ecobee Citizen

The Smart Way to Think About Accessibility

Smart devices make daily life easier and can be a game-changer for people with disabilities.

by ecobee on 06/08/2023 in Experts

3 min read

Woman in wheelchair using smartphone at a café, with her laptop and coffee in front of her.

Social media links

Share this post:

Originally published January 18, 2022. Updated June 8, 2023.

In our journey to reimagine the everyday in ways beyond simple improvements, we continually listen to what experts have to say.

We recently spoke with Dave Dame, a seasoned technology executive with cerebral palsy who is passionate about designing and developing hardware and software for users of all abilities. In his role, he strives to bring inclusion and accessibility to the forefront.

ecobee products are designed to provide a new level of comfort to smart homes. And they can be a game-changer for the millions of people in North America who live with a disability.

If you’re wondering how to make your home more accessible for people who are aging or have disabilities, we can help you start. Here are some ways ecobee devices work to make daily life more convenient.

Companies need to continually change to compete. They need to be able to react to the market, technology, and their customers.

- Dave Dame

Overhead shot of woman adjusting her ecobee thermostat from the ecobee app on her phone.

ecobee smart thermostats help maximize comfort at home.

ecobee smart thermostats, such as the ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium can proactively manage your home temperature in a way that regular thermostats can’t: through an app, from anywhere in the world.

Plus, ecobee smart thermostats learn, and adapt to, your routine, making intelligent decisions that enhance your comfort without requiring constant hands-on changes. That means people with mobility issues no longer need to go to their thermostat to change the temperature, for example. Caregivers can also monitor their client, patient, or parent’s home from anywhere to ensure their comfort and enable their independence.

Devices with voice control allow you to do more, hands-free.

The ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium and ecobee SmartCamera with voice control work seamlessly with leading smart home ecosystem like Amazon Alexa and Apple HomeKit to allow homeowners to control them simply using their voice. This offers convenience for people with limited mobility, low vision, or those who simply don't like to use mobile devices. One can utilize the voice control feature to fine-tune their comfort by changing the thermostat temperature, play music, get directions, ask questions, and more.

Know what’s happening at home, from anywhere.

With ecobee Smart Security, ecobee devices and sensors can send alerts to your phone when they detect movement, so you don’t need to go to other rooms to check what’s happening. Know when a door is opened, motion is detected, or a smoke alarm goes off. Disarm or arm your home and check in on SmartCamera’s live video feed all from your phone, too. Smart Security will even warn you if your home is too hot, too cold, or too humid so you’re protected against more than just intruders.

Headshot of Dave Dame, technology and accessibility expert.
If you see the world differently, then you have a different world available to you.

- Dave Dame

For us, this is just the beginning. A connected home isn’t just smart: it learns, adjusts, and adapts based on the needs of our customers, and we plan to deliver even more complete solutions in the future.

To learn more about our journey, check out our website.

Social media links

Share this post:

Did you enjoy this article?

Thanks for letting us know!

More experts posts

Back to the ecobee Citizen home

Sign up to receive smart home tips and exclusive offers from ecobee.

By signing up, you agree to receive emails from ecobee. You can unsubscribe anytime. Visit our Privacy Policy & Website Terms of Use for details.

Website navigation footer and contact information

Accepted payment methods:
  • Country: United States
  • Privacy Policy
  • Reseller Terms
  • Terms of Sale
  • Accessibility
© 2023 ecobee. All rights reserved.