Ome Launches Next-Generation Smart Knob to Support Aging In Place

October 7, 2024

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ATLANTA, GA — Ome, a leader in smart kitchen technology, has announced its next-generation Ome Smart Knob, a proprietary retrofit device that quickly transforms any gas or electric stove into a smart appliance by replacing the existing knobs.

The Ome Smart Knob stands out as the only product on the market designed to combat the leading cause of house fires in the U.S. — unattended cooking — with advanced automation. Features include automatic shut-off for unattended cooking, remote control and monitoring of burners, real-time alerts, safety locks, and automated cooking timers.

“Over the last few years, we have collected invaluable feedback from our customers and made significant enhancements to our solution, including an improved design, broader compatibility, and upgraded features,” said Ome Founder and CEO Akshita Iyer. “We are thrilled now to introduce our next-generation Smart Knob to senior living communities to further serve the aging population, their families and caregivers.”

Iyer was inspired to create Ome following an incident where her mother accidentally left the stove on, leading to a kitchen fire. After extensive development and an appearance on Shark Tank, Iyer and her team launched the first Ome Smart Knob in 2021.

As the trend toward aging in place gains momentum, the need for innovative solutions to ensure the safety and independence of older adults has never been more pressing.

Over 14 million older adults in the U.S. live alone and 90 percent wish to remain in their own homes as they age. Many older adults are aging in place in senior living communities. Existing assistive devices already help them remain independent — from wearable health monitors and fall detection systems to smart home systems that control home lighting, temperature, and security. But there is a big gap in kitchen safety.

Ome’s Smart Knob is designed to fill this gap and address the most critical, unsolved safety concern in the home: unattended cooking — the No. 1 cause of house fires and a danger that disproportionately affects older adults.

By 2030, one in five residents will be over 65, and older adults face increased risks due to mobility or memory challenges. The 65–74 age group accounts for the largest share of home cooking fire deaths. More than 25 percent of those killed by cooking fires were asleep.

The Smart Knob offers a simple and affordable, yet powerful solution. By retrofitting existing stove knobs with Ome’s technology, older adults can benefit from advanced safety features without the need for expensive kitchen overhauls.

“Our system not only mitigates cooking hazards but also offers a comprehensive dashboard that enables caregivers, family members, and operators to monitor and proactively control the stove through a single interface,” Iyer added.

“We also found that adults who have an older parent while also raising a child — the sandwich generation — are buying our solution for themselves and their parents. Alerting them about unusual cooking behavior or when the stove was left on, the Smart Knob provides reassurance and peace of mind that their loved ones are safe.”

Ome’s goal is to not only save lives by preventing cooking incidents and minimize the financial impact of damages but also promote positive cooking behaviors that contribute to optimal health and wellbeing at any age. Cooking plays a crucial role in maintaining overall wellbeing as we age — it reduces the risk of dementia, enhances mental acuity, and promotes emotional health.

About Ome

Ome is a technology company that builds smart solutions for safer homes. Founded with the mission of enhancing kitchen safety first, the company’s flagship product is the Ome Smart Knob: a proprietary, retrofit device that turns any gas or electric stove into a smart appliance in minutes, simply by replacing its existing knobs. Its benefits include automatic shut-off for unattended cooking, remote control and monitoring of burners, real-time alerts, automated cooking timers, and safety locks — providing peace of mind for consumers. With applications in various markets, from parents and seniors aging in place to multi-unit buildings, Ome creates safer homes for all.

For more information and to purchase the Ome Smart Knob, visit www.omekitchen.com.

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