mui Lab Supports the Introduction of Amazon's "Alexa Smart Properties” in Japan, Providing Solutions for Businesses as a Certified Amazon Partner.
mui Lab has launched "Alexa Smart Properties," an Amazon Alexa service for businesses and local governments in Japan. mui Lab's proprietary platform service, mui Platform, will be used to power Alexa Skill "Energy Dashboard".
The energy management function (visualization of electricity and energy usage and demand response) was implemented into Alexa using Calm UI® design language. This design methodology employs Calm Technology, a set of principles promoted by mui Lab and garnering more global recognition.
Key Takeaways
- Alexa Smart Properties, an Amazon Alexa service for business and local government has been available in Japan since December this year. With the launch of Alexa Smart Properties in Japan, Amazon has partnered with mui Lab, a key domestic platform solutions provider—leveraging its knowledge in its proprietary platform service "mui Platform" to support the introduction of the Alexa skill "Energy Dashboard" to Osaka Gas's experimental housing complex.
- Alexa Smart Properties is an API for providing Alexa, a personal AI assistant, to businesses such as senior living facilities, hotels, condominiums, as well as local governments. Alexa Smart Properties solution providers will develop solutions that utilize a dedicated API, allowing businesses to offer their own customized services to users.
- The Energy Dashboard provided by mui Lab uses Calm UI®, an experience design based on Calm Technology's approach. It implements functions such as electricity and energy usage visualization, demand response, and can be used with Amazon's Echo Show series of products.
- The Calm UI® experience design uses an approach that does not draw undue attention to the consumer, but promotes efficient energy use, and is designed to create an experience that is both comfortable to live in and changes behavior toward protecting the global environment.
About the "Energy Dashboard"
With the "Energy Dashboard", users can use the Alexa Echo Show devices to check energy usage data, receive notifications of projected monthly bills, and notices from the building management. Users can also participate in Osaka Gas' electricity-saving Demand Response programs.
The "Energy Dashboard" will be powered by mui Lab's proprietary “mui Platform”. Calm UI®, an experience methodology that uses the Calm Technology approach, helps promote energy-saving behaviors without burdening or distracting the end user. The goal of Calm UI® is to create an experience that promotes both comfortable living and positive behavioral change to reach a carbon neutral future.
About Amazon's Alexa Smart Properties
Alexa Smart Properties is the first service in Japan to offer Alexa, the personal AI assistant, to businesses, such as "senior living facilities," "hotels," and "condominiums," as well as to public services such as "local governments. Alexa Smart Properties will be deployed by solution providers contracted by Amazon. Solution providers will be able to develop and implement Alexa-based services tailored to their business and local government needs using Amazon's dedicated Alexa Smart Properties API. Facility owners and managers will be able to efficiently manage the entire Amazon Echo series configured and installed to use Alexa Smart Properties. Alexa Smart Properties also allows users to access specific Alexa voice services without having to use their personal Amazon account or provide personal information, as the service is provided through a dedicated account with the corporation or local government that provides the service.
Introduction to Osaka Gas Experimental Housing Complex "NEXT21”
NEXT21 is an experimental housing complex of Osaka Gas. Since its construction, it has been used for three main purposes: "housing and living style experiments," "energy experiments," and "evaluation of prototypes for commercialization. With the introduction of the Alexa Smart Properties, residents not only have access to a variety of Alexa functions through the Echo Show 8 installed in each room, but also to information such as electricity usage. In addition, Alexa can send notifications to residents to encourage them to save electricity in the middle of summer or winter when the supply and demand of electricity is tight. Alexa Smart Properties at this facility was implemented by mui Lab Inc.
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