Announcing Our IFTTT Integration

Our integration with IFTTT was released in January 2017, and since then, we’ve also released integrations with Philips Hue, and smart plugs from Wemo and TP-link, with many more coming soon!

Sense is excited to announce that we’ve added IFTTT integration, a free web-based service that lets you create automated actions based on triggers (if X happens, send an SMS to Y, or turn Z on for 1 hour).

It’s a great innovation, because we think a fully integrated smart home will need two key things to be useful and simple to create – connected devices and data, lots of data. But to create a home wide ecosystem, it’s not enough that devices are sharing data via the internet, they need to share data with each other. There is where Sense shines.

Sense understands which devices are being used in your home, and for how long, and analyzes tons of usage data to provide valuable insight. And it doesn’t matter if these devices are smart or not, they just need to be plugged in. So now devices that used to work in isolation, like your oven, hair dryer, sump pump and others, are part of a larger system. And that creates a new world of possibility.

How does IFTTT work?

First thing to know, IFTTT is as intuitive as Sense – that’s one reason the two make such good partners. IFTTT runs on iOS and Android devices, and connects to almost any smart device. In the Sense Home app, go to Settings, and tap Connected Devices. Now, you’re able to use IFTTT with Sense.

You can quickly create triggers (known as “Applets”) that make actions occur. For example, let’s say you have an older garage door opener (non-smart) but smart lighting in your home. The two can’t talk to each other at the moment. But with Sense and IFTTT, you can create smart actions. Sense knows when opener is activated, and can send a message via IFTTT to your home’s lighting so it’s bright when you walk in.

Another example: let’s say you’re interested in logging your home’s HVAC use. Through IFTTT, Sense can send usage data to a Google spreadsheet. It’s more than knowing how much energy was used, but when and by which devices. That’s smart.

And IFTTT automates thousands of other helpful tasks – like sending tomorrow’s weather to your calendar each night, or if you watch a music video on YouTube, IFTTT can automatically add that song to a Spotify playlist. It’s amazing (and amazingly simple). And now, it’s integrated with Sense.

Learn more about IFTTT and try it with Sense.