[INTERVIEW / WIRED JP] Smart Homes Are Evolving by “Adapting to People” Here’s a look at HOMMA’s vision of the “Home of the Future”
This is a translation from the original Japanese article. (Link to Wired JP)
HOMMA’s completed smart home in a suburb of Boston. The company renovated one unit in the building as a POC project. Photograph by Keiko Hiromi.
A smart home is created with various connected devices working together in a home. How far has smart home technology evolved? I had the opportunity to see where we are today and to get a glimpse of future homes by visiting HOMMA’s proof-of-concept (POC) project in a suburb of Boston, MA. HOMMA is a hybridized technology developer, designer, and builder of smart homes.
Daisuke Takimoto 2023.08.23
What kind of home or technologies do you imagine when you hear the words “smart home?” You may think of a house where you can control the lights, locks and other devices from your smartphone, or technology that allows you to control devices throughout your home with voice commands. In either case, it is generally recognized as a home integrating the latest technology into a living space to create a more comfortable environment to live in.
A residence that demonstrates some of these concepts was recently completed in Quincy, a suburb of Boston in the United States. It was a POC collaboration project to renovate an existing apartment unit to implement a smart home solution led by HOMMA, NTT Urban Development, and a local developer.
What sets HOMMA's approach to smart homes apart is its vertical integration of hardware, such as lighting and HVAC, and control software, starting from the building's design phase. In the design process, in-house architects and engineers work together to seamlessly integrate smart technologies into the unit, taking into account the residents’ expected movements, sensor placement, lighting, and other factors. HOMMA also works closely with the general contractor to bring this integration to life within the building during the construction process. In essence, HOMMA is both a smart home software company and a residential developer.
This approach means that residents do not have to worry about any complexities of installing devices and linking them together. From the moment they move in, they can enjoy the benefits of a smart home.
In a HOMMA home, sensors that are installed throughout the house respond to factors such as human movement and time of day, and the lighting system automatically turns on, off, or adjusts brightness and color temperature based on these inputs. Brightness level and color temperature are automatically optimized, but residents also have the option to adjust them through a mobile app.
The room temperature is maintained at a comfortable level at all times, responding to indoor and outdoor temperatures and human movement. While physical switches for lighting and air conditioning are available for manual operation inside the house, they are not essential due to the automated and responsive nature of the smart home system.
Sensors respond to the human movement and time of the day, automatically turning the lights on or off. Brightness level and color temperature are also automatically optimized.
Furthermore, a HOMMA smart home has proven to be effective in reducing electricity bills. The software also can be updated online to improve or add new features.
“All you need to do is to download the app and create your account for HOMMA’s technology-enabled homes/units,” explains Founder and CEO Takeshi Homma. “Moreover, residents essentially don't need to do anything. The lights turn on/off when they move around the house, and the brightness and color temperature adjust based on the time of the day. The HVAC system also maintains a comfortable temperature automatically.”
It can be said that HOMMA’s smart home practices “calm technology,” a design concept by Mark Weiser, known as the father of ubiquitous computing. This concept, which refers to technology that seamlessly integrates into daily life and allows people to unconsciously utilize it, was originally defined as “integrating/blending into our lives like a light switch.” HOMMA’s technology, however, has even eliminated the need for such switches.
HOMMA , founded in Silicon Valley in 2016 by Takeshi Homma, has so far developed its HOMMA HAUS smart homes in California and Oregon. The company has built several properties, starting with an experimental lab, and more recently completed a rental townhome community “HOMMA HAUS Mount Tabor” in Portland Oregon in 2022.
Several projects are currently underway – and one of the latest projects is this POC project in the suburb of Boston. The primary purpose of this project is to explore the possibility of developing smart home business through renovation with partner companies. In this case, NTT Urban Development Corporation acquired a luxury rental apartment building called Neponset Landing and the partner companies including HOMMA converted one of the units into a smart home.
For NTT Urban Development and the local developer, smart home technologies offer opportunities to add value to existing properties. Since the added value of smart technology can be readily visualized, there is also the benefit of being able to predict future investment returns.
