The team behind RYSE is the same team that brought AXIS Gear to market in 2016. SmartShade is simply the 2nd generation device in our line of smart shades devices, with the first generation version being AXIS Gear.
Naturally, it makes sense to wonder how exactly SmartShade sets its self apart from AXIS Gear (besides the name change of course).
When deciding how we could improve upon Gear, we started by taking everything we’ve learned from the last 5 years and put it all into RYSE SmartShade. 5 years of engineering, design, and manufacturing experience that we bring to the table. 5 years of listening, learning, and evolving.
That’s a lot of growth and change in 5 years.
More specifically, we decided to focus our efforts in 5 core areas:
- The Motor
- Design
- The Battery
- IP / Integration
- Automatic Updates
Continue reading to learn more about the 5 core areas and how SmartShade is different from AXIS Gear.
Improved Motor
Faster, quieter, and stronger.
The motor is core to our product and is one of the main areas of feedback we got from the users of our first-generation device.
Users of AXIS Gear told us that the motor was not quite powerful to open and close their shades at a fast enough pace. On top of this, the levels of noise it output was too loud.
By sourcing a higher quality motor and re-engineering the gearbox and the plastics that surround it, we’ve been able to develop a refreshed product that has more power and quieter performance.
Design Change
From tactical changes like removing the back cover mechanism found in our first-generation device to redesigning the interface to greatly simplify the installation process, we wanted to make sure we struck the perfect balance between functional and beautiful.
AXIS Gear nailed the beautiful aspect, so we wanted to preserve the premium look while improving upon its overall functionality. When compared to the extremely complex installation job needed for traditional motorized blinds, AXIS Gear was simply revolutionary. However, we knew that we could simplify installation even further with SmartShade.
By redesigning the mounting bracket, back cover, on-device controls, and battery supply, we’ve been able to do just that. This design change results in a streamlined experience from installation to everyday use.
The Battery
By swapping out the solar bar for the new BatteryPack, we have elevated the SmartShade experience by making for a cleaner installation and substantially improving the aesthetic factor.
No one likes the look of wires, plus it is a serious strangulation hazard. By developing a wire-free BatteryPack to power SmartShade, the final look of our product once installed is really taken to the next level.
A wire-free power solution like the BatteryPack also allows SmartShade to seamlessly be installed on sliding doors or adjustable windows without having to worry about wires getting pulled, snagged or getting in the way at all.
IP / Integration
In 2021, if a smarthome product doesn’t have voice control, can you really even call it smart?
Direct integration with all the key voice assistants (Alexa / Google / Siri) was a key demand from both our product designers and the customers of our first-generation product.
By introducing the SmartBridge and changing the overall communication protocol from Bluetooth/ZigBee (in Gear) to Bluetooth/WiFi (in SmartShade), we were able to add these direct integrations with voice assistants.
But that’s not all.
The SmartBridge allows other cool features like user accounts, remote control, and, an absolute fan-favorite feature request from our users, true Apple HomeKit integration.
The IP and integrations that are available in SmartShade alone make it considerably different from Gear, and honestly, quite a bit better as well.
Automatic Updates
This may not be the sexiest of topics at first glance, but this was a pain point in the AXIS Gear experience that we knew needed to be resolved.
Automatic OTA updates ensure a uniform experience so that users always have the most up-to-date version of the SmartShade firmware and all the great new features that may have been added.
By implementing this tech, we were also able to implement user-based accounts to give users even greater control of their SmartShade experience.
It All Adds Up
These 5 things all add up to create RYSE SmartShade and these 6 things really only scratch the surface of why this product is so remarkable.
As I mentioned at the top of this article, there’s been a lot of growth and change in the last 5 years that brought us to this moment. But one thing that hasn’t changed over the last 5 years is this team’s need to create products that make things smarter, simpler, and more convenient for you.
RYSE represents the next generation of smart shading, and we can’t wait to share it with you.
What’s Next For RYSE?
Our team and I are excited to announce we’ve just launched our very own “retail raise” in the US & Internationally directly on our website.
This is also called an ‘equity crowdfunding campaign’ and is really the next logical step after ‘product crowdfunding’ like that done via Kickstarter.
But what about our home country of Canada?
In Canada, regulators require investors to fund through a market-exempt broker-dealer, which we have set up at www.frontfundr.com/ryse.Take a look at our investor relations page to learn more about our story thus far, our traction to date, and plans for future growth.
