT The Alexa platform is used by many smart home companies. And improvement on Alexa is constantly made, according to Goodway Technology, which sells a Z-Wave gateway that has been certified by Amazon to work with Alexa. “After we upgrade our Alexa skill, the companion app will also be upgraded to provide more functions,” said Tony Chen, a project manager at Goodway. For example, the app had been able to just turn on or off a smart plug, but after the skill upgrade, the app can also show how long the plug has been used and how much electricity it has consumed, Chen said. Another improvement made on Alexa in the perspective of manufacturers is that Alexa skills can now generate revenues, instead of just providing free voice service to customers. Merchants providing Alexa voice service may add new commands to let their customers make purchases. A company that plans to do so is Zyxel Communications. The company’s mesh Wi-Fi system Multy X is recently integrated with Alexa, allowing users to check Internet speeds and turn off guest Wi-Fi via voice commands for free. In the future, Zyxel may introduce a subscriptionbased cybersecurity service, which customers may activate via voice commands. “The free voice service business model is not sustainable, and Google
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F E A T U R E
10 New Products with Amazon Alexa Integration ►Kohler Verdera Voice Lighted Mirror The mirror has two dimmable LEDs on each side, as well as a small nightlight that helps users make their way to the bathroom in darkness. The lighting can be adjusted via voice (up to 1000 lux) Users will get all of the functionality of an Amazon Echo, like shopping, playing music, or receiving traffic updates. Also, the Verdera serves as the centerpiece of the KOHLER Konnect portfolio of smart products, to let users control other KOHLER Konnect products by voice. Thde devices may also be controlled via an app.
►Garmin Speak Plus The in-car GPS device works with the audio system in the vehicle, providing high-quality sound through existing car stereo speakers. It also leverages the growing list of Amazon Alexa Skills. Garmin Speak Plus provides spoken turn-byturn directions on its color display. In addition, a 1080p dash camera gives lane-departure and forward- collision warnings. The built-in Alexa lets users play music, control smart home devices and even shop on Amazon while driving, by saying, “Alexa, ask Garmin … ” With wireless smart home connectivity, Alexa lets you remotely control various devices and systems — including lights, locks, thermostat and more — via spoken commands from your vehicle. For example, if you forget to lock your front door, you can do so remotely from your car without turning back. Or, if you realize you won’t be home for some time, you can remotely reset the thermostat so you’re not cooling or heating an empty home. The Speak Plus is available for US$179. • Garmin • www.garmin.com
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The mirror is available in three sizes: 24 inches US$999), 34 inches (US$1,199) and 40 inches (US$1,299). • Kohler • www.kohler.com
►First Alert OneLink Safe & Sound The ceiling-mounted smoke and carbon monoxide detector comes with a 10-watt speaker, giving it the capability of an Amazon Echo to control smart devices at home, as well as to play music and read the news. There is a battery backup in case the power goes out. The device warns users about danger in the home and its location with an 85-decibel alarm plus voice alert. With a companion app, Safe & Sound can also remotely notify you of the danger via your smartphone. Leveraging the optimal ceiling placement, Safe & Sound fills any room with immersive, 360-degree high-end audio. Advanced microphones let Safe & Sound hear your voice commands from any direction, even when music is playing, claims the company. The device is not cheap and costs US$249. • First Alert • www.firstalert.com
► Altec Lansing VersA at Home The alarm clock offers omnidirectional sound, and a large LCD display on the front to show the time. With Amazon Alexa hands-free far field technology, users will be able to wake up and find out all the information needed to start the day. “Alexa, will I need an umbrella today?” “Alexa, what’s on my schedule for today?” “Alexa, turn on the lights.” It has a 30-foot wireless range, and is compatible with Pandora, Amazon Music, Tunein, Uber, Nest, among others. Buttons on the top will let users raise and lower the volume, as well as skip tracks. It has Qi wireless charging built into its flat top, so users can refuel their smartphone at night. The product is available for US$149. • Altec Lansing • www.alteclansing.com
► Lenovo Thinkpad X1 Carbon The ultraportable laptop weighs 2.5 pounds and has up to 15 hours of battery life. It features 360-degree far-field microphones to better hear users’ voice. The laptop already has Cortana integration, so users can speak commands from 4 meters/13 feet away. Wake your device with a simple phrase. Users can quickly find files and calendar events, or put the system into Modern Standby mode, to improve battery performance. With Amazon Alexa on the new X1 Carbon, users can play music, get news, control smart home, or shop, using their voice. The computer is equipped with an 8th-Generation Intel Core CPUs, an optional 2560 x 1440 14-inch display with Dolby Vision HDR, built-in LTE, Windows Hello via a fingerprint reader and an infrared camera. There’s also a ThinkShutter webcam cover for privacy. The laptop is sold online for US$1,519. • Lenovo • www.lenovo.com
