Tuya Smart: ecosystem for networked building automation
Published: 08.04.2024 | Reading Time: 6 minutes
This text is machine translated.
Tuya Smart stands for the remote control of smart devices from anywhere and therefore for “smart living and smart homes”. The B2B company Tuya offers a development platform for manufacturers of IoT products.
With Tuya Smart, you can network your smart home devices from different manufacturers and control them conveniently via a central app. Unlike many other solutions on the market, getting started in the world of smart building automation with Tuya is very easy and, above all, without being tied to a specific device brand. The free Tuya app is all you need to operate and control lamps, WLAN sockets, thermostats, cameras and many other Tuya-compatible devices in a standardized way.
Consumers can choose from a wide range of intelligent devices and systems. This means that everyone can select the components that meet their expectations in terms of function and operation. However, components that work together in a manufacturer-neutral way are crucial for the digital transformation of the home. The key to this is the cross-system networking of a wide variety of IoT (Internet of Things) devices, from lights and switches to household appliances. This is exactly what Tuya Smart is for.
The special thing about Tuya's home automation solution is its manufacturer-independent approach: the holistic smart home system is designed for the interaction of smart devices from different brands, series and ranges. Normally, only devices from one brand or manufacturer are compatible with each other. Often, only the components of one model series are compatible. This limits product selection and ease of use: For a home system from a single source, you usually have to commit to one brand. Or you can mix Tuya devices from different brands, but then have to deal with different operating applications and live with the fact that the devices do not understand each other, or only to a limited extent.
A manufacturer-independent and therefore flexible approach to controlling smart home devices means that the user can control various devices from different manufacturers with a single app. The Tuya app takes on the role of conductor: it orchestrates all the networked devices in your home and business premises - whether you own or rent. The result is a free choice of products from all devices that support the Tuya platform. The only decisive factor is the product benefit for the user. This allows users to select devices according to their own needs and preferences without being tied to a specific series.
Here are further advantages:
Users can monitor and manage the devices centrally without the need for multiple apps or accounts.
Users can network and synchronize devices more easily to create automated scenarios.
Security and data protection are easier to control because only one trusted platform is responsible for all products.
Tip: The ZigBee gateway can also be used to address ZigBee devices from Tuya and include them in scenes.
On the “Home / My home” tab, you have access to all connected devices and your rooms. Here you can control the smart components individually, view messages and weather data and share devices with family members. To control the devices automatically depending on temperature, location, time and other events, switch to the “Smart” tab. Here you can create individual automations in the form of scenes to suit your comfort requirements.
To do this, select the desired devices and specify what exactly should happen. For example, you can switch on all the lights in the living room and dining room together when one of the motion sensors in the hallway or stairwell is activated. Or you can activate the light when it is 6 p.m. or the sun goes down.
Other switching conditions (triggers) are also possible, for example when a temperature or humidity level defined by you is reached. You can also set delays or alarm notifications, for example if the room temperature drops below 15 degrees Celsius or there is a threat of rain.
Search for “Tuya Smart” in the Google Play Store (Android) or Apple App Store (iOS) and install the app on your smartphone. Open the app and create a free user account by entering your e-mail address and setting a password. Confirm the verification code sent to your email address - the Tuya system is now ready to go.
To connect compatible devices via WiFi (WLAN, WiFi Smart) or Bluetooth, tap on the plus sign and select the appropriate product category. Make sure that the device is within range. Give the new device a name and confirm the pairing. A message now appears indicating that the pairing process via WiFi (WLAN) or Bluetooth is complete and the device is ready for use in the Smart Home.
An important convenience function in the smart home is voice control, i.e. the ability to operate lights, thermostats and other devices in the smart home by voice. This means that lights, heating or blinds can be controlled simply by voice command without using a remote control or smartphone. This is particularly practical when you don't have a hand free or are on the sofa or in bed.
Tuya supports Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant / Google Home. Good: Several devices can be controlled simultaneously via scenes that respond to voice commands. Voice control via Apple Siri is not directly supported, but can easily be supplemented via Siri shortcuts.
In addition to the Smart App, Tuya also offers a second app for Android and iOS devices: the Smart Life App, or Smart Life for short. While the Smart App is available in the app stores under the brand name “Tuya”, the Smart Life App is offered as so-called white label software without reference to Tuya. This allows device manufacturers to offer the app under the neutral name Smart Life together with their products and thus increase customer loyalty.
Tip: Tuya devices can also be integrated into the home automation platform Home Assistant. This enables interaction in the smart home with other devices in Home Assistant.
Tuya is a leading IoT SaaS technology company (Internet of Things Software as a Service) that focuses on simplifying the operation and use of smart devices in everyday life. To this end, the manufacturer of the Tuya App and the Smart Life App offers a cross-brand cloud platform that connects IoT devices. Device manufacturers and service providers can use Tuya to easily create their own offers for the digital home. The platform offers hardware manufacturers, OEMs, developers and retail chains an easy way to become part of the Tuya system.
The platform has major advantages for both customers and device manufacturers. For example, devices from one brand in the Tuya network can be combined with solutions from other brands and manufacturers supported by Tuya without any adjustments. By using Tuya, products become intelligent and can adapt to different situations. According to the operator, more than 846,000 developers from over 200 countries and regions are registered on the IoT developer platform.