'Smart Home' Products Gaining Popularity to Support Wise Indoor Living Amid Prolonged Home Stay

Popular Items Including Plant Cultivators, Smart Lighting, and Smart Door Locks

As the COVID-19 pandemic prolongs, the stay-at-home culture has expanded, drawing attention to smart home products that make time spent at home more enjoyable. The photo shows a plant cultivator from Kyowon Wellsfarm. Photo by Wellsfarm

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Heeyoon] As the COVID-19 pandemic prolongs and home-staying culture spreads, smart home products that make time spent at home more enjoyable are gaining attention.

According to statistics from the Korean Intellectual Property Office, domestic patent applications related to smart homes increased more than twofold over the past decade, from 56 cases in 2009 to 140 cases in 2020. By technology field, 'smart home appliances' accounted for 510 cases (40.5%), 'healthcare' 289 cases (23.0%), 'security services' 254 cases (20.2%), and 'smart power control' 205 cases (16.3%). Patent applications were most numerous in the 'smart home appliances' and 'healthcare' sectors. Accordingly, related industries are continuously launching smart appliances equipped with various IoT-based functions tailored to users' lifestyles.

Plant Cultivator for Easy Home Growing of Sprouts

Plant care solution products that allow anyone to easily grow plants at home instead of a garden are also attracting attention. Kyowon entered the plant cultivator market in 2017 by launching 'Wells Farm,' a home plant cultivator combining the product, vegetable seedlings, and delivery system. Wells sells the plant cultivator and vegetable seedling delivery service as a rental product so that anyone can conveniently grow pesticide-free vegetables at home regardless of the season. Wells regularly provides vegetable seedlings grown in a sterile and pesticide-free environment through its own plant factory.

Wells Farm vegetable seedlings are divided into four main categories according to their vegetable benefits. Customers can choose from 'Ai Ssuksuk,' composed of vegetables that promote growth and bone health; 'Mi Sochae,' for diet and skin beauty; 'Hwalryeokchae,' vegetables that boost vitality through metabolism and antioxidant functions; and 'Hangam Ssamsae,' seedlings rich in beta-carotene, an anticancer component that helps prevent cancer.

Smart Bulb Controllable by Mobile Phone for Brightness and Color

The 'smart bulb,' a simple item that can relatively easily implement a smart home, also draws attention. The 'Philips Hue Gradient Lightstrip' introduced by global lighting company Signify Korea is an LED smart light that allows control of brightness and color via smartphones and tablets.

Unlike conventional strip lights that could display only one color out of 16 million colors, this product can display multiple colors simultaneously along its length, and users can easily adjust color effects and brightness through the Philips Hue Bluetooth app on their smartphones. Additionally, by downloading and linking the 'Hue Sync' app, which is useful when playing games or watching movies and listening to music, the lighting automatically changes according to the content.

In particular, Philips Hue has partnered with the global music streaming service company Spotify to synchronize music and lighting, enabling the lights to automatically change in sync with the music playing.

Kiwi Smart Lock Bekjode Lock & Demian Lock. Photo by Akara Korea

Smart Door Locks for Remote Access Control

Kiwi Smart Lock's 'Becjo Door Lock' and 'Demian Lock' are smart door lock products that allow access management and remote control anytime and anywhere through an application. These products are equipped with the industry's highest-grade SECP256r1 security algorithm, which is also applied in blockchain technology, providing a high level of security. Notably, they feature an 'OTP (One Time Password) Easy Invitation' function that issues a one-time password valid for only 5 minutes, allowing homeowners to easily provide a one-time password when a family member visits while the owner is temporarily away.

The Becjo Door Lock, which includes a push-pull handle, is designed ergonomically to allow fingerprint recognition and handle operation simultaneously, enabling faster and easier door opening. Access is possible through five methods: app, fingerprint, password, RF (Radio Frequency) key tag, and emergency key. The Demian Lock allows access through four methods, excluding the emergency key.