Smart Home Mobile App

IoT Software Development for Smart Home Company serving more than 70k Norwegian homes

ABOUT
the project

Client:

Smart Home Company

Location:

Norway

Oslo

Company Size:

50+ Employees

Industry:

IoT

Solution:

Mobile App

Services:

Mobile App Development

Cloud Software Development

Custom Software Development

Technologies:

Flutter

Flutter Amplify

AWS

GraphQL

DynamoDB

Xray

Flutter BLoC

Alchemist (Golden tests)

Mocktail

Mockingjay

Firebase Core

Firebase dynamic links

Connectivity

Datadog

Weather API client

RX Dart

Very Good Analysis

The smart application serves as an all-in-one center, effortlessly integrating a variety of critical features such as water and fire prevention, energy management, and access control. This unique smart home management solution promotes increased security and optimized energy efficiency.

Remarkable in their communication skills, Leobit’s team consistently demonstrates a decent level of patience and politeness in their interactions with us

Liene H.

Senior Project Manager at IoT Company

CUSTOMER

Our client stands as a renowned global developer and manufacturer of electronics, specializing in the realm of wireless safety and IoT technology. Leveraging their expertise, they deliver cutting-edge solutions to diverse industries. Their comprehensive portfolio encompasses Home & Building, Marine, and Energy solutions, all meticulously designed to enhance everyday living, prioritize safety, and promote energy efficiency.

BUSINESS
CHALLENGE

Creating an IoT solution for smart homes is a complex project that relies on the collaboration of skilled individuals with varied skill sets. Client’s vision encompassed the creation of a user-friendly mobile app, designed in adherence to industry best practices. To achieve this, they strategically opted for the adoption of Flutter, a technology widely acclaimed in the domain of major IoT applications.

The client has an ambitious plan to enhance their products by incorporating advanced software features. Given the presence of a dominant national competitor, it is imperative for the client to align their development efforts with current market demands to thrive in this competitive landscape.

Why
Leobit

Our client looked out for the team with the distinct Flutter expertise to develop cross-platform mobile app. As a renowned specialist in Flutter development, our team possesses comprehensive knowledge and hands-on experience to create innovative and high-performing mobile applications.

Apart of that, we also have a successful track record in implementing embedded projects and handling intricate integrations, making us exceptionally well-suited for the development of complex IoT solutions. As a result, the client made the decision to collaborate with us, recognizing our expertise as the ideal fit to fulfill their project needs.

Project
in detail

Leobit collaborates closely with the client’s embedded team to develop an IoT mobile app that seamlessly integrates with hardware components.

Our development team has built a comprehensive smart home app by harnessing a potential of the Flutter framework to deliver a consistent and ideal user experience, regardless of their preferred device, improving overall usability and convenience.

Linking with Smart Hub

The system’s central component is the highly capable smart home hub. The hub takes charge of establishing communication with various smart IoT devices including smoke detectors, thermostats, light systems, water protection systems, and smart door locks. Through the app, users have the ability to manage various tasks, while a central hub ensures that all devices stay connected. The IoT devices within the home then carry out the user’s commands effectively, making the whole system work smoothly.

Centralized Home and Room Management

The app’s functionality for creating and managing homes and rooms is designed to provide users with a structured approach to organizing their smart devices within their living spaces. When users access the app, they are given the choice to either create a new “home” or join an existing one. Once a choice is made, users are directed to the designated information page specific to the selected home.

This page comprises several fields of home-specific information that should be filled out. In order to streamline effective management of their smart devices, the app equips users with the ability to establish rooms within their homes. This feature make it easier to track and oversight of individual devices, fostering a more organized management experience.

Seamless Home Member Administration

The functionality for managing home members within the app operates through a series of steps, designed to streamline the process of managing individuals associated with a residence. Users can input contact information manually or opt to retrieve it from their mobile phone’s contact list. This integration simplifies the data input process. Upon gathering the necessary contact information, users can then initiate the inclusion of home members by utilizing various communication channels. This includes sending invitations through email or SMS.

