ST Bureau
Singapore
“Ambi Climate has built-in sensors
that constantly measure temperature, humidity and sunlight levels in the room,
and we also employ an internet based weather service that gives us the outdoor
weather conditions in each location. These factors, combined with time of day
and seasonality factors allow us to predict the right AC settings to maintain a
user’s comfort.”- Julian Lee, CEO & Co-Founder, Ambi Labs.
that constantly measure temperature, humidity and sunlight levels in the room,
and we also employ an internet based weather service that gives us the outdoor
weather conditions in each location. These factors, combined with time of day
and seasonality factors allow us to predict the right AC settings to maintain a
user’s comfort.”- Julian Lee, CEO & Co-Founder, Ambi Labs.
Ambi Climate is the world’s first AI
enabled smart air conditioner accessory. Air conditioners today only control
for temperature alone, but many other factors affect your comfort – things like
humidity, sunlight in the room, changing weather outside, and even your daily
metabolic cycle. All you need to do is indicate via our app if you’re hot,
cold, or comfortable, and our AI will analyze the data collected through the
Ambi Climate sensors to learn how these various factors impact your comfort. It
will then automatically adjust your AC to keep you more comfortable and help
you save energy.
enabled smart air conditioner accessory. Air conditioners today only control
for temperature alone, but many other factors affect your comfort – things like
humidity, sunlight in the room, changing weather outside, and even your daily
metabolic cycle. All you need to do is indicate via our app if you’re hot,
cold, or comfortable, and our AI will analyze the data collected through the
Ambi Climate sensors to learn how these various factors impact your comfort. It
will then automatically adjust your AC to keep you more comfortable and help
you save energy.
In an exclusive interview with Startup Terminal; Julian Lee, CEO &
Co-Founder, Ambi Labs shares more insight about Ambi Climate and future goals.
Co-Founder, Ambi Labs shares more insight about Ambi Climate and future goals.
Excerpts:
ST:
Tell us more about Ambi Climate.
Tell us more about Ambi Climate.
Julian
Lee: Ambi Climate is
the world’s first AI enabled smart air conditioner accessory. Air conditioners
today only control for temperature alone, but many other factors affect your
comfort – things like humidity, sunlight in the room, changing weather outside,
and even your daily metabolic cycle. All you need to do is indicate via our app
if you’re hot, cold, or comfortable, and our AI will analyze the data collected
through the Ambi Climate sensors to learn how these various factors impact your
comfort. It will then automatically adjust your AC to keep you more comfortable
and help you save energy.
Lee: Ambi Climate is
the world’s first AI enabled smart air conditioner accessory. Air conditioners
today only control for temperature alone, but many other factors affect your
comfort – things like humidity, sunlight in the room, changing weather outside,
and even your daily metabolic cycle. All you need to do is indicate via our app
if you’re hot, cold, or comfortable, and our AI will analyze the data collected
through the Ambi Climate sensors to learn how these various factors impact your
comfort. It will then automatically adjust your AC to keep you more comfortable
and help you save energy.
 |
| Pic Courtesy: Ambi Climate official website |
ST:
How has your entrepreneurship journey been so far?
How has your entrepreneurship journey been so far?
Julian
Lee: When we founded
Ambi Labs in 2012, our initial concept was much simpler – we planned to build
(what is now) a typical smart AC controller; the functionality we planned was
simple remote control functionality augmented with rules (e.g. to switch on
automatically if a temperature was reached) and timers.
Lee: When we founded
Ambi Labs in 2012, our initial concept was much simpler – we planned to build
(what is now) a typical smart AC controller; the functionality we planned was
simple remote control functionality augmented with rules (e.g. to switch on
automatically if a temperature was reached) and timers.
However, when we did user research in
Hong Kong, Singapore and Japan, we found that most interviewees did not see a
strong case to remotely manage their ACs. In contrast, we frequently heard
about their comfort challenges – things like waking up cold in the middle of
the night, or finding their rooms too cold when a thunderstorm passed through,
or feeling like they were constantly adjusting the AC to stay comfortable.
Hence our pivot towards an AI based controller that would be able to solve
these problems for them.
