A smart solar-powered curtain rod opens curtains at dawn

Smart curtains have been around for a while, but this new product we just found makes it more convenient than ever to control your curtains remotely.

The Reze Flow from Remac, which makes a range of motorized curtains and curtain systems, integrates a powerful motor and other components into a sleek curtain rod that supports cross-platform controls.

It runs on a solar power module that plugs into the window, so there’s no need to run wiring through walls or remember to charge the wand. This allows for clean installation and always-on shade control for your automated home.

The Reze Flow is designed to open curtains from the center and accepts curtains with grommets and rings. You can also achieve an S-pleat look with your curtains using an included spacer chain.

The company says it will easily support heavy curtains, regardless of the material or window height. The wand has been stress tested for weights up to 15kg (33lb), so it should easily fit into most homes. The Flow telescoping wand comes in two sizes, one for 44 to 82 inches (112 to 208 cm) and another for 74 to 142 inches (188 to 361 cm).

Flow supports the Matter protocol over Wi-Fi, so it will work with Apple Home using just your iPhone or iPad, and with Google Home and Amazon Alexa using a smart hub or speaker.

These will allow you to schedule the opening and closing of the curtain with a voice command or by setting a specific time. You can also have the curtains close automatically at sunrise and sunset, without having to adjust those times yourself. The latter is fantastic for allowing natural light to wake you up. Remac says the bar stays as quiet as a library room, so you won’t be alarmed by distracting sounds.

Additionally, Flow can draw the shades as the sunlight changes throughout the day to achieve your preferred sunlight depth setting. This prevents your room from being flooded with harsh light and too much sun.

All of those features make the smart bar a valuable addition to any automated home. I like that it also has backups for when the power or Wi-Fi goes out; You will also receive a conventional power adapter with a long cable, as well as a Bluetooth remote control in the box.

Remac is crowdfunding the Reze Flow on Kickstarter, where you can get the smaller wand along with the solar charger, mounting brackets, and other accessories for $228 (below the expected MSRP of $458). Other packages are also available at a discount without a solar charger and in larger sizes.

All crowdfunding campaigns carry an element of risk, so you’ll want to keep that in mind if you decide to back this campaign. For what it’s worth, Remac has been on the market for a while and sells its other smart curtains and blinds through its site and on Amazon in the US, and has high reviews and ratings there.

If all goes as planned, orders are scheduled to ship worldwide in November, with shipping costs to be calculated once the campaign ends (starting at $35 for US orders of the smaller size wand).

Source: Kickstarter

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