CISCO HOME HUB

secure home & data management

The increasing shift towards work from home creates an opportunity for Cisco to step into consumer products by offering home solutions in the contexts of connectivity, security, communication, and entertainment. Cisco can build on its knowledge and experience with the technologies in these product categories to build trust with new customers and differentiate itself from the competition. Since people are generating more private data than ever, hosting your own, private cloud at home can be a trustworthy, future-proof solution. At the same time, smart home devices are becoming more common, but they need to be managed and monitored in a secure way.

The concept is a modular, upgradable home hub that can be aquired in a configuration that fits the customers’ needs the best. The router as an always-present element is integrated into the base station, that can be extended for network-attached storage and on-device management of smart home systems. Cisco’s expertise in networks, communication devices and data security solutions makes them the right brand to do such a product. It moves their product portfolio slowly towards personal and private lifestyle devices.

Student Term Project
Team: Emile Chuffart
Umeå Institute of Design
Duration: 8 weeks
2022

Contributions:
Ideation
CAD
Rendering + Animation

In collaboration with:

01

PROCESS

Consumer Insights

• A growing number of people start to move into hybrid work, where the home becomes a workspace.

• People need a safe network, enhanced options of collaboration and communication to make remote work possible in the long run.

• People are generating more data than ever, and pay for storing them on cloud servers of unknown location.

• Smart home devices like smoke detectors, smart locks, surveillance cameras and temperature regulation are becoming more common, but they need to be managed and monitored.

• Routers are often devices which have no active use.

Current NAS (Network Attached Storage) devices are build with an outer shell, which limits its upgradability and forces the user to choose a fixed layout.

Smart Home devices are a rising business and it make sense to integrate them in our solution.

Routers usually don't have any active use and are ofte hidden by consumers.

Current Situation

Today, the users' needs are answered with 3 different products.

How might we...

... create a trustworthy home hub solution that covers the users needs in connectivity, data security and home management?

Idea

A modular hub for homes where work overlaps with daily life. Depending on their specific needs, customers can aquire a solution that fits their needs. The router as a always-present element is integrated into the base station, that can be extended for data storage and management of smart home systems. Ciscos expertise in networks, communication devices and data security solutions makes them the right brand to do such a products. It moves their product portfolio slowly towards personal and private lifestyle devices.

Exploration 1.0

In the first stage of exploration, concepts were developed by sketching and building rough mock-ups.

Exploration 2.0

In the second phase, a range of quick CAD models were done.

Exploration 3.0

In the last stage before finalizing the design, ideas were tested out in a more refined way.

02

FINAL DESIGN

Cisco Home Hub

The final concept is a modular, upgradable home hub that can be configured to meet the customers’ needs best. A firewall-protected 5G router is integrated as a module into the base station, which can be extended for network-attached storage and on-device management of smart home systems.

Base Station

The base station is equipped with all the needed processing power and is the central element that connects all other modules. Integrated in the base there is a 5G-router antenna module that can be adapted to various providers and markets by the respective distributors.

Data Storage Module

The individual data storage modules are connected through flat pin plugs and can be removed by unlocking them with a dedicated switch that sits on top of the modules. 

Screen Module

The base cap can be unmounted and replaced by the screen module. The screen module extends the functionality of the product by adding an on-device control for all the storage-, network- and IoT-functions. Additionally the screen can fulfill other functions in a passive mode, for example a live thermometer.

Connection

A special power adapter is connected both to electricity and the internet and fuses both into one cable. This helps to declutter the setup and makes it easier to integrate the device into a home.

Cooling

For cooling, air is being sucked in on the bottom of the device. The warm air exits the base and the individual storage elements through slots on the upper back side.

Web Configurator

In the web configurator customers can choose the modules and specification to create a custom solution for their individual needs.

Applications

Cisco Cloud allows you to access your photos, files, notes and more from wherever you are. Your data is safely stored at in your private home network and available for you on your personal devices like your phone, tablet, and computer. Furthermore, you have the possibility to backup your mobile library in real time. 

Cisco Play lets you easily organize movies, TV shows, and home videos, and allows you to stream content to computers, smartphones, and media players that are connected to your private Cisco network.

Cisco Drive allows you to set up a scheduled backup or sync your data in real time on the PC/laptop to protect your data against system crashes or ransomware attacks. For Mac OS devices Cisco Drive can be set up with Time Machine. Through the app you can have access to all the files you sync with your private Cisco network from all your devices. At the same you can intercat with the content of your Cisco NAS modules.

Hub Interface

The Hub interface allows you to manage and control all your smart home devices at the same place; such as security cameras, smart locks, smart lights, temperature...
Additionally, you can access and manage your files stored in your Cisco NAS. In this way Cisco Home Hub represents a central point of interaction at home.