News

60 posts

It is time to take your privacy seriously

Why we are no longer supporting Alexa We have made a conscious choice not to ship hardware with direct support for the online voice assistants Alexa or Google Assistant. Our Privacy Philosophy Benefits You. We believe that: Therefore, as of Sep 1, 2023, our “realKNX servers” will no longer support Alexa, Google Assistant, or remoteConnect. What happens to the systems we have delivered so far? 1)  Siri, NodeRed, Dashboard, AR, data logging and scheduler will of course continue to work. Siri will continue to work as a voice assistant because the communication is done via the Apple Cloud – for […]

Aragon 2

Introducing Aragon 2, the all-new smart speaker from ProKNX! 

After a long period of development, we are pleased to announce the launch of Aragon 2 our new smart speaker. The technology that allows for the increased capacity of the smart speaker has been coalesced into a “master” unit, which drives the satellites within an isolated network separate from the external Internet connection. The new, improved version of the ProKNX smart speaker, carries out all the functions you already know and love. In addition, the device comes equipped with even more features: Even more personalised Now, Aragon 2 comes with a choice of wake-words. Rather than being obliged to use […]

KNX IoT 3rd Party API by KNX

The Dawn of a New KNX Age: the KNX IoT 3rd Party API

Introducing the KNX IoT 3rd Party API by KNX. The IoT is well entrenched in the modern smart building industry. Until now, there have been a number of obstacles in deployment. Often different devices need their individual apps to function. This creates difficulty in interoperability between platforms and devices. There has also been an elevated dependency on Internet and Cloud connections, as well as issues in maintaining ‘patchwork’ installations. That has all changed with the launch of KNX IoT 3rd Party API by KNX. This new protocol standardizes communication, and allows non-KNX and KNX products to be used in a […]

Aragon smart speaker in living room

Check out our exciting new Aragon smart speaker features!

We would like to give you a preview of what is coming up in the very near future for the Aragon smart speaker. The additional new features will make the installer and end-user experience even more simple and satisfying than it is already. Read on below to find out the latest improvements. High quality multilingual text-to-speech that works on-device All of our smart speakers will come pre-configured to understand and carry out commands in English, French, and German without any need for an external Internet connection. All language understanding will occur on-device. No need to choose a particular language to […]

knx awards 2022

ProKNX delighted with their success at the KNX Awards 2022!

Success at the KNX Awards 2022! We are very pleased to announce that the ProKNX Aragon Smart Speaker/ProServ bundle has been placed by popular vote in the top four best products for the KNX Awards 2022! The Best Product is one of several new categories for the biennial KNX Awards. This category was added by the organization this year in order to better showcase the vast array of development and creativity displayed by KNX members in the home and building industry. Since the first awards ceremony in 2008, the KNX awards have become established as an international benchmark of quality and […]

e-haus IFA 2022

A sneak preview of the e-house at the IFA 2022!

The IFA 2022 in Berlin is an event we have all been waiting for! Our CEO, Christian Kiefel, will be attending the event running from the 2/9 – 6/9. Find him in hall 20/303 at the e-house from ZVEH (Zentralverband der Deutschen Elektro- und Informationstechnischen Handwerke) where you can try out a KNX installation in ‘real-life’. What can you experience at the e-house? Find out below! What can you experience at the e-house? The e-house has been optimized with KNX products and smart devices that are interoperable with the KNX protocol. These devices are centrally controlled by ProKNX voice-activated smart speakers. The devices work […]

ProKNX and Skyresponse are pleased to announce their new partnership!

Before committing to a partnership, the two companies put their systems through rigorous testing to ascertain that there was complete interoperability of the ProKNX smart speaker with the Skyresponse alarm platform. Both companies offer very high quality products and services, therefore were not willing to compromise on this aspect. Once it was determined that the systems were seamlessly compatible, the partnership was finalized. Skyresponse takes alarm handling to a sophisticated level. Not only going from analogue to digital, but taking it next step into smart technology together with its ecosystem partners. Their dynamic, born in the cloud, platform: ➡ constructs […]

weather

Your ProKNX smart speaker gains multiple new capabilities

Home automation smart speakers made by ProKNX can do far more than just control lighting and heating! We have added features to facilitate everyday life. The new ProKNX smart speaker capabilities help you plan in advance before you leave the house. So now, not only does the voice controlled smart assistant make you more comfortable when you are at home, but also when you are out and about. The new features: Weather “What’s the weather forecast for tomorrow? ““Was sagt der Wetterbericht für morgen?”“Quelles sont les prévisions météo pour demain ?” Are you about to walk out the door and […]

Aragon advantages

What do ProKNX smart speakers offer that Big Tech speakers cannot?

