Kitchen & Bath Business - July/August 2018 - 32

WORKING WITH VOICE ASSISTANTS

Trends

Although control from a smartphone will probably always be a viable option, voice assistants will
continue to grow in popularity and intelligence.
Apple's Siri, Google Assistant and Amazon's Alexa offer different advantages and disadvantages
- like a variety of voices to choose from or the
ability to respond to follow-up questions without
the speaker repeating context - but each are connecting with consumers in a new way.
"Certain voice-control features - such as those
facilitated by our collaborations with Amazon
and Google - foster a natural interaction between
consumers and their appliances,"according to the
Whirlpool Corp. marketing team.
As manufacturers learn how to incorporate
more voice capabilities into appliances, fixtures,
lighting and security systems, homeowners will
be able to put their phones down and just talk to
their home. This will allow for various technologies and platforms to work together seamlessly
and bridge the gap between consumers and
their products.
"Voice assistants are leading behavioral changes
in consumers and their interactions with technology,"said Henry Kim, head of smart home initiatives for LG Electronics USA."We will eventually
use body language, intonation, touch and gestures
to interact with technology just like we do with
people. These behavioral changes are key in the
kitchen and bath, as you have less access to your
phone while cooking or freshening up."

ABOVE As part of an ongoing

collaboration with Google
Home, WHIRLPOOL CORP. has
announced updated features
that include global availability
of remote appliance control
in all regions where Whirlpool
Connected appliances are
available; more succinct,
user-friendly functional
commands; and plans for the
expansion of Google Home
capabilities to select appliances from the company's
additional brands.

ABOVE RIGHT Now available

in the Android and iOS app
stores, HÄFELE Connect
allows users to easily bring
smart technology to their
home and work spaces. The
app allows for real-time, programmed and customizable
control of all Loox LED lighting ﬁxtures and components
through an easy-to-navigate
and intuitive interface.

LEFT SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS
CO. has unveiled the next

generation of its Family Hub
Refrigerator. It includes syncing up food storage with meal
preparation, keeping family
members better connected
and organized and providing
enhanced entertainment.
Family Hub also boasts
the addition of Bixby voice
control and its integration
with Samsung's SmartThings
IoT ecosystem. The company
is exhibiting at CEDIA Expo in
Booth 4420.
BELOW LEFT JENNAIR's digital

platform delivers heightened
engagement to consumers
and is seamlessly integrated into its new suite of
products. Features include
connectivity with Google
Home, Amazon Alexa, the
Apple Watch and Nest.
Each month, owners will
also receive comprehensive
insights into their appliance
status and behavior, including tips on how to get the
most out of their JennAir
appliances.

The newest version of TOTO's
NEOREST NX Intelligent Toilet
has an elliptical silhouette and
a completely redesigned, ergonomic seat. The toilet also
boasts an integrated personal
cleansing system with warm,
aerated water to cleanse; a
warm air dryer and heated
seat; an in-bowl catalytic
deodorizer; and energy- and
water-saving features.

COOKING WITH TECHNOLOGY

The kitchen is even more the heart of the home
today, as it is often the center of gatherings with
family and friends. This is also the place where
connectivity can play an integral role in not only
helping with daily tasks but also creating a more
enriching home experience.
"We're seeing many innovations within the
kitchen space," said McKenna. "Not only do today's appliances offer more features for outstanding cooking performance, refrigeration and dish
care, but by connecting them to the IoT, consumers have virtually an endless number of ways to individualize their experience with the appliances."
Depending on the manufacturer, each type of
appliance comes with a variety of controllable and
alterable features. In the refrigerator, the temperature of different sections can be changed, a camera
can peek inside, and the icemaker can kick into
high gear before a party. An oven can sense when
food is done, alert the user and then shift settings
to keep the dish warm. These features are only
the beginning.
"Appliances will create an ecosystem adapting
to the needs of their owners," said Dirk Sappok,
director of product development for Miele USA.
"In the kitchen, this could mean having the fridge
and cooking appliances communicate to create
shopping lists, make meal recommendations and
even choose ingredients and cooking programs."
This is possible because many manufacturers are
partnering with cooking and recipe apps. Whirlpool's recent acquisition of Yummly, as well as
LG's partnership with Innit and SideChef, are
just a few examples of how the future kitchen will
help homeowners find recipes and guide them
through the cooking process with photos, â
timers, videos and more.

Kitchen & Bath Business / JULY-AUGUST 2018 / KBBONLINE.COM / The official publication of KBIS (KBIS.com)

Now available in matte black,
LG's InstaView Refrigerator
allows a user to knock twice
on the door's sleek glass
panel to see what's inside
without opening it. The LG
SmartThinQ app also allows
users to control key features
and get important notiﬁcations from anywhere, and it
works with Google Assistant
and Amazon Alexa. The company is exhibiting at CEDIA
Expo in Booth 4835.

The Blade and Blade Duo
Series outlets from DOCKING
DRAWER now come in just
one size for any cabinet with
depths up to 24 inches and
are compatible with previous Blade and Slim series
charging outlets. The outlets
also oﬀer the opportunity to
charge up to eight devices
simultaneously via a combination of AC outlets and
USB-A ports (USB-C is also
available as an option).

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Kitchen & Bath Business - July/August 2018

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Kitchen & Bath Business - July/August 2018