Philips is rolling out Google Assistant functionality into its Hue line of smart lights.
The Dutch company says the new “sleep and wake up” feature can be controlled by voice or synced to users alarm clocks in an effort to help promote better sleep.
It works by replicating the sun’s natural rise and set cycle – but on your time. For example, if your bedtime is set to 10:30 p.m., at 10:00 the light will begin to gradually fade over the course of 30 minutes, changing to warmer, more soothing color tones along the way.
The opposite is true for the sunrise effect, where the light gradually fades in over the course of 30 minutes.
Citing clinical sleep studies, Philips says light – be it natural or artificial – plays a huge role in our body’s hormone regulation. Research suggests some color tones help us fall asleep faster or wake more energized than others.
By incorporating Google Assistant, Philips allows customers to easily program the light to dim or brighten on command by simply saying “Hey Google, sleep the light at 8 p.m.” or “Hey Google, wake me up at 7 a.m. tomorrow.”
Away from the bedroom, Philips has also just revealed its newly improved Hue Outdoor line. Consisting of functional and ambient products, these lights are perfect for home security, as well as outdoor entertainment purposes.
Featuring much of the same technology as the interior lights, Philips’ outdoor line can be programmed manually via the Hue app or automatically with the company’s outdoor sensors.