Tuya control panel has Matter and Alexa built in

  • June 5, 2023
  • Steve Rogerson

At last month’s Connections conference in Texas, Chinese IoT service provider Tuya Smart launched a 12.7cm smart-home control panel with Matter and Alexa built in.

The aim is to help Tuya customers launch smart central control panels for international markets more quickly and smoothly.

The launch is targeted at the North American markets and can address issues with ecosystem compatibility and product connection. Due to issues such as products not functioning when the network has been cut off and not being compatible with the mainstream ecosystem, many smart home device manufacturers are hesitant to approach the international market.

With the smart control panel, they can create independent, controllable and more distinctive smart home devices under their own brands based on Tuya’s PaaS 2.0, which can be connected and controlled by a central control panel, and further develop a software and hardware ecosystem and expand their smart home business into international markets.

To achieve seamless product interconnection, devices must meet various environmental requirements and usage habits of users on various occasions. For example, in North America, manufacturers need their smart devices to work with popular smart ecosystems such as Alexa to serve local consumers, but the barriers to entry and deployment costs can be high.

To solve this problem, Tuya Smart has built a more suitable platform to enter the local ecosystem. Manufacturers can make their Matter devices compatible with various smart ecosystems and brands, as well as easily interact with non-Matter devices. Additionally, Alexa lets consumers directly control smart devices at home and complete multiple commands, such as setting alarm clocks, listening to weather reports and instructing robot vacuums, through voice commands.

Moreover, the panel provides multi-dimensional support. First, it connects to a significant number of Alexa devices and Tuya-enabled smart products, resolving the issue of isolated information exchange across different brands and various product categories. Secondly, customers can develop their own brand of smart home devices based on Tuya’s IoT development platform. All these devices can also be controlled through the control panel.

Users also have access to technology and ecosystem support. They can quickly enter international markets by relying on Tuyas core technology and ecosystem, building a customised smart home portfolio with integrated IoT for software and hardware and the control panel as an entry point to promote business growth and improve competitiveness in global markets.

With Tuya’s edge computing capabilities, the central control panel can function without interruption even when many smart devices are connected. Its built-in multi-module gateways, such as Zigbee and Bluetooth, can handle cross-gateway communications, enabling localised control of smart devices even in a weak or disconnected network environment.

In addition, the panel allows for simultaneous connections of 2.4 and 5GHz dual-band wifi signals, ensuring users can interact with smart devices and central control panels without any interruptions when they are connected to networks using various protocols.

In the past, consumers had to put equivalent function buttons on the wall or download various apps on their phones to operate devices at home, which raised cost. The control panel improves the effectiveness of smart home interactions, making it simple for even the elderly or children to get started.

It does this by integrating all the conventional function buttons on a single screen and allowing users to make commands to the TV, refrigerator, robot vacuums, speakers, lighting fixtures and other networked devices at home through interactive methods. The panel is designed to be in line with the aesthetic standards and practical requirements of users for its interaction experience, interface design and transformation standards.

Multi-way interaction combines voice, vision and gesture. Users can directly slide the screen to open or close curtains precisely.

In terms of interface design, the flip-clock-themed screensaver that is integrated into the panel creates a stunning and useful interactive experience, following contemporary trends and making the area more lively. There are five themes. Two of the themes, Desert and Mystery, are designed and created through Midjourney to meet people’s individual needs amid the rapid development of generative AI technology.

To help customers expand into the North American market, the panel comes ready to meet local design standards, and such products meet the installation requirements of local electricians. The panel will let customers help end-users realise smart homes by changing simply one conventional switch, suitable for renovation projects.

Smart central control panels in overseas markets, are becoming part of the home infrastructure and playing a crucial role in the smart home scenario.