Smart speakers produced by Big Tech are very cheap and, as well as controlling your smart appliances, allow you to access all sorts of information. However, in order to have access to this information world, the end-user must pay in an alternative way; namely, with the harvesting and use of their personal data. The ProKNX smart speakers are first-and-foremost, made so that the end-user can maintain their privacy, but they also have a number of important advantages that ProKNX smart speakers over the voice assistants offered by Big Tech. Read on to find out the benefits of using an ethical […]

Reliable product interoperability verified by ProKNX and Skyresponse

After rigorous testing, it has been confirmed that the ProKNX smart speaker, Aragon Companion, and the alarm management platform developed by new partner, Skyresponse, are seamlessly interoperable. The emerging move toward interoperability of products and systems in the intelligent technology sector is quickly becoming essential for their longevity in the market. In order to remain viable options for the consumer, the technologies must be flexible. Each product needs to be compatible with as many complementary systems as possible. Skyresponse takes alarm handling to a sophisticated level. Their dynamic platform constructs a connected network that reacts to incidents in the environment. It […]

A new analysis feature for the ProKNX smart speaker

Do you like to know what’s going on? Then you’ll love this new Voice Usage Statistics feature from ProKNX! For users and integrators who want to understand exactly how an installed ProKNX smart speaker is functioning, a new feature has been added that enables them to download a Voice Usage Statistics application from the ProKNX Node-Red library. Your privacy is still protected as the statistics that are optionally recorded stay on the device, and are never transferred to the cloud. the data will never be shared to a third party. The user can delete the data, and the application at […]

Troubleshooting: realKNX Air doesn’t allow access to port 3000, ARAGON flashes green

Since November 11th, 2021, the internet service used to query the public IP address is no longer supported. Unfortunately we missed that….Despite “try … catch” the system hangs if there is an internet connection. REMEDY for current versions (4.6.xx or higher): Fortunately, the problem can be solved here quite easily. Please disconnect Internet Now restart the realKNX (power cycle the server or ARAGON Base respectively) After the device has started up, port 3000 can be reached again. Now connect internet again Check under “About” whether the version is 4.6.xx. If version 4.5 or older is installed, then continue on “OLDER […]

ProKNX smart speakers now used with IPBuilding hardware

ProKNX is excited to announce that after recent completion of a series of rigorous tests, ProKNX’s offline smart home assistant, Aragon, has proven to be compatible with the hardware of IPBuilding, provider of leading smart assisted living solutions. This result strengthens the development of the interoperable ecosystem solution for smart care. The technological interoperability of IPBuilding and ProKNX, is of paramount importance in order to offer clients deployment of complete ecosystem solutions. Christian Kiefel, CEO of ProKNX stated, “We are extremely pleased that our speaker, Aragon, functions seamlessly with the IPBuilding platform. Our goal, first-and-foremost, has always been to create a […]

ProKNX Smart Speakers now control Philips Hue lights

ProKNX announce that their offline, voice-controlled smart speakers, Aragon and PRATGLAD, are now compatible with Philips Hue smart lights. Philips Hue lighting consists of an extensive range of high quality bulbs, lamps, and lightstrips. This wide choice of products gives the user a complete solution for an entire home, without any need to rewire. The smart lighting is designed with versatility in mind. Consequently, the options for using the lighting system are extensive. The user has the choice of the Philips Hue app, a remote control, or voice control to change the environmental lighting. ProKNX has developed their smart speaker […]

ProKNX is now an Arm® EcoSystem partner!

ProKNX is proud to announce its entry as an Arm® Ecosystem partner. The British-based semiconductor company is a world leader in the development and distribution of processors used in almost every aspect of our technological lives. Arm’s strong commitment to environmental sustainability, social responsibility, privacy rights, and ethical business practices help to make them a leader in their field. With these core values as their base, Arm® searches out thousands of like-minded businesses from all over the globe. Their goal is to create a comprehensive solution for every sector of the technology industry. As an Arm® ecosystem partner, ProKNX works […]

Time to throw out your smart TV remote control

ProKNX offline smart speakers can now be used to vocally control Sony Smart TVs How many times have you had to search for the TV remote control in the last few months?  It happens to all of us at one time or another; the remote control for the television is mislaid, runs out of batteries, or gets broken in a (pretend) Jedi sword fight.  We experienced this issue just recently. After much searching for a lost remote control, it turned up in the kitchen fridge. It turned out that a member of the family (who shall not be named) went […]

ProKNX wins award for Best Product of the year for the new Aragon Companion

Anticipation rippled through the crowd as the cream envelope containing the names of the winners of Best Product for 2021 was torn open on stage at the annual Smarthome Germany Awards yesterday. This prestigious organization carefully selects and acclaims the best new developments in the German-speaking Smart-home industry each year. Applause broke out as ProKNX was awarded third place for its new offline smart home assistant, Aragon Companion, that enables seniors to live safely and independently at home for longer. After the awards ceremony, ProKNX CEO, Christian Kiefel said that he was extremely pleased with the placing, and congratulated the […]

smart-home lighting with voice control

Voice control: Five important reasons it makes your smart-home smarter

You may have noticed that smart home assistants of all different kinds are starting to pop up everywhere. They are becoming more and more commonly seen in homes and offices up in all corners of the world.  The number of smart systems available are nearly eclipsed by the number of ways to control them. Depending on the system, they can be controlled with remote controls, with tablets, or with apps on your phone. The choice is dizzying.  There is a danger of ending up with a slew of remote controls, apps, and tablets to control all the smart devices and […]

