Issue Focus: Healthy Home Tech

Healthy Home: Seeing is Believing

Residential Tech Pros Offering Human-Centric Lighting Systems Share Their Experiences

By Mark Moody

Kevin Flower and Acoustic Designs Group, in Scottsdale, AZ, have been offering HCL systems for the past two years. Part of the decision to design a new showroom was to demonstrate and live with the technology.

Today’s homeowners are growing increasingly interested in residential wellness technologies. After all, while a few hundred years ago most of our lives took place outside, these days we spend up to 90 percent of our time indoors. The result is that indoor environmental conditions have a profound impact on our health, productivity, and overall well-being. And since our internal clocks – or circadian rhythms – still take their cues from the Earth’s natural lighting cycle, nothing has a greater effect than indoor lighting.

Human-centric lighting (HCL) systems address this issue by rendering ideal natural lighting conditions indoors. Furthermore, an HCL system allows for customizable control over light color and intensity, regardless of the time of day. Set your “Awake” scene to mimic natural light before the sun comes up. Transition your dining table to a workspace by rendering cool, high-intensity light to help you focus. That’s the beauty of an HCL system – homeowners can enjoy natural light when and where they need it.

This technology has been used in commercial spaces where occupants have little to no access to natural light, and it is starting to make an impact in the residential space as well. As a result, more residential technology professionals are adding HCL to their line-ups. For those thinking of taking the plunge, we at Vantage thought it would be helpful to get in touch with some of our dealers who are already offering HCL systems and ask them to share their experiences. Our conversation was with Scott Abel, director of quality and customer, SAV Digital Environments, Bozeman, MT; Kevin Flower, principal, Acoustic Designs Group, Scottsdale, AZ; and Gabe Rivera, partner, Digital Habitats, Dallas, TX.

Residential Tech Today: How long have you been offering HCL systems?

Scott Abel: A little over a year.

Kevin Flower: We’ve been offering HCL systems for the past two years. Part of the decision to design a new showroom was to demonstrate and live with this technology.

Gabe Rivera: We’ve been offering HCL systems for the past three or four years.

RT Today: Why did you add HCL to your offering?

Abel: Human-centric lighting is one of the most revolutionary technologies to hit the CI market for a long time. Learning about and integrating technologies as HCL arms us with the tools and the ability to offer even deeper integration solutions for our clients.

Gabe Rivera and Dallas-based Digital Habitats recently added human-centric lighting to its product offerings, as people have been focusing more on their health and their home environment.

Flower: I believe in it. I strongly believe there is a correlation between light and how the human body functions. With the fairly recent innovation of the LED light source, it was only a matter of time until we could harness its true potential as an optimum light source.

Rivera: Lighting control in general has always been a big part of our offering. We’ve added HCL specifically because there’s been a higher demand for it over the last few years as people have been focusing more on their health and their home environment. And with a lot of people working remotely due to COVID-19, we’ve seen a significant uptick in people asking about it.

RT Today: Has HCL been a successful addition to your line-up?

Abel: We have integrated a few human-centric lighting systems over the past year and are confident that by offering HCL, we are showing our clients that we are a forward-thinking firm that is open to embracing new technologies, especially ones meant to improve the quality of life.

Flower: It has been very successful, but it takes a little bit of knowledge and understanding by

both the consumer and our design team.

Rivera: Absolutely. And it really goes hand in hand with our offering of shading systems, so it’s had an impact there as well.

RT Today: Have your clients been asking about adding HCL to their homes, or is it something you’ve been selling them on, or both?

Abel: Very few people know about humancentric lighting, and it’s a tough sell unless it can be experienced, so we have strategically integrated it into our showroom spaces for others to come and experience for themselves.

Flower: We always start at the top and work our way down. With HCL, clients are guaranteed to have the right color, mood, and intensity at any time. It’s a lighting designer’s dream.

