Universal Electronics Inc. Expands UEI TIDE Family Portfolio with New Features and Capabilities

Universal Electronics Inc. (UEI), a global leader in smart home technology, is continuously innovating, and this is clearly demonstrated by their recent expansion of the UEI TIDE family portfolio. This expansion introduces new features and capabilities aimed at enhancing climate control and energy management within smart homes, addressing key consumer needs and pain points. This article will explore the new features, benefits, and the future direction of the UEI TIDE family.

Enhanced Functionalities of the UEI TIDE Family

The Universal Electronics Inc. expands UEI TIDE family with the introduction of the UEI TIDE Dial, Touch, and Bridge, available in various SKUs to meet diverse market demands. These new models come with enhanced functionalities, including Zigbee Coordinator support and Matter compatibility, all designed to elevate the user experience and provide greater control over home environments.

Zigbee Coordinator Functionality and Device Integration

The UEI TIDE Dial (US24) and UEI TIDE Dial (EU24/EUUSB) models now support Zigbee Coordinator functionality, enabling a complete energy management platform seamlessly integrated with HVAC systems. This built-in Zigbee hub functionality has several specific benefits:

• Managed Network Formation: The UEI TIDE Dial can form and manage a Zigbee network, offering a cost-effective climate control and home automation solution, especially in new installations where other hubs might not exist.
• Device Integration: It can seamlessly integrate with various Zigbee-enabled devices like environmental sensors, smart thermostatic radiator valves (TRV), smart shades, and smart plugs. This integration can be further complemented by IP-enabled smart home devices, creating a unified control system where devices work together efficiently.

Energy Management and Insights

By acting as a central hub with on-device automation, the UEI TIDE family optimizes energy usage, managing HVAC systems, controlling heating and cooling, and adjusting settings based on data from connected devices, even without an internet connection. Key energy management features include:

• Energy Management: The thermostats optimize energy consumption by managing HVAC systems and adjusting settings based on real-time data from connected devices.
• Energy Insights: The UEI TIDE Dial delivers actionable energy insights on the device, providing recommendations to optimize cost and comfort. When integrated with a household’s energy provider, it can visualize usage patterns and suggest optimizations.

Occupancy & Presence Detection

The Universal Electronics Inc. expands UEI TIDE family with QuickSet homeSense, an on-device occupancy and presence detection technology. This feature allows the thermostat to learn and adapt to varying home environments and user habits, creating a personalized, app-less, and privacy-first energy management solution.

The Next Generation: UEI TIDE PRO Platform

Beyond these enhancements, UEI is offering a sneak peek of its next-generation UEI TIDE PRO platform. This upcoming platform will feature:

• A larger, higher-resolution display for enhanced user interaction.
• Support for on-device AI processing, enabling more advanced automation and control.
• Thread and Open Thread Border Router (OTBR) support for improved connectivity and interoperability.
• QuickSet 7 support with a built-in Matter Controller with Multi-Admin capabilities, allowing for broader smart home integration.
• An advanced software framework, facilitating the development of operating systems and graphical user interfaces under a limited power budget.

These features will set a new standard for home automation, reimagining the role of a smart thermostat in the home.

Nevo Integration and Smart Home Control

The Universal Electronics Inc. expands UEI TIDE family with the Nevo platform. Nevo on TIDE transforms smart thermostats into a true smart home dashboard, with an elegant user interface, tactile and touch user input, and built-in support for essential wireless protocols. This integration allows for unique experiences between different brands and device categories without the need for an additional hub. The system is powered by UEI’s QuickSet Cloud, blending smart home and entertainment control across the TIDE family of products.

Key Features of Nevo on TIDE:

• Smart Home Control Dashboard: Powered by Nevo and running on UEI’s QuickSet Widget for seamless connectivity and control.
• Automatic Device Discovery: AI-supported device on-boarding enables end-to-end control of smart home devices, including lighting, shades, climate, and audio.
• Integrated Sensing: Support for temperature, humidity, and motion sensing allows for rule-based automation, enhancing lighting and shade control.
• Zigbee 3.0 Support: Built-in support for UEI’s and other third-party Zigbee sensors.
• Intuitive Interface: A familiar control interface with tactile, rotary dial, and touch screen for easy analog control.
• Portability: Table-top placement for maximum portability and whole home control convenience. Credit: www.uei.com

Strategic Partnerships and Market Vision

UEI collaborates with METUS (Mitsubishi Electric Trane HVAC US LLC) to develop a new thermostat specifically designed for the US market. This thermostat, utilizing UEI’s Tide Dial architecture, features a small form factor, a backlit color display, and an intuitive dial knob for temperature control, demonstrating UEI's ability to create products that meet specific technical requirements while delivering ease-of-use.

The company’s commitment to innovation extends to addressing the industry’s need for interoperability with their Matter-certified QuickSet solution. This technology allows users to control their Matter devices from multiple platforms and apps, bridging non-Matter devices into the Matter ecosystem and enabling automation across the whole home.

Conclusion

Universal Electronics Inc. expands UEI TIDE family portfolio with a focus on delivering enhanced functionality, seamless integration, and user-centric design. From Zigbee coordinator capabilities to Matter compatibility and on-device AI, the UEI TIDE family is poised to set new standards in smart home technology, offering consumers greater control, energy efficiency, and convenience. UEI continues to innovate, collaborating with industry leaders to address market needs and enhance the smart home experience.