► Brilliant Control Smart Switch This smart switch lets users adjust lighting easily. The touch sliders let users swipe up/down to turn on/off lights, or hold the finger to dim. The switch has a motion sensor, so that lights can be set to go on/off when there are people in the room. A 5-inch touch screen allows users to access music, set up customizable scenes that control multiple smart home devices at once. It works with both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth to connect to other smart home devices. The device comes also with a microphone and a speaker, allowing voice control of lights. With Amazon Alexa Voice Services built in, users can ask the Brilliant Control things like “Alexa, what’s the weather today?” There is also a camera with physical privacy cover, providing audio/video intercom capability between two or more Brilliant Controls. The two-switch model costs US$299, the three-switch costs US$349 and the four-switch costs US$399. • Brilliant • www.brilliant.tech
► Sanbot Nano Sanbot Nano is designed for all the smart home needs. Amazon Alexa’s IoT functions enable you to control your smart home appliances such as curtains, TVs, lights and air conditioners, etc. With Amazon Alexa’s smart system, users can ask the home robot to order takeout, provide weather forecast, help find the answer to a question, remind appointments or tasks for the day, etc. Also, with the screen on the robot’s head, users can make hands-free video calls to anyone who has an Amazon Echo Show device, the Alexa app, or the Sanbot Q-Link App. Use the Sanbot mobile App Q-Link to turn on Sanbot’s HD camera and control the robot to patrol and monitor your house, child or pet, enabling you to immediately detect any unusual activity via mobile phone or PC. The robot is about 3 feet tall, and can roll around, interacting with different family members at home. It comes with seven microphones and 54 sensors to prevent it from bumping into objects and people. The head has 8-MP camera and a 10.1-inch touch screen. Users may also control it remotely from a smart phone app. The robot is priced at US$2,800 • Sanbot • en.sanbot.com
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S T A T S
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23% of UK Households Have Smart Home Devices
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mong the 4,000 respondents surveyed in the UK, 23% of them have at least one smart home device at home, according to research firm YouGov. The most popular smart home device in the UK is smart meter, with 18% of the respondents indicated ownership. However, most of the smart meters were given by utility companies. Many homeowners didn’t really make the purchase. Smart speaker is the second most popular smart device,
with 11% of UK households indicated ownership. 69% of them have Amazon Echo, making it the most popular smart speaker brand in the region. Other smart home devices have even lower market penetration among UK households. Only 6% of the respondents have smart thermostats at home, 5% have smart lights, 3% own smart security systems, 3% have smart scales, 2% have connected washing machines and 1% have smart vacuum cleaners.
Smart Home’s Healthcare Segment Grows 27% Annually
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ales of health and wellness solutions in the connected homes market totaled US$6.67 billion in 2017, and are expected to grow to US$22.26 billion by 2022, registering an annual growth of 27.3%, according to research company Frost & Sullivan. Companies like Google, Samsung, Philips and Deutsch Telekom have unique capabilities and value propositions to serve healthcare demands with their smart solutions, the research company says. Opportunities include providing an intelligent layer
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that will collect and analyze data to generate precise, customized insights for sharing with residents, caregivers and clinical care teams. Solution providers may enhance predefined architecture, protocols and standards to enable easier integration of products into platforms. Companies may offer smart thermostats, virtual voice assistance devices and smart security systems, and develop solutions that enable further actions, such as hailing an ambulance or notifying the care team of a heart attack or a fall.
Telecoms’ Smart Home Sales to Reach US$11.2 Billion in 2022
T
hanks to their existing relationship with customers, telecommunication companies, which provide internet connections and other services to households, will likely get a share of growing sales in the trending smart home market. The smart home market will generate US$11.2 billion in revenues for telecom companies by 2022, according to a recent report published by ABI Research. From voice-controlled smart speakers to security solutions, tech giants such as Google and Amazon are developing a range
of products and services for the smart home market. They are competing with telecoms for the profit share. “But things are changing and CSPs (communication service providers) are accelerating their strategies for the smart home,” says ABI Research. The report cites examples of how telecoms develop voice assistants to support their smart home strategies. Companies mentioned include Telefonica with Aura, Orange with Djingo, and SK Telecom with Nugu.