Rivera: It’s a combination of both. We’ve had a lot of previous clients reaching out about HCL, especially recently. Much of that has been offthe-cuff questions, but once we explain it – how it works with circadian rhythms and contributes to their overall wellbeing – people tend to get

really interested. Many start off small with HCL in their bedroom, family room, or kitchen area and then add on from there. Others prefer to have it installed in phases. We also work with a lot of new home builds, and HCL is a pretty easy conversation to have with homebuilders. And interior designers love it for the lighting design aspect it brings to a home.

RT Today: When selling HCL to clients, how do you go about communicating the technology’s benefits?

Abel: Technology helps bring a space to life, give it a voice, make it comfortable, set a mood, and improve the overall aesthetic. All of these factors are crucial to the impact any environment has on the individual. HCL adds to this experience, giving people the ability to now mimic what’s happening outdoors, indoors, throughout the course of a day or an evening. Light intensity, color rendering, color temperature, and so much more, human-centric lighting will help create spaces specific to individual needs. It has the potential to make a very meaningful impact on the overall wellbeing of other people’s lives.

Scott Abel, SAV Digital Environments, in Bozeman, MT, strategically integrated human-centric lighting into their showroom spaces for others to come and experience for themselves.

Flower: By showing them. We have them sit in a space and we run through a curated program so they can experience the technology first-hand.

Rivera: One of the ways we do this is to take new clients to previous clients’ homes and have them show off their HCL systems. Previous clients are pretty excited to do this and most of the time we pair new clients up with people that live close to them – so they get to meet someone in their neighborhood – and that have systems similar to what they’re looking for.

RT Today: What are the typical concerns clients have when considering incorporating an HCL system, and how have you addressed them?

Abel: Price, ease of use, and reliability.

Flower: The biggest concerns are price and control requirements. Most of the time when we are getting a client interested in HCL, we are able to trade off its costs by using controls such as Vantage, which streamline and limit the hardware necessary to run the HCL system. Having conventional lighting schemes with multiple switch legs running back to a lighting panel is costly. Being able to wire more lights together and have the technology in the fixture brings costs down.

Rivera: Ease of use is definitely the biggest concern, both for the client and us. If it’s not easy to use, they’re not going to like their system. And we’re not going to like rolling out for a bunch of service calls. So it’s in everybody’s best interest that the system is simple to operate. And we ensure that by being selective in the products we use, based on years of experience and testing things out. Another concern is whether or not having an HCL system installed makes sense financially. Is it going to save them money in the long run? What is the upfront investment? I’ve found that once we’ve demonstrated an HCL system for a client, budget questions often go away. And again, they can start off with a very basic system or have the installation done in phases if they want to. And the last big concern is reliability. People see that there are a lot of moving parts in an HCL system and worry that there will be issues due to that. But again, it’s in our best interest to make sure the system is perfectly reliable. Like every other integrator, we rely on referrals from satisfied clients, and you don’t get those by putting in unreliable systems.

RT Today: What advice would you give a dealer considering adding HCL to their offering?

Photos: Audrey Hall Photography

Flower: Having a showroom is a necessity. That way you have control over what your clients will be experiencing, and how they will experience it.

Rivera: Go for it! People really appreciate these systems when they’re done well — whether it’s for their wellbeing, overall convenience, or just to have something to brag about.

Conclusion

For residential tech professionals willing to put in the work and educate themselves, HCL can make a successful addition to their offering that increases revenues and positions them as forward-thinking leaders. However, widespread adoption of any new home technology takes time and there are sure to be obstacles along the way; HCL is no exception. For homeowners, the most common concerns when considering purchasing a system include cost, ease of use, and reliability. But seeing is believing when it comes to HCL, and all three issues can be addressed by wowing potential clients with these technologies in action, whether it’s through showroom demonstrations or having them visit previous installations. So, if you’re considering adding HCL to your line-up, the door to opportunity is wide open. Come on in. x

Digital Health and Medicine in the COVID-19 Era

Keeping a Handle on Your Health During the Pandemic and Beyond

By Michael Heiss

Many things have changed since we all began to navigate the changes brought by COVID-19. Think of it: “take out” is the new “dine in,” where printed menus and even touch screens have given way to “contact-free transactions.” Meetings and events, from family visits to business meetings, everything from wedding celebrations to funerals and memorial services have gone virtual.

