A Real Sliding Doors Moment

My Experience Installing the SmartSlydr Motorized Sliding Glass Door Opener

- Jay Basen

Motorized solutions are becoming much more common in today’s smart homes. Although remotely controlled motorized garage door openers were invented in the 1930s, only recently have they became “smart” and integrated into an overall smart home. For example, the Tailwind iQ3 Smart Automatic Garage Controller uses sensors in your cars to automatically open/close your garage doors when you drive up to your home or drive away. It also integrates with a wide range of smart home platforms.

Motorized window coverings, including shades, curtains, and drapes, have become more prevalent in smart homes. Initially, motorized window coverings were controlled through wall switches or proprietary remote controls. Now, there are many models that leverage wireless smart home protocols for integration with an overall smart home solution.

Automating windows allows for improved ventilation in a home. When coupled with a smart weather station, windows can be opened when the outside temperature and humidity won’t impact the comfort of people in the home. Fresh, outside air can be leveraged for ventilation and improved indoor air quality (IAQ). The smart weather station can also be leveraged to sense when it is raining and automatically close the windows in a home to avoid water damage.

Newer to this collection of motorization offerings for the smart home is LycheeThings, which offers SmartSlydr, a 2023 CES Innovation Award-winning solution for opening/closing sliding glass doors and sliding windows. The motorized SmartSlydr product was released through Indiegogo in 2021 and is now sold through the LycheeThings website.