One of HOMMA’s latest projects is the POC project in the suburb of Boston with NTT Urban Development. HOMMA is transforming one of the units at Neponset Landing, a luxury rental apartment building, into a smart apartment.
Designed to make you unaware of technology
What is it like living in a HOMMA smart home? I had an opportunity to stay overnight in the Neponset Landing unit.
At first, unlocking the front door from my smartphone was just like using any regular smart lock. However, when you open the door and enter the room, the lights in the entrance area automatically turn on. The moment you stepped into the room, the lights softly and slowly brightened. It gave me the impression that the house was welcoming you.
As I entered and made my way toward the living room, the lighting softly illuminated, synchronizing with my footsteps. The lights did not turn on abruptly – they gradually brightened in a subtle gradient, creating a natural and seamless ambiance. Perhaps it might be appropriate to say that the space was anticipating my arrival, coming to life before I even fully entered the room. This smooth operation is likely a result of optimized sensor placement and behavior, allowing the light to seamlessly respond to human movement.
Upon entering the bathroom, again, the room naturally brightened upon entering and dimmed seamlessly after leaving the room. During the daytime, the light was at its minimum considering the natural light from outside. In the evening, the room was gradually filled with warm light. Room temperature was maintained at a comfortable level wherever I was in the unit. The concept of 'controlling' lighting or a thermostat didn't exist. I simply lived there, without needing to do anything.
Spending a day in this environment made me realize that the biggest advantage of living here was the fact that you didn't have to do anything and that having to go to the trouble of operating switches or worrying about turning lights on and off can be a potential source of stress. When I returned to my typical 'non-smart' home, I was even more acutely aware of the benefits I had experienced.
HOMMA's technology is designed with a strong focus on the human experience. It impressively minimizes the presence of technology, smartening up homes to a level where you're not even consciously aware of its intelligence. It reminded me the quotes of Science Fiction writer, Arthur C Clerk, “Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.”
Living there for a day made me realize that the biggest advantage was the fact that residents didn't have to do anything. Being consciously aware of having to operate switches or being concerned about turning lights on or off turned out to be a potential source of stress.
A world where homes adapt to humans
On the other hand, HOMMA’s technology currently focuses on lighting and HVAC. I noticed there might be room for integrating various functions and devices. How does HOMMA view this aspect and what are their thoughts on expanding their capabilities?
“At the moment, HOMMA is focusing on smart integration of essential elements – such as lighting, air conditioning, and door locks. These components have long lifespans. They don't become obsolete and residents can continue to utilize them without needing hardware replacements. Additionally, we have compatibility with smart speakers from various companies,” Homma explained. In the future, HOMMA is planning to implement smart window shades and intends to automate them by taking into account factors such as the time of day, residents' daily routines, and energy consumption data.
However, it seems that having a wide variety of devices integrated into smart homes is not the ultimate goal. Homma explains, “The key is to incorporate devices into the system in a way that truly benefits the user. Simply increasing the number of smart devices is not the objective.”
Furthermore, there is room for improvement in the utilization of the algorithms and data usage. For instance, if HOMMA can leverage anonymous data regarding residents' behaviors and movements obtained from sensors, “It would enable us to anticipate and respond proactively to residents' future actions,” Homma explains. In other words, personalization and optimization of automation becomes possible. For example, if a resident typically leaves for work at a specific time on weekday mornings, the system could automatically activate a robot vacuum cleaner for cleaning.
Since the sensors can detect human movements, they can also be applied to security features like detecting intrusions into vacant homes. Homma added, “Not only human convenience but also the perspective of energy efficiency and optimization becomes crucial”
In essence, what HOMMA aims for in the evolution of smart homes is a world where the house adapts to the residents. “Since humans are the primary focus, we don't want the home to dictate to people. Instead, we strive for a world where the home anticipates what people would like and adjusts accordingly, aligning itself to human needs.” Homma says.
（Special thanks to HOMMA）