Ness has released Mezzo, an in-house smart home controller, which combines wireless, Z-wave and IP technologies to handle multiple automation functionalities.
NESS has been neck-deep in home automation for a very long time and it manufactures alarm panels and sensors here in Australia, so it’s no great surprise that the company has designed and manufactured its own home automation solution. What is new, however, is that the MEZZO system is open-ended thanks to its incorporation of Z-Wave comms. It’s also a very sexy looking beast.
According to Peter Mohan, MEZZO is the world’s most advanced smarthome controller integrating cutting-edge wireless.
“Mezzo combines Z-Wave and IP technologies to provide a seamless security, automation, energy management, intercom, CCTV and medical solution into one wireless unit,” Mohan says.
“The system is controlled by our MEZZO App via 3G and a dedicated WiFi router as well as having integrated intelligence that gives you instant control, anytime, anywhere. There’s also a new suite of video and automation devices developed by Ness’ Innovation Division that give installers the ability to offer customers highly flexible and innovative automation solutions.
MEZZO’s built-in Z-Wave allows simple and powerful home automation control. MEZZO talks to Z-Wave devices wirelessly and securely and can be accessed and controlled remotely using the MEZZO app. You can add a small Z-Wave smart switch to any light switch or powerpoint to turn on/off or dim lights and devices from anywhere at any time. Z-Wave technology turns regular household electronics including lights, door locks and thermostats into smart devices.
“Mezzo combines Z-Wave and IP technologies to provide a seamless security, automation, energy management, intercom, CCTV and medical solution into one wireless unit”
MEZZO can control multiple security devices including wireless PIR motions sensors, wireless door switches, wireless smoke sensors and many more. The unit employs a smart and secure 2-way radio protocol between the hub and wireless devices for precise feedback on system and device status.
When it comes to video surveillance, you can view your high resolution MEZZO WiFi camera at home, at work, in fact anywhere in the world, via the MEZZO app, which also gives you cloud backup, pan/tilt control and record on demand. An optional MEZZO router with backup battery enables seamless interaction with your home and no lengthy delays on button presses, ensuring uninterrupted connection. Customers can record up to 8 WiFi cameras with a MEZZO Premium account.
It’s also possible to add a uHoo Wi-Fi video door intercom so you know when someone is at your door, anytime, anywhere. This allows you to answer you the door on your smart phone and see the caller from anywhere in the world. If you can’t answer, uHoo will take a video message for you to view at a convenient time.
Another capability of the system is energy management. You can monitor the energy use in your house using the information real-time energy graphs in MEZZO’s app. MEZZO can pinpoint the times appliances are consuming the most energy, giving customers the power to manage their energy usage by taking advantage of off-peak energy prices and automatically turning off appliances that are not in use.
Also extremely valuable as a sales tool are MEZZO’s medical monitoring capabilities, which provide inactivity surveillance, pill reminders and peace of mind that loved ones are only a button-press away. MEZZO also tightly integrates with Smartlink Nurse Call and Aged care personal safety products for the medical, security and aged care industries.
In terms of the hardware, MEZZO is a very polished solution. It looks absolutely fabulous and we’ve been aware of its development for some time – this is no knee-jerk release but a thoughtful solution that integrates decades of alarm technology nous. Mezzo translates as middle, or centre, in Italian, and that’s precisely what Ness MEZZO is meant to be – a central hub around which a constellation of devices orbits.
We’ll be reviewing Ness MEZZO in an upcoming issue but it’s one of the products installers should try to get a look at when they visit Security 2015 in Melbourne July 15-17. ♦
By John Adams
