The smart home can now do many things for you. Motion sensors automatically switch on the light, heating is only switched on when you are present, and if the windows are closed, vacuum robots keep the floors clean, and sprinklers control water for the flowers and the lawn as required. Of course, you’ve probably wondered in the past when the staining of the decking will finally be done for you. RoboDeck would like to take over this work in the future and should even be able to be controlled via HomeKit.
Just before the weekend, we have a little smile for you: RoboDeck would like to regularly clean and stain your decking in the future. After looking into the details, we had to check the date first, and it’s actually been a few weeks since April 1st.
A monthly subscription for the care of the decking
In itself, the idea of the RoboDeck is not wrong. The little robot should not only sweep the terrace but also take care of regular maintenance and report the condition of the floorboards. But now it gets confusing. If the manufacturer wants it, you should also subscribe to the water-based stain for $20 a month with the RoboDeck. The cartridge should be sufficient for an area of about 46m².
At that point we had beads of sweat on our foreheads: Have we neglected our floorboards in the past? A quick search on Google quickly dispelled this fear: Decking should generally be oiled once or twice a year or stained once a year. We doubt whether you have to take out an extra monthly subscription for this. After all: Alternatively, the cartridges can also be purchased individually for $35.
HomeKit integration: We’re sceptical
We were then again surprised by the supported smart home systems. In addition to Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, the RoboDeck should also have Apple HomeKit integration. However, we cannot really believe that. Not even the widespread vacuum robots can be integrated natively into HomeKit. But Apple is suddenly supposed to certify a staining robot, even though there isn’t even a corresponding device category?
With the Alexa, Google Nest and Homekit integration, you can keep track of your patio maintenance. Just like all your other smart devices, RoboDeck recognizes pickling, sweeping and reporting commands!
We would like to use this example again to draw your attention to the dangers of crowdfunding campaigns. On the one hand, it can happen that you never receive the product after the support. On the other hand, promised functions may be missing in the end. Among them, we would also book the HomeKit integration for the RoboDeck. If you want to support the project, don’t count on being able to control the robot via Apple’s smart home platform. However, we are also happy to be taught better. RoboDeck is set to launch on Kickstarter soon. Until then, you can find out more on the manufacturer‘s website.