What's New: HomeRemote
We've come across an app that provides a new options for voice control of home appliances through an iPod, iPhone or iPad. The app is called Home Remote and it has a voice control option built-in. We tested it successfully through a Belkin WeMo network of 4 appliances we have set up at Ability, and we've been very impressed at the accuracy.
It seems even to be able reliably to distinguish similar commands, such as “Light Up” and “Light Off”. It is simple to set up and use.
We also tested it with an Insteon network – a bit more setting up, but eventually it worked. We could control Insteon devices by voice through Home Remote. In essence, what this means is a person who is limited to voice control could, through a simple iPod, perhaps with a separate desktop microphone and a basic Belkin WeMo network, control a range of lights, lamps and appliances, motion sensors and low voltage modules in their home, at very low cost.
Using Guided Access under iOS Accessibility features, the iPod could be limited to that single app and would startup with that app, even after a reboot.