Some things, however, still require physical contact: blood tests, injections, dialysis and infusions, radiation therapy, dentistry, chiropractic visits, surgery, “touch-intensive” physical exams, and the like. You simply can’t “phone those in.” On the other hand, as people in remote locations or where medical professionals are not geographically close, what is generally put under the umbrella of “telemedicine” has been helping people and saving lives for years.

Thanks to “stay at home” recommendations, video conferencing and allied distance-medicine tools are being used by even the most urban city dwellers. Most of my own doctors are less than five miles away, as are four hospitals and a myriad of specialized out-patient surgery centers. Yet, other than a socially distanced cardiologist visit, my wife and I have had “virtual doctor visits” with some of our physicians.

Yes, hopefully, things will change sooner than later, but what will the “new normal” mean for those of us who specify, install and maintain residential tech ecosystems as well as those who are consumers? What are the key things to know?

First, a few terms and definitions are in order as you figure out what to do and what to ask your own providers. At the top of the list is the difference between “telehealth” and “telemedicine.”

Telehealth is a broad category of health-related services, products, and devices that use remote communication to enable the dissemination and perhaps the collection of data allied with the health profession. Participating in a seminar about medical issues, transmitting a prescription to a pharmacy, and collecting data from a monitor are typically defined as being under that banner.

On the other hand, telemedicine is generally defined as a more direct communication between a clinician and a patient, regardless of whether it is video or audio-only. If a one-to-one “visit” is virtual, rather than in person, that’s telemedicine. Put another way, if you send data from a home medical sensor or device such as a blood pressure or EKG app, that’s telehealth. When the clinician follows up with you virtually to let you know what the data means, that is telemedicine.

A side note: I’m using the term “clinician” rather than “doctor” intentionally. These days parts of your health care may be taken care of by a nurse practitioner, a physician’s assistant, or an RN. These people deserve the respect they sometimes don’t receive as they are a key part of the health care team.

There is another bit of nomenclature that you should understand when considering the data gathering side of telehealth: medical-grade devices versus health devices. Both classes of devices may do the same thing, but the difference is in the accuracy and repeatability of the results. A good example of that is using a “smartwatch” for reading blood pressure versus a product with a full inflatable sensor. That’s where the products you have seen in the doctor’s office with the “cuff” on your arm, or a novel product such as Omron’s HeartGuide, differ from a sensor on the bottom of a watch. The watch isn’t bad, and for many, it does the

The lights on the bottom of the new Apple Watch Series 6 enable it to measure your blood oxygen saturation. Photo courtesy of Apple

trick. A medical-grade device just does it better.

As you shop for and evaluate products for health care measurement, it is also good to be aware of what is meant when you see the term “FDA Cleared.” This means that the FDA has evaluated the data supplied by the manufacturer to support any claims. However, this wording does not mean that the FDA has (in almost all cases, depending on the category “Class”) actually looked at or tested the device. It means that any claims for the device have been backed up, typically with peer-reviewed studies.

Looking at specific devices, I’ve already mentioned blood pressure monitors. They are key to helping you work with a clinician to adjust medicines and, perhaps, even more important, monitor for the activity that might lead to a stroke or other serious condition. In addition to picking a device that suits the individual, with these or other similar devices, it is always a good idea to take the blood pressure device to a physical clinician visit once to have your readings compared to a good, old fashioned, sphygmomanometer. You know that thing on the exam room’s wall with the glass tube of mercury that looks similar to an old thermometer. The use of mercury has put these out of production, but many offices have them.

those, you have a mental calibration of the just as the sphygmomanometer is a baseline for the true blood pressure reading.

