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The Smart Home Has a New Brain; Cortexa Technology Launches Industry's First Affordable Home Automation System for Mid-Market (8/12/2005)

Tech Industry Veterans Lead Austin Company into Once-Exclusive Market with Lower Product Price Points and Dependable, User-Friendly Technology

Lower the lights, listen to your favorite tunes and water the lawn with the touch of a screen. The automated digital home is finally moving from the silver screen to a neighborhood near you. Once solely the realm of superheroes, spies and space-age cartoons, or real-life multi-millionaires, home automation is now available for everyone.

"Cortexa Technology is shaking up the home automation market with a product that offers the same functionality as more expensive and complex systems but is easier to use and much more affordable," explains Billy Martin, chief executive officer, Cortexa Technology. "What was once only available in custom homes is now an affordable feature in mid-market homes."

So, move over, Joe Millionaire. Cortexa Technology's home automation system is designed for the "average Joe" to control all the home systems like heating and cooling systems, audio, lighting, irrigation, and security, in addition to computer networks and entertainment devices. With home automation systems, homeowners reap benefits such as enhanced security, remote access, utility savings and convenience.

The Cortexa home automation system allows a homeowner to control multiple systems inside and outside of the home. The "brain" is programmed within the home and controlled by a touch screen, through a TV or via the Web from anywhere in the world. The system offers homeowners convenience, enhanced home security and utility savings, in addition to tremendous future re-sale value.

Tech Industry Veterans Lead Austin Company into Once-Exclusive Market with Lower Product Price Points and Dependable, User-Friendly Technology

Lower the lights, listen to your favorite tunes and water the lawn with the touch of a screen. The automated digital home is finally moving from the silver screen to a neighborhood near you. Once solely the realm of superheroes, spies and space-age cartoons, or real-life multi-millionaires, home automation is now available for everyone.

"Cortexa Technology is shaking up the home automation market with a product that offers the same functionality as more expensive and complex systems but is easier to use and much more affordable," explains Billy Martin, chief executive officer, Cortexa Technology. "What was once only available in custom homes is now an affordable feature in mid-market homes."

So, move over, Joe Millionaire. Cortexa Technology's home automation system is designed for the "average Joe" to control all the home systems like heating and cooling systems, audio, lighting, irrigation, and security, in addition to computer networks and entertainment devices. With home automation systems, homeowners reap benefits such as enhanced security, remote access, utility savings and convenience.

The Cortexa home automation system allows a homeowner to control multiple systems inside and outside of the home. The "brain" is programmed within the home and controlled by a touch screen, through a TV or via the Web from anywhere in the world. The system offers homeowners convenience, enhanced home security and utility savings, in addition to tremendous future re-sale value.

"Home automation should be as accessible, affordable and as easy to use as other sub-systems in the home, like central heat and air," says Joe Doran, Cortexa's CTO. "An intelligent automation system offers more than convenience, security and peace of mind. In the long run, as it adapts to the habits of the household, it can also significantly reduce energy costs through smarter management of high consumption systems."

In a market where other home automation systems typically begin at $50,000, Cortexa has entered the market with a price point that is a fraction of other systems. A Cortexa system can be installed for $3,000-15,000 depending on the number of sub-systems the homeowner decides to bring on line.

The essential elements of a Cortexa home automation system include:

-- Cortexa 7201 home automation controller: This book-sized hardware is the brain of the system and is programmed to control the sub-systems and devices within the home.

-- In-wall, mobile touch screen, TV module, PC: Any of these devices allow the user to access the Cortexa system in the way that they choose, offering both flexibility and ease-of-use with familiar, graphic interfaces.

-- Secure Internet access to your Cortexa System: Using a standard web browser, the homeowner can securely access their home and view a screen that is identical to the one used at the home. There is no additional monthly fee for Internet access to the home.

-- Component and sub-system devices: A range of "smart" switches and controllers replace or attach to lighting, irrigation, audio/video, heat and air and other home sub-systems, allowing them to interact with the Cortexa "brain" (controller).

Currently, Cortexa is marketing the systems through alliances with homebuilders and home automation installers and by marketing directly to individuals.

Cortexa executives foresee increasing demand for simplified solutions to manage smart systems, like heating and cooling, and the numerous wired and wireless technologies used in the home. "As broadband Internet becomes ubiquitous and enables more applications, home automation becomes necessary to support our lifestyle. To homeowners, the ability to manage their home is becoming as important as the floor plan and finish out," adds Martin.

www.cortexatechnology.com