“hanks to startup ThinkEE’s modular system – which consists of technology bricks linking various connected devices – data from a host of sensors can be collected regardless of the sensors’ protocols. It can also be used to control the devices in real time from a single interface. The system recently underwent pre-market testing in the NeighborHub eco-friendly house, which will be Switzerland’s entry in the international Solar Decathlon competition. As part of the Solar Decathlon challenge, EPFL-born startup ThinkEE has created a smart ecosystem to control the house – dubbed NeighborHub – that Switzerland will present at the competition in Denver this fall. The ecosystem includes sensors for measuring things like air temperature, humidity and power consumption, as well as a battery. The sensors will be located throughout the wooden house in order to minimize its energy usage. The system is designed to collect data from all the sensors and compile it onto a single platform, making it easier to monitor and manage the house’s devices. One of the ten criteria on which houses entered in the competition will be judged is smart energy use. The houses must also run entirely on solar power. “One challenge we faced was how to connect the various objects in the home, given that the environment was constantly changing – we had to adapt to the project schedule and deadlines,” said Jean-Charles Fosse, one of the founders of ThinkEE. “The information we obtain from the data will be available to the home’s occupants and visitors, but with different access rights.” The startup’s system will be unveiled to the public in the blueFACTORY innovation district in Fribourg, Switzerland, on 10 June, as part of NeighborHub’s open-door day.”