Whirlpool and IFTTT will teach your appliances to communicate with each other

Whirlpool, the world’s largest appliance manufacturer, expands its presence in the world of the Internet of Things. The company announced a partnership with IFTTT, a manufacturer of cloud-based software that “connects” different applications, services and devices and configures them to interact optimally with each other. Whirlpool’s 6th SENSE LIVE line of products will now be able to “communicate” with other remotely controlled appliances, offering users the ability to set settings and easily customize the Smart Home to their needs.

In 2015, Whirlpool became the first manufacturer to launch the 6th SENSE LIVE line of freestanding large appliances with remote control capabilities. All devices of the line are connected to the Wi-Fi network and are controlled using the same name mobile app for smartphones and tablets. The app connects remotely controlled Smart Home devices to each other and creates a single interface to interact with all appliances in the line, including the SupremeCare washer and dryer, Supreme Dual NoFrost Combi refrigerator and Powerdry dishwasher.

With the addition of IFTTT, Whirlpool takes remote appliance management to the next level. Users can easily connect their products to any of the hundreds of remotely controlled appliances and services available on the IFTTT platform, creating their own work scenarios or “recipes,” as the IFTTT developers call them .

Marco Sinha, senior manager of Connectivity for Whirlpool EMEA, highlights important benefits of this technology “Imagine if, when you go on vacation, you could set your Whirlpool refrigerator to a special “vacation/away” energy saving mode that automatically “tells” your thermostat to lower the room heating temperature. Or that your solar power unit will “ask” your washing machine to start a washing cycle when it generates enough energy on a sunny day? How about your stereo system starts playing your favorite party playlist when the wine in your refrigerator cools to the desired temperature? “When you start tying different devices and services together, you’ll find that the options for these combinations are endless and can concentrate everything from basic features that can automate everyday tasks to the little things that will make the Smart Home more personalized.”.

Amusing arithmetic from IFTTT: X + Y = Whirlpool. The IF-TO principle in action

IFTTT connects the individual operating algorithms called “triggers” of different remotely controlled devices, which are connected to the IFTTT platform. Particular conditions or actions that occur on a particular appliance can trigger some action on another appliance. This results in simple “recipes” that users can implement in their appliances. For example, a user can program his remotely controlled lighting system to turn on lights in the evening when his cell phone “tells him” that he’s near home.

By launching a series of new “triggers” for the 6th SENSE LIVE range of appliances, Whirlpool has allowed these products to be controlled from other devices available in the IFTTT system and, in turn, to interact with them and with each other themselves. Whirlpool will also soon develop its own collection of useful “recipes” to help speed up the automatic operation of appliances. Examples of “recipes”:

* “Basic Notifications.”. Seemingly insignificant things like a slightly open refrigerator or freezer door can have very unpleasant consequences: spoiled food or excessive energy consumption. But with IFTTT it’s easy to know what’s wrong: IF the fridge or freezer door is left open, the system sends the user a text message about the problem.

* “Anticipating user desires.”. Whirlpool refrigerators equipped with 6th SENSE technology have a special “vacation/away” mode that keeps food fresh with low energy consumption. This feature can be enabled through the 6th SENSE LIVE app, but what if it simultaneously alerts the other smart appliances in the house that the user is not there? With IFTTT, this happens automatically: IF “on vacation/away” mode is enabled, THEN the thermostat settings are automatically switched to a reduced power consumption mode.

* “Job Sharing.”. Sometimes circumstances are such that the user does not have time to complete the work started on the house on time. For example, if he or she has to leave a laundry cycle in progress and leave the house, he or she can be set to send

Notification of the end of the wash to another person to take the clean clothes out of the machine and hang them up to dry. Prescription example: IF the washing machine cycle is complete, THEN the system sends a “unload the washer and load the dryer” message to someone in the household.

The evolution of a unified smart home system

“Cloud-based services like IFTTT are widely used in mobile apps and remote food management. They make the Smart Home even more efficient and unlock the potential to create customized solutions. According to a study by Berg Insights, “The trend toward multi-functionality and integrating the processes of all appliances in the Smart Home is setting the overall direction of remote appliance control for the long term.”.

This is possible because services will allow “all Smart Home system devices to be controlled from a single interface – usually a smartphone app. This is very convenient because consumers will be able to adjust all devices with confidence using one app instead of 5 or 10.”.

By introducing technology from IFTTT, Whirlpool demonstrates its commitment to remaining at the forefront of remotely controlled home appliances and solutions that offer real, applied value for everyday life.

Marco Sinha, Senior Manager Connectivity, Whirlpool EMEA“The number of devices from the Internet of Things world is increasing every day. We believe that consumers will be increasingly interested in features that will make their lives easier and more enjoyable. The key to this is the easy interaction of devices and programs with each other. The possibilities offered by Smart Home are impressive, but the consumer should not have to use a lot of different, incomprehensible and often useless technologies. Appliance and software manufacturers must overcome potential barriers and create products that are easy to integrate into a single ecosystem. That’s why Whirlpool has already announced partnerships with experienced players such as IBM, Amazon and Nest, and continues to improve its products with IFTTT services.”.