Only 2% of Amazon Alexa Users Ever Purchase via Voice
O
nly around 2% of Alexa users, mostly Echo device owners, have shopped via voice so far in 2018, according to a report by The Information. Of the people who did purchase via Alexa voice shopping, 90% didn’t use it again, says the report. While some analysts have said voice will bring new possibilities for online shopping, the data of Amazon seems to fall short of the expectation. About 20% of Alexa users did use voice shopping features to ask questions like “What are my deals?”
and “Where is my package?” to track their orders on Amazon.com. Amazon has sold about 50 million Alexa devices to date, according to The Information’s source. There are about 45,000 Alexa skills, and most users ask simple questions like weather forecast, set timers and play music. Smart home companies also promote the smart speaker as a control hub for lighting, door locks and thermostats.
Global Smart Lock Market Size to Reach US$24 Billion by 2024
T
he global smart lock market size is expected to reach US$24.20 billion by 2024, growing 60.1% during the forecast period, according to ReportLinker. Rising awareness about smart home solutions, surging demand for portable connected smart devices and growing preference for dynamic keyless locking/ unlocking mechanisms are some of the primary factors fostering the growth of, says the research institute. Governments across the globe are increasingly focusing on their efforts to enhance the adoption of smart homes
in their respective regions. Proliferation of wireless communication technologies coupled with growing awareness regarding connected devices is expected to propel the market. Growing adoption of smart lock technology for non-residential applications is anticipated to boost the market. For example, the hospitality industry has started adopting smart locks in response to growing concerns among customers regarding security during overseas stays. Hotels are, particularly, installing smart locks in order to enhance their brand image.
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V I E W P O I N T
By Samantha Shen
HOME SMART HOME: ABB
O
nce the preserve of the rich and famous, smart home technology is now accessible to millions of homeowners thanks to major technological advances and scalability in recent years. Research by business analysts, Frost & Sullivan, suggests the connected living market will have almost tripled in size from $250 billion in 2012 to $730 billion by 2020, and smart homes will account for around a third of this figure. “The advent of Internet of Things – which connects physical devices and vehicles with cloud-based control systems – has enabled us to make huge technological leaps in the field of building control," explained Olaf Stutzenberger, Global MarCom Manager of Building Automation, ABB. “Modern homeowners want to be connected at all times and they can now control every element of their property – from lighting through to heating, air conditioning, door communication and indoor scenes – at the touch of a button. This can be done with a switch on the wall or from anywhere in the world via PC or a smartphone app, making the lives of home owners and building managers easier, safer and smarter," he added.
OPEN TECHNOLOGY POWERED BY ABB ABILITY ABB is committed to using open platforms powered by ABB Ability, the company’s cloud-based, industry-leading portfolio of digital solutions. This means that customers can pick and choose from a range of services and products from ABB and other manufacturers. Bringing all technology together is ABB’s new MyBuildings
▲ The ABB-free@homeTouch 7" provides intuitive visualisation, display and signalling for ABB-free@home home automation system.
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At the forefront of delivering affordable smart home technology is ABB and its unique ABBfree@home system, which can quickly and cost effectively transform any house or apartment into an intelligent home.
online portal where a wide range of automated home and building services can be managed and controlled. This includes ABB-free@home (home automation system), ABB-Welcome (door entry system) and ABB-secure@home (intrusion and alarm system), providing protection both inside and outside the home as well as safeguarding against fire, gas leaks and flooding.
SAFE AS HOUSES The ability to protect and keep your home safe, even when you’re not there, is one of the most important functions of smart building automation and ABB-secure@home can be used to manage and monitor all of a building’s security and access control functions. The intruder alarm can be armed and disarmed either with the stylish ABB-WelcomeTouch panel or remotely via the MyBuildings portal with a PC or mobile smart device. It provides effective infrared detection both outside and inside the home as well as door and window opening alerts. The home can be split in to pre-defined zones and interior detectors continually monitor the atmosphere for gas, smoke or water leaks. ABB-secure@home uses the latest wireless technology with bi-directional communication allowing the system to be installed in the most convenient position to maximize protection. It also integrates seamlessly with ABB-free@home and the ABBWelcome door entry system, which features a video system and optional finger-print or PIN code access technology.
