Smart homes are increasingly common, especially in new build properties that have it built in from the off.  Making existing properties smart however tends to be something of a harder proposition.

A startup, called Swidget, is trying to change that via an outlet that can be installed in the home and allow you to plug-in a range of inserts to make your home smarter.

The company, which is currently trying to raise money on Kickstarter, provide a range of inserts, including Bluetooth speakers, video cameras, mood lighting, AI devices such as Alexa, nightlights and timers.  Each is capable of connecting with a smartphone or tablet, thus allowing users to control each insert.

The system is designed to be incredibly user friendly, with users simply having to plug their chosen insert into the socket, and that’s all.  The socket is also capable of working as a normal electrical socket too.

The crowdfunding has gone extremely well to date, and so it seems very likely that they will fulfill their pledge to begin shipping the product in North America in June 2018.  The company also plan to offer a development kit, complete with outlet simulation board, power monitor, CAD files and blank test inserts so that anyone with a maker mindset can develop their own inserts for the platform.

It’s quite a nice system and it will be interesting to see how it goes upon entering the market.  You can see it in action via the video below.