Smart thermostat
In 2011, Nest Labs developed the Nest Learning Thermostat. The Nest Thermostat attempted to reduce home energy consumption by addressing the problems with programmable thermostats through the use of better technology. This new technology included the implementation of sensors, algorithms, machine learning, and cloud computing. These technologies learn the behaviors and preferences of the occupants, and adjust the temperature up or down to make the occupant comfortable when they are home and to save energy when they are away. Additionally, the Nest Thermostat connects to the home Wi-Fi. This allows users to change the temperature, adjust the schedule, and check energy usage from a smartphone or laptop. All of these features were part of Nest's goal to create an easy to use thermostat that saves users energy and money.
Dexter Industries
Dexter Industries released the WiFi sensor called the dWIFI in November 2011. The dWifi release was accompanied by a week-long instructional blogging campaign aimed at walking novices through the process. The dWifi enables the NXT to transmit and receive information wirelessly between a computer and itself. The sensor operates with standard 802.11 b/g/n access and can be configured to run on the vast majority of home networks. The Dexter Industries dWIFIs sensor connects to the NXT via the high speed communications Port 4 and is powered by an external 9V battery. The sensor comes with security options and is able to connect with WPA2-PSK, WPA, and WEP security networks. Users of the dWifi can "tweet" information from the Mindstorms NXT to Twitter. In February 2012, a dWiFi user released instructions on how to expand the range of the dWifi by using a High Gain Ariel.