Voice control “Plug & Talk” with realKNX Aragon

The Smart Visu Server from Albrecht JUNG can now be expanded to offline voice control with ARAGON. All you have to do is connect the PoE cable of the realKNX Aragon, and the KNX installation can be operated with voice. No internet required, what’s said at home stays at home! The existing configuration of the SV server is read out in order to train the words for rooms and functions in thousands of sentence positions using AI.Stored names for light, scenes, shading and heating are then recognized and can be executed or queried in relation to the room. realKNX Aragon […]

Let’s talk X1

ARAGON – works offline, in 55×55 switch design ARAGON is the first offline voice control system based on AI that fits in a flush mounted box. It is now available in Plug & Talk with GIRA X1, which means no additional configurations are required. Once it is connected to the same network everything happens automatically. The words stored with the GIRA Project Assistant are trained by ARAGON in thousands of possibilities. They control, query, inform you about conditions or activate a help call. The spoken data are staying at home and are not recorded. There are no silent updates, the system […]

Smart Home technology keeps people happy at home for longer

“I felt so very guilty.  My grandmother lay with a broken hip on her bathroom floor for hours before the cleaner arrived and discovered her. We had bought her a call-for-help transmitter. She refused to wear it and always left it on her bedside-table”. This is a true story that replicates itself far too often all over the world where elderly people live alone. Unfortunately, many of us have been in the worrying situation of having a frail loved one living by themselves, and and being unable to check on them frequently.  Now, new innovative smart home technology keeps people […]

Meet PRATGLAD, the world’s first voice-controlled offline smart home assistant

We are proud to announce the launch of our new product, PRATGLAD; an offline voice controlled smart home assistant that works seamlessly with Home Smart Trådfri products. PRATGLAD means ‘chatty’ in Swedish. The device uses machine learning and ‘Natural Language Understanding’ to comprehend and respond to commands said in thousands of different ways. This means that it works completely offline and records no data. Users can enjoy all the comforts of a smart home assistant without giving up any of their privacy. What’s said at home, stays at home. PRATGLAD is a wall-mounted voice assistant which measures only 81 x […]

Help mitigate climate change: get an offline voice control system!

Why would buying an offline voice control system like realKNX Aragon help? It is very simple. As of 2019, Amazon have sold 100 million Alexa devices. When Alexa is turned on, regardless of what it is doing, it sends out data. So even when idle, energy is being used to send, and to store information in data storage centres around the world creating an unnecessary carbon footprint. On top of that, each time a cloud-based voice control system like Google Home or Alexa Echo is actually used to control your lights or your heating, your voice command is recorded. The […]

Security and Privacy Review of Online Smart Home Assistants

Read the full article on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/post/edit/6661978072369123329/ Conclusion Home automation has been developed to simplify our daily lives. The use of Smart Home Personal Assistants allows us to enjoy an increased comfort level, and as an added bonus, save a large amount of energy when compared to traditional manual operation of appliances such as lights and heating. However as this review has highlighted, in the case of the majority of Smart Home Personal Assistants on the market today, hand-in-hand with this convenience, serious privacy issues are being brought into play. The ability of malicious actors to attack these systems in […]

Smarthome Deutschland has endorsed the new ProKNX development

We are really proud! The winners of the SmartHome Germany Awards 2020 have been announced. We are very pleased to report that ARAGON won second place from the jury as the Best Smart Home product of the year. During the online event, ARAGON was voted as the Best Smart Home Appliance for 2020 by the audience across several award classes. ARAGON, the cloud-free device for the switch box If you have not had the opportunity to get to know ARAGON yet, here is a short video that describes some of its many skills for aiding people of all ages to […]

Photo by Nick Morrison on Unsplash

In spite of COVID-19 – we are fully operational.

Dear visitor Despite the difficult times caused by COVID-19 pandemic, we are committed to being available for you. Our web shop remains open, and fully operational. Our stock allows short delivery times of Elsner, MDT, WEINZIERL and ProKNX products. Your price inquiries will be answered swiftly with no delay.  You can count on us.

Integration of the Doorbird door stations

The bell signal can be reproduced as a voice output on the integrated loudspeaker of the ARAGON, e.g. “Someone has rung the doorbell at the garden gate”. Therefore, it is possible to receive the information to tell you where your visitor has rung the bell in every room of the house. In addition, the motion detector of the Doorbird can be used, e.g. to switch on the outdoor lighting via a KNX switch actuator when it is dark. This allows you to easily do without an indoor call station. You can simply talk and see each other using your smartphone, […]

We need your vote

The KNX Award is an annual competition that recognizes the best KNX home and building projects of the year. We are pleased to announce that we have been nominated to participate in the KNX Award 2020 competition. This year we are a part of the project “Smart Living im E-Haus: more security, comfort, and energy efficiency”, and we are competing in the category “Publicity”. The e-Haus is equipped with our offline voice control and with functions for age- and handicapped-accessible living. To find out more, you can visit and test the e-Haus at the Light&Building in Frankfurt from 8 to […]