Jonathan Burr, CEO of Howz
Howz is a provider of smart home monitoring solutions designed to ensure the well-being and safety of the elderly. The company is located in the UK and is based on easing the worries of elderly relatives that, for example, live by themselves. Howz’ monitoring solution includes the Howz mobile app and the Howz Smart Home Care Kit consisting of a smart plug, a motion sensor, a door sensor, and a hub.
“Our mission is to help the families of the elderly to know they are safe. In the UK, 3.8m people over 65 live alone. By installing remote monitoring in the homes of elderly relatives, it is possible for both family members and health care service staff to have an idea of the individual’s current well-being. This also means people will be allowed to stay independent for longer,”
– Jonathan Burr, CEO of Howz
When developing the home monitoring solution, Howz tested and analyzed several possible technologies to enable communication to the device, but only Nabto’s direct communication platform solved the key remote access problems in a simple and inexpensive way. By integrating the Nabto software, Howz was able to create a solution where their monitoring server can connect to the devices and control them. This happens through the Nabto tunnel with minimal integration effort or complications – and without expensive third-party data management solutions.
The Howz smart home monitoring solution works through a combination of the Howz app and sensors installed in the house of the elderly. Through the electricity usage and data from the smart meters and sensors, Howz can analyze and learn what behavior is normal in the household and send messages to the family via the app if something seems unusual.
For the sensors to communicate, there is a hub included in the Howz Smart Home Kit. This is also where the Nabto technology is integrated. The Nabto tunnel enables a direct connection between Howz’ monitoring software and the hub. Not relying on a 3rd party data management solution means better privacy for Howz’ users.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, remote monitoring solutions in healthcare have had a huge impact. Remote solutions like monitoring, video, and phone calls have been more necessary than ever and have made it possible for health care professionals to support their patients at a distance. This is where a solution like Howz has made it even more intuitive and helpful for the health care of the elderly with their monitoring solution. With the simple software architecture from Nabto integrated into the hub, the Howz solution is easily set up and can be used from everywhere making an uncomplex and secure solution.