Large household appliances can also use the Internet and artificial intelligence to simplify our daily lives. This is the credo of the Haier group, which has developed several new products that are original to say the least.
Is it really necessary to connect all the devices that surround us on a daily basis? Often considered as gadgets for informed geeks, household appliances today exceed this milestone with useful functions for everyone. The advantage of connecting a light, a robot vacuum cleaner, a radiator or even an irrigation system to the Internet to control it from a smartphone is quite obvious. This aspect can be very practical on a daily basis to manage all these devices whether or not you are present at home.
However, the situation is different for other appliances, in particular those from the category of household appliances such as the refrigerator, the washing machine, the dishwasher or the oven. What can be this little extra useful brought to these elements by the connection to the Internet and the control through a smartphone app? Because, unlike a robot vacuum cleaner or a connected radiator which can operate autonomously, these large devices require, whatever happens, human intervention. You have to keep filling the washing machine, the dishwasher, the fridge or putting preparations in the oven…
The manufacturers’ response is simple: make them easier to use, lower the electricity bill and connect everything to third-party services to better enjoy them. In any case, this is what the manufacturer Haier wanted to demonstrate during Design Week which takes place in Milan (Italy) from June 6 to 12. Like the other major manufacturers in the sector such as Bosch, Whirlpool, Samsung, LG or Electrolux, Haier (which also owns the Candy, Hoover and Rosières brands) does not hesitate to add a connected touch to all of its ranges. . Oven, dishwasher, washing machine and refrigerator are thus equipped with sometimes unexpected functions.
Detergent on subscription
To use a washing machine, all you have to do is put the laundry in the drum, the detergent in the tray and choose your washing program. Basic. Haier is trying an innovation with the WashPass model. The machine (still in the testing phase and which should be available next year) has a compartment where four liquids are lined up, which usually constitute traditional detergents in the form of tablets, powder, liquid, etc. According to the manufacturer, each element is injected at a specific time during the wash for greater efficiency. And, in order not to run out of detergent, Haier applies the Instant Ink system set up by HP for its printers to the washing machine. The user takes out a subscription to receive the necessary consumables (including the different detergent liquids) at home. And, before running out of fuel, the machine, connected to the Internet via WiFi, places an order to renew the stock. ” The parallel with HP’s Instant Ink service is obvious emphasizes Vincent Rotger, President Haier France and CSO Haier Europe. However, it’s a little different since in this case, using this principle improves the washing quality where an ink cartridge… remains an ink cartridge “. Of course, the use of standard detergent is still possible.
Another fun innovation for those who don’t want to worry about their washing machine, the Candy Rapido model. All you have to do here is drop your pile of laundry in front of the washing machine and take a picture of it on your smartphone using the hOn app, the Haier group’s true appliance management center. Artificial intelligence evaluates weight and colors – be careful, it can’t differentiate between fabrics! – and automatically sets the correct washing programme.
This same scheme is also used with the WashLens dishwasher. We take a picture of the contents of the dishwasher and the app indicates how to optimize the positioning of the different elements and suggests the washing parameters according to the degree of dirt and the quantity of dishes to be washed.
The fridge that locates you
When you come back from the supermarket, you store all your groceries in the fridge. Suddenly, the temperature inside rises and requires a little time to return to a normal level. To avoid this phenomenon, the Cube 90 Series 9 knows where you are when you go shopping. When you’re on the way home, it will automatically boost the cooling so that the temperature will be optimal once the groceries have been put away. It also has cameras built into the door that film the interior. A practical function to check, from the supermarket on the mobile screen, the contents of the fridge. The large touch screen on the front also allows you to preview the content. It also gives access to recipes and YouTube for example.
The cook’s oven
An oven that doesn’t just cook what you put inside, but monitors the cooking for you and adapts on the fly. This is what Haier offers with the Chef@Home Series 6. Here, a large 28-inch touchscreen is on the door. It allows you to control everything that happens in the oven. The machine embeds a camera supported by artificial assistance. This is capable of detecting the type of food present in the cavity and adapting the cooking cycle accordingly. It also uses information transmitted by a wireless sensor (supplied) to define the core temperature of food. The camera also allows you to keep an eye on what’s happening in the oven from the smartphone, which avoids having to stay nearby or open the door (and lose heat). Obviously, you receive a notification on the mobile when everything is ready. A few dozen recipes are already planned to accompany this oven, all based on elements that the AI is able to recognize.
Additional services
So that the connected side of its devices is not limited to their use, Haier has also established partnerships with various companies. Online services can thus be added to its hOn application, such as Jow, for example, which allows you to do the shopping for you by ordering products that are among the recipes managed by the oven according to your habits, or Vivino to supply the connected cellar. whose temperature automatically adapts to the references of the bottles you place there.
Finally, assistance also remains a big advantage of connected household appliances. ” Since the device is online, a technician can find out from a distance where a fault is coming from and assist you in troubleshooting if it is a question of resetting a function, for example. says Vincent Rotger. We save time and we save a trip “The fact remains that all this embedded technology comes at a significant cost. Count €850 for the WashLens Series 6 dishwasher, €3,500 for the Cube 90 Series 9 refrigerator and €2,000 for the Chef@Home Series 6 oven.