COVER STORY
In conversation with Srinivas Shanbhogue, Vice President, Home and Distribution, Schneider Electric, India Smart Homes have been a default system for most of the homes in the US and Europe for quite a time. But in India, it is yet to be a part of every home. There are numerous challenges the country’s mass has been facing to completely switch to smart homes from conventional houses. The list of challenges comprises budget, unavailability of stable internet/Wi-Fi connections, need for wireless systems that won’t require troublesome wiring and most importantly people’s vague ideas about retrofit solutions. “Understanding the challenges and aiming to develop a one-stop solution was the first step taken towards the conceptualization of a product that we launched with the name-Wiser”, says Srinivas Shanbhogue, Vice President, Home and Distribution, Schneider Electric India. “Before designing the product, we did a lot of research to understand the consumer psyche and know what exactly an individual consumer means by the term Smart Home. Schneider’s R&D centre is located in Bangalore and that is where the research was done seamlessly”, he adds.
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I SMARTHOME WORLD I JULY 2021