Smart home innovation has actually made it easy to manage home thermostats, light fixtures and even door locks using smart phones. However those of us who live in a gated community or flat are usually not permitted or able to fit such devices themselves. Locumi Labs hopes to change all that with its new smart gadget, the Monkey, that attaches to one’s existing intercom to make it capable of keyless access. A 5cm x 5cm square that is only 9mm thick, the Monkey is a chip that can connect to all intercom types out there. Although necessitating the removal of the intercom cover as well as a little bit of tinkering with the internal circuitry, the creators of Monkey assure us that installation is an almost brainless procedure that anybody can do. Then once connected to the home Wi-Fi network, Monkey allows users to set it to open doors from a smart phone, or using a mobile phone’s GPS signal, or even at specific times of the day. And since Monkey incorporates into the intercom’s internal power source, there’s no requirement for a power supply or to replace batteries. The Monkey app is available for both iOS and Android operating systems, allowing homeowners anywhere to be informed when somebody is ringing their doorbell. In addition, it also provides the capability of changing who has access to the property without needing to physically change locks or duplicate keys. And if you forget your cell phone inside the house, Monkey does not prevent you from using the traditional method of a mechanical key. Check out the promotional video on Kickstarter.
