Definitely! It doesn't matter, how your house is built. The only must is to a have WiFi Internet in your home; else your mobile hot-spot is enough. SharpNode takes hardly 2-3 MB Internet data in a month.
Can SharpNode be controlled from outside the home?
Yes, SharpNode can be controlled and accessed from anywhere, as long as you have a connection to the Internet. You do not have to be on the same local Wi-Fi network as the SharpNode, although the SharpNode is needed to be 100-300ft from your Wi-Fi base station or extender in order to establish a connection to the Internet.
Do I have to pay anything for SharpNode service or SharpNode apps?
Our software and apps are absolutely free!
What happens if the Internet goes down?
You'll always be able to control your electric appliances from the SharpNode. We're also working on a back-up system that uses local communications when the Internet is down.
In what countries will SharpNode work?
It will work everywhere. No matter, where you are.
How do I connect SharpNode to my Wi-Fi network?
Setting it up is easy and can be done wireless from an Android phone, iPhone, or through our web application. We will guide you through the process in our apps, but in essence you will connect to the SharpNode directly over Wi-Fi, send it your Wi-Fi SSID and password, and then it will reboot and join your network. The whole process takes about a minute. In case you face a problem, our team will solve your issues. We can also help you by connecting remotely with your WiFi, only if you tell us the led status on each connecting steps.Setting it up is easy and can be done wirelessly from an Android phone, iPhone, or through our web application. We will guide you through the process in our apps, but in essence you will connect to the SharpNode directly over Wi-Fi, send it your Wi-Fi SSID and password, and then it will reboot and join your network. The whole process takes about a minute. In case you face a problem, our team will solve your issues. We can also help you by connecting remotely with your WiFi, only if you tell us the led status on each connecting steps.
What will the Indiegogo funding be used for?
If we reach our target of $1,000, the money will be used for the following purposes:
Manufacturing: First and foremost, the majority of the money that we receive in our Indiegogo campaign will go directly for the payments to be made for our manufacturing partner in order to make and deliver the SharpNode.
Tooling: The biggest up-front development costs are tooling costs for the plastic parts. This basically involves paying an extremely skilled engineer to make a "tool" out of very hard metal that can be used as a mold for the plastic parts.
Certification: A product of this nature must be certified by the FCC for RF emissions, and UL for safety. Safety and reliability are paramount for a product like this, and we'll go through the rigorous testing to ensure a high-quality product.
What is the current state of the prototype?
Our current prototype which is featured in this video as well as in pictures is both fully functional and a good approximation of the appearance of the manufactured product. The shell of the prototype is a SLA model that has been painted to look alike the final product; if you look clearly in the pictures and the videos you shall come accross some scratches and imperfections due to sanding and painting. The finished product will be injection molded plastic. As for the electronics, only ARM Cortex M3 development board is used which was imported from the
China and the components were hand-soldered onto the board by master Aarif Khan. The final boards will be mass-manufactured using pick-and-place technology. The circuitry will likely go through a couple of rounds of revision to optimize the design, but the functionality will be the same as today.
