Making smart living accessible to everyone
At Hive, we want to make every home smarter and greener. But that can often be harder for people with vision and hearing impairments, physical disabilities and mental health conditions.
That’s why we’ve worked with the Citizen’s Advice Bureau to develop and test features that make our energy-saving tech accessible to all. So if you or someone you know lives with a disability or condition, find out how Hive can help break down the barriers to a smarter home.
Voice control
Hive can be used with voice assistants like Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. So you can adjust the temperature, set modes, and manage your settings using just your voice. This can be especially useful if you have difficulty reading or understanding numbers.
Helpful for people with:
Acquired brain injury
Dyscalculia
Dysgraphia
Dyslexia
Vision impairment
Remote control
You can control our thermostats and change the settings remotely via the Hive app – eliminating the need for physical adjustments. It can also simplify the day-to-day running of your home, which can be hugely beneficial for a number of mental health conditions.
Helpful for people with:
Vision impairment
Mental health conditions
Intellectual disability
Acquired brain injury
Autism spectrum disorder
Physical disability
Dyslexia
Dysgraphia
Dyscalculia
Accessible app
Our smartphone app has been designed with accessibility in mind, with large fonts, high contrast and voice guidance (through TalkBack/VoiceOver). For those who can use it, it makes it easier to change the temperature, set heating schedules and monitor your energy use.
Helpful for people with:
Vision impairment
Acquired brain injury
Visual-led design
Our app and devices focus on using clear, intuitive icons with minimal text. This visual simplicity makes it easier to use and understand the controls – particularly if you have difficulty reading.
Helpful for people with:
Dyslexia
Dysgraphia
Dyscalculia
Customisable alerts
You can set Hive Actions to stay updated about temperature changes, heating failures or system issues. These push notifications will cause your phone to vibrate, making it easier to sense. And they’re fully customisable to your needs too.
Helpful for people with:
Acquired brain injury
Hearing impairment
Vision impairment
Geolocation
Our geolocation feature uses your smartphone’s location to detect when you’ve gone out and left the heating on. We’ll send you an alert too, so you can turn things off remotely and save on wasted energy.
Helpful for people with:
Acquired brain injury
Neurodevelopmental motor disorders
Vision impairment
Temperature readouts
When paired with any voice assistant, you can ask what the temperature is and it’ll tell you out loud. This makes it simpler to stay in control of your home – and can be particularly useful if you have difficulty seeing or reading the thermostat itself.
Helpful for people with:
Acquired brain injury
Vision impairment
Person invites
It’s easy to add another user to allow them to control your thermostat for you – ideal if you’re supported by another family member, carer, or are in assisted living.
Helpful for people with:
Dyscalculia
Dysgraphia
Dyslexia
Hearing impairment
Smart schedules and consistent routines
Our thermostats let you set schedules that fit your routine with ease. Having a consistent and comfortable environment can have a big positive impact on your overall wellbeing.
Helpful for people with:
Intellectual disability
Mental health conditions
Energy savings
Our thermostats can help you save on energy by learning how you use your home – and only heating it when you need it. Lower energy bills can help reduce financial stress and contribute to overall health and wellbeing.
Helpful for people with:
Mental health conditions
Physical disability
Improved sleep quality
Proper temperature regulation can improve your sleep quality, which can have a big impact on your overall health and wellbeing. Our thermostats can automatically adjust temperatures during sleep hours, helping you get better rest.
Helpful for people with:
Mental health conditions
Creating a predictable environment
Consistent temperature settings can help create a predictable living space, which can be particularly reassuring if you live with cognitive challenges.
Helpful for people with:
Attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD)
Autism spectrum disorder
Intellectual disability
Physical disability
Temperature alerts
You can set our thermostats to automatically alert you if the temperature goes above or below a set threshold – helping to keep you safe and comfortable.
Helpful for people with:
Attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD)
Autism spectrum disorder
Increased independence
Our thermostats let you adjust the temperature remotely using the Hive app. This makes it easier and more convenient to manage your environment and stay independent – without physical effort or coordination challenges.
Helpful for people with:
Neurodevelopmental motor disorders
Simplified controls
Hive is simple to control in a number of different ways. It can be used with voice assistants like Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant, so you can set temperatures and schedules without having to use buttons or dials. Plus, adaptive keyboard and touchscreen controls can also make things easier if you experience motor difficulties.
Helpful for people with:
Neurodevelopmental motor disorders
