The IoT technology, especially in the home automation industry, remains largely unoptimized. The predicament can be attributed to the lack of innovations in the segment, as hardly a handful of companies go beyond the general idea of controlling home appliances using a mobile app. Breaking this conviction by flexing its innovative muscles is ME Universal, a Dubai based company with its R&D and Manufacturing routes in India. ME Universal offers a wide range of highly innovative, centralized building automation solutions; the centralized laundry collection, garbage collection, centralized air purification, lighting management, smart shower systems to name a few. We recently got to talking with the company’s Chief Executive for Investments & Marketing, Irfan Ahmed, who elucidates the exciting endeavors of ME Universal.

In conversation with Irfan Ahmed, Chief Executive – Investments & Marketing, ME Universal

The home automation market is flooded with IoT products, which include an alarming number of low quality products. What’s the kind of difference that ME Universal brings to the table?
Home automation nowadays is a highly ventilated terminology. But something that has grown along with the evolution of the IoT industry is the misconception that home automation is confined to luxuriously controlling a few home appliances through a mobile app. ME Universal endeavors to break this misconception by providing customers with IoT solutions that go beyond controlling home appliances to touch all the dimensions of living, and in turn engender genuinely smart homes, while considerably reducing home maintenance expenses. Our solutions not only enhance the lifestyles of families, but also save energy and bring down the cost of home maintenance. In

fact, our solutions are designed to retrofit, and smartify residential units, commercial offices, retail outlets, airports, and so on.

Tell us about your products & solutions that provide such a holistic IoT experience. What is the kind of impact that those solutions create in a homeowner’s life?
We have introduced a wide range of solutions that constitute this experience, and thus creating an ecosystem within the said facility. During the pandemic, not only the common people, but even the most popular celebrities across the world were forced to isolate themselves in their homes without much assistance from their home maids. People are forced to perform their chores no matter what. Our centralized systems do those chores for them, and in turn form an automated supporting infrastructure around them. The centralized vacuum cleaning, laundry collection, centralized air purification, centralized garbage collection, automated designer kitchens, lighting management and comprehensive security system are only a few among them.

mechanical, electrical and BMS engineers with R&D specialists on-board who leverage their extensive experience to provide our clients with customized solutions, while also dynamically upgrading our existing portfolio of solutions. They are a passionate bunch and perfectionists. Our Back office with Design & Engineering team is located in Hyderabad and R&D liaison center is based out of Bangalore. Furthermore, we believe in technology partnerships and the back-lift of world class technologies significantly augments our capabilities.

What are the futuristic innovations that are pipelined by ME Universal?
When it comes to consumer technologies, retail outlets across the world are manifesting and constantly introducing the latest products in the home appliances and electronics gadget segment. But there is no retail outlet where you can just walk in, experience, and buy automation or smart living technologies for your home or building. To bridge this gap, we are pioneering an experience center for smart technologies concept called ‘PER SQM’ (Per Square Meter) – introducing the idea of technology for every square meter. We endeavor to create a unique live environment, wherein people can walk in and hands-on-experience all our solutions at one place, including anything from electric towel warmer & smart ventilation fan to automated designer kitchens, and a plethora of centralized systems, before making the purchase decision. We are set to launch our first experience center in Dubai, then subsequently in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain and Albania.

What is the future roadmap set for ME Universal?
Going forward, we are looking forward to taking part in the smart city projects the world over. Right from smart waste management solutions to indoor air purification solutions, all our products are equipped to make a difference in the household lifestyle. In addition, we will continue to invest in artificial intelligence, focusing on sustainability. We indeed recently have designed and developed a number of intelligent products powered by artificial intelligence. When it comes to expansion plans, we have our eyes set on the unexplored markets in the Middle East & Africa by having our PER SQM experience centers established. By January 2021, we will be forming JV with prestigious TBH based out of Albania to focus on East European markets by offering our smart living solutions.