Knock knock

25 : 07 : 2016 Knocki : The Connected Home : Intuitive Interfaces

US – Knocki is a new wireless controller that lets users operate smart devices by tapping their furniture.

  • The device turns any surface it is attached to into a user interface
  • Knocki can be used to make a building more accessible to children, the elderly and people with disabilities
Knocki, Texas Knocki, Texas
Knocki, Texas Knocki, Texas
Knocki, Texas Knocki, Texas
Knocki, Texas

The device can be attached under tables, inside cupboard doors and on walls, turning any surface into a user interface. The system is designed to enable users to control their smart home devices intuitively and without the need for a range of platforms and controllers.

Each Knocki can be programmed to operate devices such thermostats and lights wirelessly using a series of taps. It can even be used to make a misplaced smartphone ring or alert the owner that someone is knocking at the front door.

‘If you enable a wall with Knocki, you allow anyone, whether they are in a wheelchair, elderly or a child that can’t physically reach a switch, to go to any part of the wall and control it by knocking,’ co-founder Jake Boshernitzan told Digital Trends. ‘And it’s also simpler than having to take a phone out to look through a bunch of apps to find a specific one to control a specific device.’

The Big Picture

Products such as Knocki are helping to simplify the integration of smart home technologies into the domestic environment. For more on the challenges of growing the smart home market, read our recent column.

Discover More Daily Signals
Chili’s turns margarita superfans into club members

Daily Signals

Chili’s turns margarita superfans into club members

American casual dining chain Chili’s has launched an official Margarita of the Month Club, timed to coincide with National Margarita Day on 22...
Food : Drink : Fashion
EU to ban destruction of unsold fashion and accessories

Daily Signals

EU to ban destruction of unsold fashion and accessories

The European Commission has confirmed a ban on the destruction of unsold clothing, accessories and footwear, under new measures adopted as part of ...
Sustainability : Fashion : Statistic
Stat: Teenagers in England exposed to harmful and illegal product advertising online

Daily Signals

Stat: Teenagers in England exposed to harmful and illegal product advertising online

Children in England are being ‘bombarded’ with online ads for harmful, age-restricted products, according to a survey of 2,000 teenagers for the Ch...
Youth : Technology : Statistic
Clair introduces continuous monitoring wearable for hormone health

Daily Signals

Clair introduces continuous monitoring wearable for hormone health

Clair is a new start-up from Stanford University building what it calls ‘life-stage intelligence’: a non-invasive, continuous hormonal health monitor.
Women's Health : Technology : Hormonal Health
Stat: Why decarbonisation without finance is stalling fashion’s sustainability transition

Daily Signals

Stat: Why decarbonisation without finance is stalling fashion’s sustainability transition

As global temperatures breach the 1.5°C threshold, a new roadmap is urging fashion brands to pay a fair share for the energy transition in Banglade...
Sustainability : Fashion : Statistic
Arc’teryx embraces sensory restraint in brand storytelling

Daily Signals

Arc’teryx embraces sensory restraint in brand storytelling

In an increasingly noisy world, Arc’teryx is reframing mountain sports as a meditative form of presence, suspension and sensory quiet.
Sport : Fashion : Marketing
Greenpeace frames legacy giving as a final act of protest

Daily Signals

Greenpeace frames legacy giving as a final act of protest

Global environmental organisation Greenpeace is reimagining legacy giving with a darkly comic campaign that turns death into a stage for activism.
Sustainability : Marketing & Branding : Humour
The China Playbook: Why China’s demographics are reshaping the market

Daily Signals

The China Playbook: Why China’s demographics are reshaping the market

The China Playbook is a monthly briefing from Hot Pot, equipping businesses with the knowledge to navigate the complexities of the Asian premi...
China : Generations : Demographics
Stat: Millennials, Gen Z and generative AI are changing the future of US travel planning

Daily Signals

Stat: Millennials, Gen Z and generative AI are changing the future of US travel planning

According to Deloitte’s 2026 Travel Industry Outlook, Gen Z and Millennials now dominate US travel demand and they are leading the adoption of gene...
Travel : Technology : Statistic
How Maison Margiela is turning behind-the-scenes access into brand value

Daily Signals

How Maison Margiela is turning behind-the-scenes access into brand value

Maison Margiela has unveiled unprecedented access to its digital archives, releasing its internal Dropbox folders to the public for free alongside ...
Fashion : Luxury : Design
You have 2 free Daily Signals remaining. Sign up to LS:N Global to get unlimited access to all articles.
BECOME A MEMBER
SIGN IN