Even when a building is empty for extended periods, such as the summer holidays, homeowners can see visitors arriving and talk to them, while controlling the lights and remotely giving access via a smartphone or tablet. The door entry system lets users control the front door with a smartphone anywhere there is a Wi-Fi or mobile signal. Whether you’re lazing by the pool or enjoying the hustle and bustle of a city break, your smartphone sends you a notification when someone’s at the door. The camera module integrated into the ABB-Welcome door lets you decide whether to let the visitor in or not and also captures images, which can be downloaded to any registered mobile device. The system can be configured for multiple users and its event log synchronizes regularly with the MyBuildings portal for missed caller alerts. With ABB-free@home, creating scenarios that make your home look occupied when you’re not there is simple. Blinds can be programmed to go up in the morning, lights to switch on in the evening and even the TV can automatically be switched on and off – the possibilities are almost unlimited. Window sensors are also very useful to protect your home against unauthorized access. They monitor the current position of the window handle and the home automation system will automatically notify the owner of any changes.
SPEAKING UP Voice control is one of the fastest growing areas of the smart building market and ABB was the first to launch a voice-activated control system, compatible with the big three market leaders – Amazon, Google and Apple. Busch-VoiceControl KNX is capable of managing up to 150 building functions, such as lighting, heating and window blinds and, is fully configurable via MyBuildings portal. The device monitors current home conditions including room temperature, light intensity, humidity and will also detect any motion or occupancy within the property. This allows the homeowner to receive information about the current status of his home. “Digitalization through ABB Ability is a key driver for our business. Whereas remote access and control of building systems was once viewed as an add-on, the combination of automation and data exchange is now at the heart of our new product development," said Olaf.
LET THERE BE LIGHT Not only is light one of the best deterrents against intruders, it is also a key element in creating a welcome and relaxing environment in the home. From switching the lights on at home as you leave work for the day, through to creating a fully immersive experience with your favorite film or album, ABB can deliver an extensive range of lighting options. ABB smart switches are able to turn lights on and off, dim specific bulbs and control preferred light scenes for different times of the day, all from a fully-configurable app. Homeowners can easily control their lighting and even synchronize it with home entertainment systems to create a totally personal experience.
SECURITY APPROACH In a world where cybercrime is becoming increasingly prevalent, ABB customers can rest assured that all of its systems operate with an innovative, multi-layered approach to security. ABB Ability collaborates with Microsoft Azure to give customers access to an enterprise-grade cloud infrastructure for secure data storage. “ABB is at the cutting edge of smart homes and buildings. Our focus is on developing residential and commercial buildings solutions that deliver increased energy efficiency, comfort, convenience and security for our customers,” concluded Olaf.
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SOURCING GUIDE
HOME SECURITY • HOME AUTOMATION • CONNECTED HOME
2018 Summer Edition
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Key Component & Module 2018 mySMAhome.com 47
S O U R C I N G
G U I D E
SMART HOME SOURCING GUIDE - 2018 SUMMER Top picked 200 original manufacturers and suppliers' info for international buyers' sourcing of home security, home automation and connected home.