Additionally, a QR code generation feature is available, allowing for an innovative approach to inviting new home members. Each home member can be linked to multiple residences. Moreover, this functionality isn’t solely limited to internal household members; it also extends to external stakeholders. These stakeholders encompass housing associations, installation professionals, and in-home delivery personnel. To uphold robust security measures, the system incorporates diverse role-based access controls, each associated with specific access restrictions tailored to designated functionalities.

Home Security Functionality

For home security functionality, we integrated multiple smart lock systems into the app ecosystem. The process encompasses establishing secure communication protocols to enable real-time monitoring of the lock’s status within the app interface. Users are now granted not only a comprehensive overview of the lock’s security status, but also the advanced capability to remotely unlock the doors for specific reasons.

Water Leak Detection

The system operates using strategically placed water leak sensors equipped with advanced technology to precisely monitor water flow rates. These sensors, supported by sophisticated algorithms, promptly detect anomalies indicating potential leaks. The collaboration with Waterguard, a Norwegian water leak detection provider, enhances the system's effectiveness.

When a water leak sensor triggers the valve control, real-time alerts are sent through the app to homeowners' mobile devices for immediate response. By accessing the app's interface, users can swiftly trigger the shutdown of the water supply to prevent any further damage.

Smart Light Control

The implementation of the smart light control functionality within the app serves as a user-centric solution for effortless activation/deactivation of home lightingand electrical devices.

The app's compatibility with renowned brands, like Philips Hue and IKEA Home, further guarantees a better experience for users who have smart lighting solutions from these manufacturers.

Energy Consumption Monitoring

The app grants users access to an exclusive electricity management tool. Through the app, users gain a clear and independent view of their home's power usage, regardless of their electricity provider. This feature gives users more control over their consumption, enabling them to track trends, view historical data, and compare costs between different months and years.

The app is seamlessly connected to Nordpool, Europe's leading electricity stock market, fetching hourly prices. For a more detailed view, users can also link the app to Elhub, a central system in Norway that manages and measures power consumption across the country.

This integration enhances the app's capabilities, giving users a comprehensive understanding of their power usage and cost calculations based on real-time pricing data.

Fire Alarm Notification

The technical foundation is rooted in wireless communication, specifically employing the Zigbee protocol. This allows smoke detectors to communicate seamlessly with each other and with the app. In case any device detects smoke, this triggers an alarm. The app ensures all home members are promptly notified via their mobile devices.

This is achieved through a combination of SMS and push notifications, leveraging the app's connectivity to send urgent alerts directly to users' smartphones. The app's functionality further extends to establishing a secure connection with a designated 24/7 alarm station. This integration involves the establishment of secure communication channels and protocols to swiftly transmit emergency notification, GPS coordinates, and user information to the designated fire station.

The Journey
Behind Client's Success

Team:

5 Software Engineers

4 QA Engineers

1 Project Manager

1 Business Analyst

Phase 1

Phase 2

Phase 3

Phase 4

Project and Architecture Setup

Profile Settings

Onboarding Process

Hub Functionality

Device Pairing

Home Functionality

Room Functionality

Smart Light

Fire Alarm Functionality

Water Alarm Functionality

Water Security Functionality

People in the team

Norwegian homes in the network

70K+

Smart home app in Norway

Solutions

Leveraged Flutter framework for a consistent cross-platform user experience.
Employed ZigBee technology to establish seamless and reliable communication between various smart devices and the app.
Elevated security measures in the application’s login process, including biometric authentication options and robust account protection through two-factor authentication.
Developed a comprehensive onboarding system that guides users through the setup process.
Implemented real-time mobile app notifications and SMS alerts to notify owners and other contacts about critical events.
Created a secure connection with a 24/7 alarm station for emergency situations.

Value
delivered

The mobile app is successfully deployed in approximately 70,000 Norwegian homes, starting from the year 2023.
The app’s proven success sets a positive dynamic for future nationwide adoption in Norway.
The app contributes to a more sustainable and energy-efficient world by enabling users to properly manage their homes and reduce their environmental footprint, in line with global sustainability standards.