• by Chase Martin , November 30, 2016

Each year, residents in Philadelphia’s South 13th street routinely decorate their homes with elaborate holiday lighting for the month of December.

This year they’re getting some assistance to make all the special lighting part of the Internet of Things.

Samsung is contributing its SmartThings platform starter kits to the residents to help transform their traditional lights into connected smart home devices.

“We know for many people, setting up their smart home can seem like a huge undertaking,” Bill Lee, vice president of smart home product marketing at Samsung Electronics America, said.

“The residents of Miracle on South 13 Street in Philadelphia show that you can start small by easily integrating smart technology into existing set-ups, and then grow as your needs evolve.”

For the outdoor lights, residents use an outdoor smart switch, which can be turned on and off through the smartphone app.

The switch can also be combined with a sensor that detects when the homeowner arrives in the driveway, which then turns the lights on automatically.

Controlling the lights remotely allowed all of the residents to coordinate a moment when the entire street was powered on for the first time.

Best Buy helped residents with installation and setup of the lights and connected systems.

Best Buy also launched a connected home consulting program earlier this year. The program, which was launched as a  pilot in Atlanta, San Antonio and Austin, sent ‘in-home advisors’ to consumers’ homes for free to educate them about new technologies and ultimately design a custom solution to fit the homeowner’s needs.  

SmartThings devices include a multipurpose sensor, and sensors that track arrival, water and motion and an outdoor smart switch.