WiFi-based Makers COMPANY
Country
Website
Main Category
A/S COSESY
Denmark
www.cosesy.com
partner@cosesy.com
Software/Platform Design
ABB
Germany
www.abb.com/buildings
contact.center@de.abb.com
Home Automation&Controls
AFIDUS
Taiwan
www.afidus.com
sales@afidus.com
Home Security
AHOKU ELECTRONIC
Taiwan
www.ahoku.com
sales@ahoku.com
Home Security
AIFA TECHNOLOGY
Taiwan
www.aifa-develop.com
aifa@aifa.com.tw
Home Automation&Controls
AIRLIVE (OVISLINK)
Taiwan
www.airlivesecurity.com
info@airlive.com
Home Security
ALPHA NETWORKS
Taiwan
www.alphanetworks.com
sales@alphanetworks.com
Home Security
AMARYLLO
Netherlands
www.amaryllo.eu
sales.ai@amaryllo.eu
Home Security
AMBI LABS
Hong Kong
www.ambiclimate.com
social@ambiclimate.com
Home Automation&Controls
ARDOMUS NETWORKS
Taiwan
www.ardomusnet.com
contact@ardomusnet.com
Home Automation&Controls
ARM TAIWAN
UK
www.arm.com
support@arm.com
Software/Platform Design
ASROCK
Taiwan
www.asrock.com
marketing@asrock.com.tw
Home Automation&Controls
ATW TECHNOLOGY
Korea
www.atw.com.tw
jane@loopcomm.com
Home Security
AVADESIGN TECHNOLOGY
Taiwan
www.avadesign.com.tw
john@avadesign.com.tw
Home Automation&Controls
AYLA NETWORKS
USA
www.aylanetworks.com
contact@ayla.com.cn
Software/Platform Design
BATIO
Korea
www.batio.co.kr
sales@batio.co.kr
Home Security
BINTRONIC
Taiwan
www.bintronic.com
bintronic@bintronic.com
Home Automation&Controls
BRAINCHILD ELECTRONIC
Taiwan
www.brainchild.com.tw
jeffchang@brainchild.com.tw
Home Security
BRINNO
Taiwan
www.brinno.com
sales@brinno.com
Home Security
CAP-TECH
Taiwan
www.cap-homey.com
servicebest@cap-tech.com.tw
Home Automation&Controls
CHINA SECURITY & FIRE IOT SENSING IHORN
China
www.ihorn-tech.com
rita.xie@ihornmail.com
Smart Home Alarm Panel Beam Sensor
CLIMAX
Taiwan
www.climax.com.tw
sales@climax.com.tw
Home Automation&Controls
COMMAX
Korea
www.commax.com/eng
pcy@commax.com
Home Security
CVICLOUD
Taiwan
www.opro9.com
opro9.sales@opro9.com
Home Energy&Lighting
DAHUA
China
www.dahuasecurity.com
overseas@dahuatech.com
Home Security
DEXATEK
Taiwan
www.dexatek.com
sales@dexatek.com
Home Automation&Controls
D-LINK
Taiwan
www.dlink.com
sales@dlink.com
Home Automation&Controls
ECOA
Taiwan
www.ecoa.com.tw
info@ecoa.com.tw
Home Automation&Controls
48 mySMAhome.com 2018
P R O D U C T
HOME SECURITY Kwikset
KWIKSET SMARTCODE 888 TOUCHPAD ELECTRONIC DEADBOLT www.kwikset.com
Kwikset SmartCode 888 delivers the latest Z-Wave Plus technology and the convenience of remote management of lock access. The instant notifications provide simple and convenient monitoring of the doorlock. With preset schedules, SmartCode 888 also works seamless with lighting, thermostat, or alarm systems. • Motorized mechanism to enable true remote locking and unlocking • Offers extended Z-Wave Plus wireless range, over-the-air firmware updates, and superior wireless encryption • 30 user codes with optional Mastercode feature for added security • Manged by Kwikset’s Home Connect technology
EZVIZ
EZVIZ MINI O PLUS WI-FI CAMERA www.ezvizlife.com
Just introduced to the UK market, EZVIZ Mini O Plus is a 1080P indoor WiFi camera that is integrated with IFTTT and able to work with both Amazon Alexa and Google Home Assistant. Its magnetic base quickly fixes to any magnetic surface or use the magnet and fixing plugs to find the perfect position at home. Users can thereafter keep an eye on all the home activities from anywhere via the app. • Built-in omnidirectional microphone • 135-degree field of view • Accepts up to a 128GB micro SD card • Voice control: name each camera and ask the voice assistant to show the live video footage • Automatically switches to night vision mode
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Ooma
OOMA BUTTERFLEYE SMART VIDEO CAMERA www.ooma.com
Ooma Butterfleye is a smart home video camera that tells the family members, pets, and strangers. With built-in storage and battery backup, Ooma Butterfleye works 24/7 to protect, even if there happens to be an internet or power outage. For complete safety, it captures activity 5 seconds before a triggered event so users will always know what happened from start to finish. • Automatically arms and disarms the system based on users’ GPS location • 1/3” 3.5 megapixel full color CMOS sensor • 120-degree field of view • 1080p full HD video with 8x digital zoom • H.264 encoding • Wireless: 802.11 b/g/n 2.4 Ghz with WEP, WPA, WPA2 support • Bluetooth Low Energy 4.0 • With built-in passive infrared, accelerometer, and sound sensor
Monoprice
MONOPRICE SMART DOOR/ WINDOW SENSOR www.monoprice.com
