Article & Photos Courtesy of Crestron
“When you want to buy a car, should you be expected to go from store to store picking up different parts made from different companies? Why should it be any different for your home?” is how Randy Klein, CEO of Crestron, illustrated the importance of integration. Klein doesn’t like buzzwords such as ‘easy’ or ‘convenient.’ Those aren’t words by which he would like his company described. “Our competition wants to call their products easy to use, but we’re not easy. We’re enjoyable.” There’s an important distinction being made here between what one might consider a run-of-the-mill lighting fixture provider and the self-titled Ultimate Luxury Lifestyle.
And it is more than repackaging a similar product or a professional façade that sets them apart. Klein showed us an example of what a Crestron system might look like within a home. Visually, we couldn’t find any indication of its existence. That was the point — the “Ah-ha!” moment of realizing that most of the time, we don’t want to be reminded of the presence of technology. We simply want it to be seamlessly integrated into what we do and how we live.
So, how does it work then? Crestron showed us a piece of technology called “proximity detection beacons,” which can be simplified to “little things that know when you’re there.” This allows connected systems installed to adjust the settings to your preferences automatically once you step inside your home. From preferred temperature and light settings to television channels, it’s all at your… well, you don’t even need to use your fingertips. “Everything you want to do,” Klein promised, “is automated.”
If there is a challenge, Klein promises, “Crestron will find a solution.Take, for example, a fish tank. Fish can take a lot of maintenance. This can be done by hand, but not everyone can be expected to be home all year round to take care of their aquatic friends. Enter Crestron. “We had one customer who had these aggressive carnivorous fish, who only snacked on goldfish. So, not only did we create an automated system that regulated the PH levels of the water and the temperature, there was also a tank on the other side of the wall that kept goldfish, which were then automatically released to the main tank.” This ingenuity makes Crestron’s competitors look like goldfish in comparison.