Quirky, a think tank of sorts that produces smart technology, is introducing an air conditioning unit that might change home cooling systems forever.
Available now for preorder, the Aros Smart Window Air Conditioner from Quirky and GE solves the dilemma of whether to leave the air running all day or come home to a hot, stuffy house.
Working with a smartphone app, the Aros is designed to learn your budget, location, schedule, and usage to keep your home at the ideal temperature while saving you money, CNET reported.
The air conditioning unit can be controlled from any location through the Wink app, according to the Quirky website. You can turn it off when you leave for work in the morning and switch it back on before you get home.
Quirky, which essentially works through crowdsourcing ideas, has produced a smart surge protector and a connected egg tray, but Aros is the first big project from the company. GE invested $30 million into the startup last year, according to CNET.
Garnering ideas from regular people, Quirky works through a process of combing through idea submissions, getting votes on the best product ideas and then designing the winning products.
The $300 Aros unit, which should ship in May, is the company's biggest venture yet. According to CEO Ben Kaufman, the smart air conditioner has been in the works for about six months, ever since GE and Quirky made their partnership public.
"We want Quirky to be a company that makes invention accessible, not just cool kitchen gadgets and fun toys," Kaufman told Gizmodo. "And GE gives us the ability to take on these really complex inventions."
The idea for Aros came from Dr. Garthen Leslie, a Maryland resident and a former Department of Energy employee, according to Gizmodo. GE began working on the smart air conditioning unit concept by last November.
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