The sensor detects when a door or window is open and sends an instant notification directly to a mobile device whenever there is a change. No hub or gateway is required. It works with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. The sensor provides simple 24/7 remote monitoring of home and office entry points, directly from Android or iOS smartphone or tablet. • Radio frequency: 2.4 ~ 2.484 GHz • Supported network protocols: IEEE802.11 b/g/n • Wireless range: Up to 147 feet (45m) • Power source: 2x AAA Batteries • Operating temperature: +14 ~ +104°F (-10 ~ +40°C) • Storage temperature: -40 ~ +158°F (-40 ~ +70°C) • Relative humidity: 8 ~ 80% RH, non-condensing
AUTOMATION & CONTROL Lenovo
LENOVO SMART DISPLAY www.lenovo.com/us/en
Stepping into the market for only a few days, Lenovo Smart Display brings Google Assistant to homes not only with voices but brilliant visual interactions. Just start with “Hey Google”, and users will see reminders, routines weather forecasts, home camera footages, and a lot more tasks and information supported by Google Assistant. For smarter home management, Lenovo Smart Display controls over 5,000 smart home products from over 250 brands—from air purifiers and coffee makers to security systems. • Hands-free video calls on Google Duo. And when not in use, users can physically switch off the camera and microphone • Supported by Qualcomm Home Hub Platform • WLAN connectivity: 2 x 2 WiFi 802.11 ac 2.4G/5G, MIMO • Bluetooth: Bluetooth LE & 4.2 • Supports multi-room audio
Elsner Elektronik
ELSNER ELEKTRONIK CORLO TOUCH KNX DISPLAY www.elsner-elektronik.de
Corlo Touch KNX Display is not only a device switch via touch controls, but a screen for displaying text, images or graphics. In addition to current readings and messages, the KNX bus system can also display photographs. Concurrently, users can set up Corlo Touch KNX for automatic shading, ventilation and air conditioning regulation. When connected to the home network, it can also display network content such as web pages, IP camera images or visualizations. • Display content can also be shown on a smartphone when a VPN connection is provided externally • 3.5-inch touch-sensitive interface • With 10 display pages, which can be configured with different areas for control or display purposes • With integrated proximity sensor for fast activation from standby mode and brightness sensor for automatic adjustment of the display lighting • Up to 16 scene controls and 5 automatic channels • KNX WL supported WLAN standards: IEEE 802.11b/g/n, 2.4 GHz • Supported WLAN Security: 64/128-bit WEP, WPA-PSK, WPA2-PSK • Configuration is made using the KNX software ETS
Telldus
TELLDUS TELLSTICK Z-NET LITE V2 Z-WAVE GATEWAY telldus.com
JUNG
JUNG SMART CONTROL 5 www.jung.de
The second version of TellStick Z-Net Lite combines full support for both Z-Wave and 433MHz. As the center of a smart home ecosystem, it communicates in two way via Z-Wave, and transmits and receives signals at 433MHz, which provides wide compatibility with existing receivers and sensors. Schedules and event notifications run locally on TellStick Z-Net Lite V2 even though the Internet is not available. • Personalized configuration is made in Telldus Live! cloud service • Supports schedules for fixed times or depending on the sun movements • Additional service from Telldus Live! Pro: to receive email and SMS when events occurred • Range: 30 meters • Frequency: 868.42MHz (EU) + 433.92MHz • Z-Wave chip: 500 Plus
Newly launched JUNG Smart Control 5 is a compact flush-mounted touch display. It is pre-installed with the Jung Visu Pro and Smart Visu server, as well as eNet Server for simple building automation. The highresolution graphic display brings bright colors and sharpness to the home control. With an integrated proximity sensor, the display wakes up from standby mode when the user steps forward to operate it. A brightness sensor automatically adapts the display brightness to the light conditions in the room. • Compatible with Siedle Smart Gateways for the connection to the door communication devices • Installation in flush-box according to DIN 49073 • JUNG Visu Pro is the commercial software solution for visualization and control of KNX building automation systems • Smart Visu app is the KNX visualization server for one-family house or flat automation • Power supply: PoE according to IEEE 802.3af or DC 24 V via external power supply • With integrated gateway and speaker
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