SWITCHEE

Bristol & London based company, Switchee Ltd developed a smart thermostat solution aimed at reducing energy bills in social housing. The intelligent device learns the routine of the household, detects when the house is not occupied and turns the heating on or off accordingly. The device allows valuable data to be gathered remotely reducing the requirement for complex interaction or configuration from the user.

To make Switchee a ‘smart’ thermostat, the design utilises the following technologies:

• WiFi connection to central cloud-based server
• GSM/GPRS connection to central cloud-based server when WiFi is not available
• TCP/IP networking
• ZWave mesh networking
• User interactive touch screen

Switchee approached Cubik for help with the development of the software drivers which allow the operating system to communicate with the hardware. This quickly evolved into a larger scheme of work that incorporated the printed circuit board (PCB) design, prototype manufacture and firmware development. Our scope of work included:

• Updating the electronic design and layout of the existing PCB using Altium Designer.
• Development of the embedded application.
• Interfacing to the cloud server software developers.
• Design for CE approval.
• Electro-magnetic compatibility (EMC) analysis and improvement.
• Prototype batches of complete units including mechanical assembly.
• EMC and safety testing via our approved supplier.
• Assistance with CE marking.
• Batch production of 300 units.

During the product development cycle, the Switchee unit evolved in its technical complexity and functionality due to market demand. Under these circumstances, we adopt flexible approaches to incorporate new requirements where possible to add value to the finished product.

The Internet of Things (IOT) and smart devices continue to transform our daily lives at home, at work and in the public domain. As the interest and development of data transfer, cloud-based applications and clever hardware increases so does the marketplace for smart devices.

Cubik Innovation is proud to be part of such a fantastic device and looks forward to being able to work on future innovative devices.

Our in-house team of software engineers have experience in a wide range of disciplines including firmware, application, and server-side software development. If you have got a project and need help with software, get in touch.