Hong Kong, Singapore and Japan, we found that most interviewees did not see a
strong case to remotely manage their ACs. In contrast, we frequently heard
about their comfort challenges – things like waking up cold in the middle of
the night, or finding their rooms too cold when a thunderstorm passed through,
or feeling like they were constantly adjusting the AC to stay comfortable.
Hence our pivot towards an AI based controller that would be able to solve
these problems for them.
Since our pivot, we have won a number
of startup awards, including the People’s Choice Award at Echelon in 2014, the
RISE Pitch in 2015, the HK Electronics Industries Award in 2016, and most
recently, the IoT Asia Trailblazer Award earlier this year. We also launched a
successful Kickstarter in 2014, raising just over US$114k, and now have users
in over 40 countries.
of startup awards, including the People’s Choice Award at Echelon in 2014, the
RISE Pitch in 2015, the HK Electronics Industries Award in 2016, and most
recently, the IoT Asia Trailblazer Award earlier this year. We also launched a
successful Kickstarter in 2014, raising just over US$114k, and now have users
in over 40 countries.
ST:
How do you leverage innovative technologies such as Internet of Things, Big
Data, Machine Intelligence and Cloud, among others in order to create an
Internet-connected smart remote?
How do you leverage innovative technologies such as Internet of Things, Big
Data, Machine Intelligence and Cloud, among others in order to create an
Internet-connected smart remote?
 |
| Julian Lee, CEO & Co-Founder, Ambi Labs |
Julian
Lee: IoT is very
useful in helping consumers learn about their environment and to also control
their environment – however, right now most devices give the users too much
data without insight, and rely on the users to make the right control decisions.
Lee: IoT is very
useful in helping consumers learn about their environment and to also control
their environment – however, right now most devices give the users too much
data without insight, and rely on the users to make the right control decisions.
We believe that truly smart devices
should be seamless and automatically support users’ lifestyles. To that effect,
we employ machine learning intelligence to learn about how these multiple
factors affect the users’ comfort. Human cognitive load theory suggests that
people can retain 7 items in their working memory and effectively balance
between 2-4 conflicting factors at the same time. Standard human thermal
comfort models suggest that there are at least 6 factors that play a part in
human comfort. Since the cognitive load is extremely high, we feel this is an
ideal application of machine learning – which can effortlessly balance millions
of factors concurrently.
should be seamless and automatically support users’ lifestyles. To that effect,
we employ machine learning intelligence to learn about how these multiple
factors affect the users’ comfort. Human cognitive load theory suggests that
people can retain 7 items in their working memory and effectively balance
between 2-4 conflicting factors at the same time. Standard human thermal
comfort models suggest that there are at least 6 factors that play a part in
human comfort. Since the cognitive load is extremely high, we feel this is an
ideal application of machine learning – which can effortlessly balance millions
of factors concurrently.
ST:
How does Ambi Climate work? What makes this device cost as well as energy
efficient for users?
How does Ambi Climate work? What makes this device cost as well as energy
efficient for users?
Julian
Lee: Ambi Climate has
built-in sensors that constantly measure temperature, humidity and sunlight
levels in the room, and we also employ an internet based weather service that
gives us the outdoor weather conditions in each location. These factors,
combined with time of day and seasonality factors allow us to predict the right
AC settings to maintain a user’s comfort.
Lee: Ambi Climate has
built-in sensors that constantly measure temperature, humidity and sunlight
levels in the room, and we also employ an internet based weather service that
gives us the outdoor weather conditions in each location. These factors,
combined with time of day and seasonality factors allow us to predict the right
AC settings to maintain a user’s comfort.
All the user has to do is give us
comfort feedback via the app – whether they are hot, cold, or comfortable, and
our AI machine learning model is able to analyze the impact of each of these
various factors. A second set of AI machine learning models analyzes the
behaviour of the air conditioner in the room – afterall, each environment is
different, whether due to the room size, layout, orientation, age of AC, etc.
comfort feedback via the app – whether they are hot, cold, or comfortable, and
our AI machine learning model is able to analyze the impact of each of these
various factors. A second set of AI machine learning models analyzes the
behaviour of the air conditioner in the room – afterall, each environment is
different, whether due to the room size, layout, orientation, age of AC, etc.
