Exclusive Interview-Joe Roberts, CEO, RTI Control

In Conversation with Joe Roberts, CEO, RTI Control

Today, everything is “smart” and the smart things talking to other smart things are an important part of home automation. “Most components of the home media room are smart and most are DIY-friendly. However, connecting them into a seamless system is often DIY-unfriendly. So, for RTI , we’ve created the APEX Studio software wizard. With this, any integrator with a couple hours of training can set-up an exceptional media room experience for their client with a single touch-screen remote to control it all”, says Joe Roberts, CEO, RTI Control.

How do you scrutinize the constantly evolving control market? What according to you, are the most beneficial consumer-centric innovations that took place in the last couple of years? As a control company, RTI is not looking for that one most beneficial innovation. Control is, by its nature, the sum of a wide variety of related parts. The innovations we are working on are making a more cohesive, connected and intuitive experience for the home or business owner—and of course a programming and customization platform that makes it easier for the integrator to meet and exceed client expectations.

Which sector (residential, commercial, hospitality) do you think is adopting smart control technology at a higher speed? What do you think is the driving factor? We haven’t seen it as a race or contest—sometimes the innovations are on the consumer side, sometimes they come from commercials. And often an innovation in one market filters to the other as creative applications of the technology are developed.

What makes RTI stand out among the other control systems in the industry? What are the most crucial points that RTI keeps in mind to deliver a contemporary, affordable, reliable and scalable control system to a client? RTI focuses on the experience, whether it’s the through RTI flagship line or a single room solution with our Pro Control line like we mentioned before. One thing we do exceptionally well—which helps our integrators differentiate their offerings—is delivering an advanced level of customization. Besides, it’s not just the interface, but also the programming and automation behind it. What are the company’s latest innovations/launches for the residential sector? Our recent U3 Remote Control is a great example. This water-resistant remote with an IP-66 rating is ideal for wet and harsh environments that would be risky for a standard remote. Drop it in the pool? Relax. The U3 floats and is ready for action.

What plans does the company have for the India (Asia) market? India is an important market for us and currently No.1 in Asia. From our experience of 8 years in India , we believe that India is a price competitive market and consumer demand value for money products. Recent introduction of Pro Control at a very aggressive price will be a game changer in the Indian market. We have a host of new innovative product and software features in development which will help our integrator to generate more business from home/commercial.

How would you describe the symbiotic relationship between a control system manufacturer and the distributor? How has the company’s journey been, till now, with Miantic, India’s specialist distributor of market-leading technologies for smart homes? Distributors play a very important role for us to ensure timely support and timely delivery for goods to system integrators. The local market exposure of distributors brings us a lot of knowledge regarding how the market works differently from country to country. Being an engineering driven company we rely on our distributors for all the requirements and inputs from the market along with forums which we use from time to time to get feedback from system integrators. Unique thing about Miantic is they are more a solution driven rather than box moving unlike distributors general role. Also, because of our experience with them, we clearly know that they have a clear idea on how to take a particular brand into the market based on requirements and knowledge. Each type of interface has its place as there is no single best interface. Where voice or a touch screen on the wall might be ideal for lighting, climate or security, many customers want that uninterruptible hardbutton control for the media room.

What, according to you, are the major contributions of Smart Control Technologies to the global ecosystem? Control lets us do more with less repetitive action. Whether it’s a simple “good morning” scene for the home that sets climate, lighting, shade, and audio while we’re getting the kids ready for school, What future innovations do you envisage, that you think, will boost the automation industry threefold? How do you foresee the home/building automation industry 5 years down the line? As standards evolve, more devices will be able to communicate with more devices in more different ways. But the customer wants an experience focused on them, not on devices talking to devices. That’s where the control platform comes in and that’s what we’re focused on— creating exceptional experiences that feel personalized and intuitive.

or a conference room designed for easy BYOD (bring your own device) engagement, the control system makes it happen in an integrated way that standalone smart device cannot.

How would you describe the practicability and versatility of different interfaces like remote controls, touch screen and voice?