Bond has brought to market Breeze Pro, a wind/rain/sunlight smart sensor that can trigger multiple motorized screens, pergola louvers, and shutters based on user-defined thresholds. CEDIA Expo 2024 attendees can experience this ultrasonic sensor at the Bond (Booth 4109) and automated awning brand Sol-Lux (Booth 3319) exhibits.
The Bond Bridge Pro RF-to-WiFi bridge and accompanying Bond Home App bring intuitive, consolidated WiFi control to RF-controlled motorized devices including integration with virtual assistance applications and home automation platforms.
Used with the Bond Bridge Pro, Breeze Pro brings a unique new way of programming weather triggers, bringing convenience (i.e. automation replacing manual operations); comfort (avoiding outdoor space getting wet), and peace of mind (moving screens and louvers into manufacturer-recommended position in the event of windy conditions). It also provides real-time weather data, signal strength, and battery status to the Bond App.
Breeze Pro gets mounted vertically atop a 1-inch pole, pointed north, ideally placed about 13 feet high off the ground. Installation is wire-free; the sensor communicates to the Bridge via RF. Set-up takes place within the app. Breeze Pro is powered by built-in solar and supercapacitor, with two back-up AA batteries. It can also be powered by a 12VDC connection which is required in climates experiencing freezing weather (so it can de-ice itself).
As told by Bond Home Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer Chris Merck, “We looked at other wind, rain, or sun control solutions and realized that the industry needed a sensor designed for the smartphone era. That is what Breeze Pro is. There is just nothing else out there that works this way. The entire process of connecting the sensor, configuring what weather events to look for, wind speed thresholds, what devices should be triggered and in what direction – it is all set up through the Bond Home App. No need for DIP switches and complicated instruction manuals.”
Merck added that Breeze Pro also is built with control system integration in mind. “With traditional sensor solutions, a schedule from a control system may unintentionally override the sensor, resulting in inconvenience or even damaged screens,” he noted. “Some other sensors anticipate this and lock out the user while they are triggered, which causes a lot of frustration. Breeze Pro intelligently locks out automatic operation from schedules and voice assistants during high wind events but allows users to still control the screen in the app directly. This kind of intelligence is only possible with a smart sensor.” Breeze Pro is shipping now. MSRP is set at $599. This includes the sensor, a built-in solar power panel, and two AA batteries for backup power.