Through these groups of models, we not
just learn the individual user’s profile, but are able to automatically adjust
the AC to deliver better comfort with energy savings.
just learn the individual user’s profile, but are able to automatically adjust
the AC to deliver better comfort with energy savings.
Ambi Climate is able to help the user
save energy by minimizing overcooling conditions in the room. If you feel cold
in an air conditioned room, you’re wasting energy by definition. As in one of
the earlier examples mentioned, most users wake up too cold in the morning.
Studies have shown that a cooler temperature is helpful to fall asleep, but as
your metabolism slows down, you tend to feel too cold overnight. Ambi Climate
is able to learn these differences, and gradually let the room warm up so that
you can minimize energy consumption.
save energy by minimizing overcooling conditions in the room. If you feel cold
in an air conditioned room, you’re wasting energy by definition. As in one of
the earlier examples mentioned, most users wake up too cold in the morning.
Studies have shown that a cooler temperature is helpful to fall asleep, but as
your metabolism slows down, you tend to feel too cold overnight. Ambi Climate
is able to learn these differences, and gradually let the room warm up so that
you can minimize energy consumption.
ACs are used the longest in the
bedroom overnight (8-10 hours a night), so the potential energy savings here
are significant. Our estimates are for up to 30% savings in AC energy
consumption, and we have had users report as high as 20+% savings off their
electricity bill.
bedroom overnight (8-10 hours a night), so the potential energy savings here
are significant. Our estimates are for up to 30% savings in AC energy
consumption, and we have had users report as high as 20+% savings off their
electricity bill.
ST:
As a startup, what challenges do you face in terms of driving business growth
and raising funds?
As a startup, what challenges do you face in terms of driving business growth
and raising funds?
Julian
Lee: As we are at the
forefront of technology, we do find that consumer education is the biggest
challenge. Most consumers are familiar with the concept of smart home, but here
in Asia consumers are not yet ready to buy – they are not so familiar with
specific brands and products, let alone a more advanced product such as ours
that uses AI technology. Conversely, consumers in the US are much better
educated about this category of products, and we are making steady sales there
– despite the fact that a much smaller proportion of the population there has
an AC that is compatible with our device.
Lee: As we are at the
forefront of technology, we do find that consumer education is the biggest
challenge. Most consumers are familiar with the concept of smart home, but here
in Asia consumers are not yet ready to buy – they are not so familiar with
specific brands and products, let alone a more advanced product such as ours
that uses AI technology. Conversely, consumers in the US are much better
educated about this category of products, and we are making steady sales there
– despite the fact that a much smaller proportion of the population there has
an AC that is compatible with our device.
ST:
How big is your team? Are you looking to hire more?
How big is your team? Are you looking to hire more?
Julian
Lee: We currently
have a team of 25 people in Hong Kong and the Philippines, with the bulk of the
team in product development, covering hardware, cloud backend, AI, mobile and
production. We are always looking for passionate and talented individuals to
join our team, and we are keen to explore the potential of tapping the
Singapore talent pool.
Lee: We currently
have a team of 25 people in Hong Kong and the Philippines, with the bulk of the
team in product development, covering hardware, cloud backend, AI, mobile and
production. We are always looking for passionate and talented individuals to
join our team, and we are keen to explore the potential of tapping the
Singapore talent pool.
ST:
What are your future plans?
What are your future plans?
Julian
Lee: As our B2C sales
are starting to stabilise, we are now exploring various B2B opportunities. For
example, in the hospitality industry where property managers are seeking ways
to provide better comfort for their guests and to better manage their AC energy
consumption, as well as utilities who are seeking innovative ways to manage
electricity demand.
Lee: As our B2C sales
are starting to stabilise, we are now exploring various B2B opportunities. For
example, in the hospitality industry where property managers are seeking ways
to provide better comfort for their guests and to better manage their AC energy
consumption, as well as utilities who are seeking innovative ways to manage
electricity demand.
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