The Kardia 6L takes readings both from your thumbs as well as your upper leg.

One other type of telehealth device that has gained popularity in the past year or so is personal EKG (or, as some show it, ECG) products They give you the ability to have some idea of heart activity other than when you are in the doctor’s office. ALWAYS remember that at-home EKG recording is not a substitute for a true EKG taken with 12 or even more leads. It cannot, on its own, predict or warn of a heart attack.

Omron’s “Complete” measures your blood pressure and takes an EKG and When used properly, not only keeps a record of the readings in an app, but it can also send the however, these products data to a doctor for analysis. warn you of atrial fibrillation A Pulse Oximeter (Afib) or arrhythmia. Those such as this one from with this condition have a SantaMedical is an risk of stroke that is five times higher than easy way to check your pulse and blood average. With both watches and purposeoxygen. designed devices, do a one-lead EKG and record it. Some have algorithms built into the product that can warn of the possible irregular heartbeat so that you can seek medical advice or attention. Most also use apps to record the readings so that you may send them to a cardiologist. Some devices such as those from Kardia or Omron even include an evaluation of the first reading by By comparing your digital device to one of personal baseline. a cardiologist that helps the app further set a accuracy of your personal device. Even better, Using them is simple: For watches, you touch the clinician may then be able to help you take the crown until the reading is complete. For better readings on your own. other products, you place your thumbs on That advice for the use of digital telehealth devices is also worth remembering with regard conductive pads. As with any product category, there are differences. For example, the Kardia to “touchless” digital thermometers. Whether 6L takes readings both from your thumbs as you have one for business or personal use, every well as your upper leg. This gives you the once in a while, take someone’s “skin equivalent of a “six lead” EKG, that while not as temperature” with the touchless unit and accurate as what you get in the doctor’s office or compare it to a reading of the person’s “core hospital, is a better and more accurate indication body” temperature using a more conventional of heart activity than a single-lead device. device that touches the person’s body. Compare Another interesting product is Omron’s the two and see if you need to figure any Complete. This combines the sensors for a singledifference in the results. The “internally driven” lead device with a cuff-driven, medical-grade, core body temperature is the guiding baseline, blood pressure reader into one product. This, combined with the Omron Connect app, gives you and your providers a combined EKG and BP reading for even better baseline information of two related and key health parameters.

Particularly in the era of the pandemic, another health measurement that is becoming important is blood oxygen saturation. This is not something to look at every day, as you might with blood pressure or perhaps a heart check for readings that might detect Afib. However, if you are in a front-line job or are disease compromised, it’s a good thing to know.

This measurement is something that you’ve encountered at your last visit to the doctor or clinic. That small device that looks like a chip clip with a digital readout is a pulse oximeter. It uses light technology to measure the oxygen, and the clip measures your pulse. Depending on the accuracy, these may be bought for under $20 to over $200. This one where it is best to check with a healthcare professional about, but if it is recommended it is an easy thing to do at home and then report the readings yourself or, in some cases, via an app. For the most recent product in that area, the new Apple Watch Series 6 has lights in the bottom of its case that perform the same functions as a “finger clip” device, albeit with a bit more panache and the ability to send readings to the cloud as well as see them on the watch face.

The reluctance of some to go to a doctor’s office for a physical visit has made these devices more appealing during the pandemic, they make sense in “normal times,” as well. Particularly for those with “at-risk” conditions, having solid data that you can view yourself, have stored in an app’s history, sent via the cloud to a monitoring service, or, of course, shared with your personal medical team, is a good thing.

Having a handle on your health may well help you get through the pandemic, but also help you know your body and thus lead a better and hopefully longer life.

Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is for informational and educational purposes only and it is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified health provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health objectives. In the event that you suspect a life-threatening condition seek immediate medical assistance. x