Fingerbot Plus has more pressing power to make dumb appliances smart

By Patrick Hearn Published April 25, 2023

There are a lot of ways to turn a “dumb” appliance into a smart one through things like smart plugs, smart switches, and more, but when it comes to pressing buttons, there just aren’t a ton of options — until now, anyway. The Fingerbot Plus is a small, $25 device that can press buttons for you. It can turn on nearly anything, from a light switch on the wall to your coffee machine or printer. You could say it’s the Chromecast of smart switches.

The Fingerbot Plus is battery powered. We covered the original model of the Fingerbot back in 2019, but the Fingerbot Plus is distinguishable for its stronger pressing power, extended range, and integrated touchpad for manual control. You can get roughly eight months of use off a single charge, and it attaches easily to devices thanks to 3M tape. You can control the Fingerbot Plus through the app, or you can touch the button on the side of the device to manually trigger it.

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You can also control the Fingerbot Plus through voice, but it requires the addition of an extra accessory called the Adaprox Home Hub. This makes it compatible with your favorite voice assistants like Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant as well as with other services like IFTTT.

Image used with permission by copyright holder

The Fingerbot Toolkit allows you to adjust the size of the Fingerbot to give it a broader range of control. For example, you can make it a toggle switch, make it press and hold, or make it click depending on the kind of switch you need to activate. The company behind Fingerbot also provides templates for you to design and 3D print your own arms if you have a scenario that isn’t covered by the default functions, allowing for nearly unlimited applications.

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Through the use of the Adaprox HomeHub, you can set up automations. For example, you can set the Fingerbot Plus to turn off your air purifier when you open your window, or you can set a schedule so that it activates your electric kettle just before you wake up so you will have hot water ready for coffee.

The Fingerbot Plus is currently available on Kickstarter for $25, with an estimated shipping date of August. With any pledge, however, just be mindful that it’s not a guarantee that you’ll get one.

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Patrick Hearn writes about smart home technology like Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, smart light bulbs, and more. If it's a…

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