Smart home systems have been developed to enhance the lives of their users, but engineer Liam Highmore recognised that not enough of these systems were designed with accessibility in mind.
The Young Engineers Australia Victoria committee member and entrepreneur identified a concerning gap in the market. Where was the smart home technology for those living with disability? How can a smoke detector wake a person that is hearing impaired, or how can voice control instead of touch be programmed into a central home console?
It’s challenges like these Liam is solving with his company, Homeable, which designs, installs and maintains smart home technology solutions for older Australians and those with disability. The Melbourne-based startup was born out of a design-a-thon that was run by an organisation called Remarkable, who were exploring ways to make smart home technology more accessible.
Co-founder and CEO Liam has been working in the disability sector for almost a decade. His ongoing work with Telstra has further helped inform his knowledge of communication technologies to assist clients to become more comfortable, and more secure, within their own homes.
Obviously, standard smart home systems do not take the unique needs of people living with disability into account. This is why complete personalisation is important for Homeable clients. Before the company begins designing a solution, the client, or somebody in the client’s network such as a carer or family member, completes a questionnaire outlining their independence goals. Based on these answers, a bespoke home automation solution is designed. A site visit follows that includes a full assessment of the network. As the stability of a network can be critical when it comes to the reliable functioning of a smart home system, the Homeable process also includes signal strength testing in every room.
Liam understands better than most that technology can be confusing and confounding when it is unnecessarily complicated, or when it fails to function. That’s why the company puts extra focus on user education, so every client can get the most out of their technology.
His co-founder Luke Ray has a brother who has paraplegia. This also inspired the team’s early work. “It’s crazy how much technology and devices aren’t designed with disability in mind. There is so much technology out there - a ridiculous amount. But often, this technology isn’t suited for or appropriate to the individual,” Liam explains.
In designing smart home solutions for people living with a disability, Highmore and his colleagues start with the manufacturers, ensuring every product is accessible, easy to use, and works harmoniously with the company’s app.
“You’re not just installing a security camera. You’ve got to consider that loud noises or flashing lights could have negative effects on the client; they could induce seizures in certain individuals. So there are a lot of things we need to consider before just hammering something into a wall,” Liam said.
We chose not to just focus on the technology, but also the process that people go through in creating a smart home. We want to provide value to our community, not just put technology in homes for the sake of it.
“The installation is the one area where I think we differ from most smart home providers. There is an added degree of empathy and awareness that’s required.”
Another aspect that Homeable considers is ensuring the design is inclusive for everyone in the client’s network. This means designing a system that can be easily used by carers, family and friends. They also make efforts to seek out the right installers who are empatheic and will take the time to understand that this isn’t just another job, but a bespoke installation that can change the life of someone with disability.
“That’s one of our biggest challenges. We’re not just looking for an electrician or an occupational therapist. We’re looking for someone who has the ability to empathise, who has an understanding of the challenges of living with a disability. A unique cocktail of skills is required to be in this business area,” Liam affirms.
Liam has been celebrated in the industry for his ingenuity and contribution to the disability sector. He also serves as a reminder to engineers who are not often in client-facing roles, that they are designing for an end purpose and more specifically, an end user.
“Many engineers, particularly those working in the public space, often don’t have a lot of interaction with the intended user of the building or the piece of infrastructure they’re designing or constructing. Doing this work in a residential environment has reminded me of the importance of putting the user at the heart of everything we do as engineers. If what we do fits the needs and goals of the end user, it’s a win,” Liam said.
Homeable now has clients all around Australia. It has been recognised as a necessary service by NDIS, so clients are able to access NDIS funding for installation.