Moving Into the World of Matter: Introducing the M-Hub - Our Newest Smart Home Solution
Motorised blinds are becoming more connected, more customisable and easier to manage, and Ellard is bringing those capabilities together with the launch of the new M-Hub smart home system.
As expectations around smart homes and connected spaces continue to evolve, blind control is moving beyond simply opening and closing a blind at the touch of a button. Users increasingly want greater control, more convenient automation and the ability to manage their blinds alongside the wider technology within their homes.
Ellard’s latest developments are designed to meet that demand, combining the smart home M-Hub with new handsets that put more information and functionality directly into the user’s hands.
Giving Existing Motorised Blinds a Smart-Home Upgrade
One of the biggest advantages of the M-Hub is that smart-home functionality doesn't have to mean starting again from scratch.
For customers with an existing compatible motorised blind installation, the M-Hub provides a way to bring that system into the modern connected home by adding app-based control, automation and Matter connectivity without changing the fundamental purpose of the existing blind and motor system.
What is Matter?
Matter is an industry-standard smart-home connectivity protocol designed to make compatible smart devices work more easily across different smart-home ecosystems.
For motorised blinds, this means the M-Hub can act as the link between the blind system and the wider connected home.
From Motorised to Connected
Traditionally, a motorised blind system might be controlled using a handset or local control.
The M-Hub takes that existing concept further by providing a connection to the Shademate app, where users can control their blinds, set shade limits, create scenes and automations, and control their blinds remotely when away from the property.
The M-Hub then provides a route into compatible Matter-enabled smart-home platforms. Through Matter Fabric Sharing within the Shademate app, users can connect their M-Hub to platforms including Amazon Alexa, Apple Home, Google Home and SmartThings.
This can fundamentally change how blinds in homes are used.
Instead of thinking of the blind as a standalone motorised product, it can become part of the wider smart-home environment, allowing blind control to sit alongside other connected devices and automated routines.
Imagine saying, “Alexa, turn on the lights,” and watching your home respond, the lights come on, the heating switches on and your motorised blinds close. With the right technology, the possibilities for a truly connected smart home are almost endless.
Bringing older installations into the modern smart home
This is particularly relevant for existing motorised blind installations.
A customer may already have motorised blinds installed throughout their home, but their system may pre-date the smart-home technology now available in newer installations. Rather than viewing that installation as outdated, the M-Hub provides an opportunity to add a new layer of connectivity to the system.
For example, a homeowner could use the M-Hub to introduce app-based control and then connect their compatible system to a Matter-enabled smart-home platform. Their blinds can consequently become part of the same connected environment as other smart-home devices.
The result is a more future-focused installation without changing the everyday function that customers already know and use: their blinds still operate as blinds, but now they can become part of a much more connected way of managing the home.
One hub, more possibilities.
The M-Hub supports both 2.4GHz and 5GHz dual-band Wi-Fi 6 and Ethernet, providing flexibility in how it connects to the home's network.
Once connected, the possibilities extend beyond simply opening and closing blinds. Users can create scenes and automations through the Shademate app, control blinds when away from home and integrate them into supported smart-home ecosystems.
The M-Hub effectively acts as the bridge between motorised blinds and the modern smart home, meaning your blind motors don't necessarily need to be new to be smarter.
More Information at Your Fingertips
Alongside the M-Hub, Ellard has also introduced a new generation of handsets designed to make everyday blind control more intuitive.
Available in single-channel and 15-channel versions, the new handsets allow users to control individual blinds or multiple channels from one device, making them suitable for everything from a single-room installation to larger properties with multiple motorised blinds.
The handsets also provide motor battery-level information, giving users visibility of battery status directly from the handset rather than having to wait for a motor to signal that the battery is low.
Another useful addition is the inclusion of dedicated preset buttons for preferred blind positions. Rather than manually adjusting a blind each time, users can quickly return it to a position that has been saved as their preferred setting.
Together with the M-Hub, these features make everyday control simpler while giving users greater visibility over their motorised blinds.
A More Connected Approach to Motorised Blinds
The combination of the M-Hub and new handsets reflects a broader shift in what users expect from motorised blind systems.
The handset provides convenient control at the point of use, while the M-Hub takes that control further by connecting blinds to an app-based and smart-home environment.
From adjusting a blind from the sofa to controlling shades while away from home, creating automated scenes or integrating blinds with other connected devices, the latest Ellard solutions are designed to give users more ways to interact with their blinds.
Smart blind control is no longer just about moving a blind. It's about making the whole experience more convenient, connected and responsive.
The M-Hub - available in the new year.
Discover the new generation of blind control
Speak to the Ellard team today to find out more about the M-Hub, new handsets and our range of motorised blind solutions.
