Signify has collaborated with Google on the Philips Hue to create voice commands for its sleep and wake up feature.
This is the first integration of the Philips Hue with a voice command platform. Users can now ask Philips Hue via Google Assistant to activate the sleep and wake up feature and it will change to replicate the ideal light to allow owners to wind down before bed and wake up naturally in the morning.
The sleep and wake up mode has several features. The one-time alarm sync means that when users set a morning alarm on their Google Assistant, users can say “Hey Google, turn on gentle wake up” and Philips Hue will sync with this command and set the lights to a sunrise effect 30 minutes before the scheduled alarm to wake the user more naturally.
For a more natural send off to sleep, owners can set the lights to a warm tone of white light which gradually fades over 30 minutes by saying “Hey Google, sleep the lights at 11pm”.
If the person doesn’t want to schedule the sleep / wake function or set an alarm, they can use the direct action feature meaning that Philips Hue will begin the 30 minute sleep or wake up process on direct command using Google Assistant.
The multi-person activation allows users to set different modes in different rooms using the Hue app. The owner can set the wake up function in several rooms at once or schedule them to happen at different times.
Research has shown how important light is in our daily lives. It can influence our moods and how well we sleep. Many smartphones now automatically change the tone of light after a certain time to try and help us sleep better at night. And waking up in the right light can make us feel more energised and put us in a better mood.
The sleep and wake up feature using Google Assistant will be accessible in Philips Hue products in English speaking countries by March 2019.