Three years ago we heard about SwitchBot Curtain, a system that allows users to open and close their curtains either on a programmed schedule or by remote control. Well, the SwitchBot company is now back with Blind Tilt, which does the same thing for Venetian blinds.
At the heart of the Blind Tilt setup is a cylindrical motor module, that gets clamped around the wand on a third-party set of blinds – the wand is the long skinny thing that you twist to open and close the blinds' slats. That module is also attached to the unmoving top section of the blinds, plus it's hard-wired to a solar panel that is temporarily adhered to the window glass – the panel helps keep the motor's 2,000-mAh lithium battery charged.
Utilizing an accompanying iOS/Android app on their Bluetooth-connected smartphone, users can remotely open or close the slats to varying degrees, depending on how much sunlight they want to let in. That said, they can still reach in and do so manually, by grabbing and twisting the wand.
Additionally, the app can be used to place up to eight different Blind Tilt devices (within one home) on a daily schedule, wherein they open and close the blinds automatically at predetermined times of day. Because Blind Tilt incorporates a light sensor, it can also be set to open or close the blinds in response to outdoor light levels.
For users who don't want to bother accessing the app every time they want to adjust the blinds, optional extras include a wireless handheld remote, a motion sensor that draws the blinds whenever the user leaves the home, plus a wall-mounted NFC tag that users simply tap with their phone.
The system can also be set to work with an optional SwitchBot Color Bulb, which is installed in an existing lamp. In this scenario, the angle of the blind slats and the intensity of the bulb will continuously automatically adjust to maintain a given light level within the room.
Should you be interested, SwitchBot Blind Tilt is currently the subject of a Kickstarter campaign. Pledges start at US$49, which will get you a single basic setup if everything works out – the planned retail price is $69.
There's more information in the following video.
Source: Kickstarter
