Control your shower with the sound of your voice

From setting the thermostat from across the room to creating a grocery list while doing the dishes, consumers continue to capitalize on the convenience offered by digital voice assistants.

Moen is expanding the capabilities of its first-to-market U by Moen shower to provide even more innovative ways to interact with water, now offering enhanced functionality with Amazon Alexa, and compatibility with Apple HomeKit and the Google Assistant – as well as a new Matte Black controller finish for additional design customization.

U by Moen is a next-generation Wi-Fi/cloud-based digital shower which offers mobile connectivity and unmatched personalization, providing homeowners countless ways to create their ideal showering experience, with three choices to control the shower: voice activation, smartphone app and an in-shower controller.

“At Moen, we’re committed to developing smart innovations that enhance people’s everyday experiences with water, and that innovation doesn’t stop once we’ve launched a product,” said Garry Scott, vice-president, marketing and eCommerce, Moen Canada, in a prepared statement. “With the increasing popularity of digital voice assistants, we wanted to make sure consumers have several options available regardless of the smart home ecosystem they choose, as well as streamline the commands to make controlling your shower as simple as possible.”

To activate U by Moen shower, users can ask their voice assistant to remotely start and stop the shower with the sound of their voice. Once they have created personalized presets in the U by Moen app, homeowners simply state the name of the preset within the command.

Sample commands include:

• Apple HomeKit: With new HomeKit compatibility, users can control their U by Moen shower through Apple devices such as iPhone, iPad, Watch, Mac and HomePod. Through the Apple Home app or by using a simple voice command, such as “Hey Siri, turn on my shower,” or “Hey Siri, start preset ‘Post-Workout Shower,’” users can start the shower from anywhere around the house. And, U by Moen can be added to a new or existing scene to automatically start the day with other HomeKit accessories such as lights, shades and more.
• The Google Assistant: Control the shower by saying commands like “Ok Google, turn on my shower to 38 degrees Celsius,” “Ok Google, start preset ‘Workout Shower,’” or “Ok Google, turn off the shower.” Users also can integrate U by Moen into Routines, to combine multiple smart home interactions. For example, the command “Ok Google, good morning,” can trigger a series of actions such as starting the shower, adjusting lighting and getting the weather forecast from the Google Assistant.
• Amazon Alexa: U by Moen is now integrated as a Smart Home Skill, making the commands more intuitive. Users simply say, “Alexa, start preset ‘Morning Shower,’” or, “Alexa, turn on my shower to 39 degrees Celsius” to get the shower running. Homeowners also can make U by Moen part of smart home Groups, to control all smart products in a group at one time, or Routines, where turning on the shower is triggered along with several other simultaneous tasks. For example, when consumers say, “Alexa, start my morning routine,” starting the shower can be integrated with other actions like turning on the lights and opening the blinds.

Users will know the commands have worked as the device will reply indicating the desired activity has been completed, the app on their smartphone and the controller in the shower will respond by lighting up, changing colour and reacting to the specific command.

How U by Moen Works:

The U by Moen shower includes a digital valve that offers precise, thermostatic temperature control, and enables the user to connect up to four shower devices (showerheads, handshowers, body sprays, etc.). The Wi-Fi-connected digital shower controller features a five-inch, non-touch, LCD screen that provides feedback on the shower status through on-screen messaging and notifications.

For users’ safety, the shower valve will allow temperatures between 16 and 49 degrees Celsius. As they change the water temperature, the colour of the screen will evolve from light blue, dark blue, purple, orange and red indicating the system is warming up or cooling down to reach the desired water temperature. When the shower is ready, the screen will turn white and provide an on-screen notification and signal with a tone. The controller itself has seven to nine buttons – depending on whether it’s a two- or four-outlet system – enabling users to accurately control their shower experience.

The controller’s design not only is stylish, but it also provides users with the best of connected features and functionality. They can customize settings directly in the shower and save them with one of two preset buttons. Depending on their style preference, homeowners can choose a Terra Beige controller finish, or new Matte Black.