Noria is the first window air conditioner designed entirely with you in mind.
Read More
330
backers
$111,148
pledged of $250,000 goal
This project will only be funded if at least $250,000 is pledged by .
Replay with sound
Noria is the first window air conditioner designed entirely with you in mind.
About this project
Finally - A Smarter Way To Stay Cool
Window air conditioners have been around for over 60 years, providing much needed relief in the hot summer months. But it has always come at a cost of a terrible user experience. Window air conditioners have always been big, ugly, loud, and difficult to install - until now.
Noria was designed to address all the pain points of current window air conditioners. From beautiful design to easy installation to remote connectivity and schedule creation, Noria makes living with a window air conditioner a pain-free experience. The intuitive thermostat knob interface makes interaction simple. Smart features mean you can control Noria via bluetooth and make energy saving schedules from your iPhone or Android device. A low profile design allows you to keep the view from your window, and makes storage a breeze. The fresh air mode brings in outside air on those cool June and September nights - not even central air can offer that.
Press
Features
Low Profile Engineering
Noria is less than 6" tall. This significant reduction in size means that the view outside is no longer obstructed. The patent-pending engineering required state-of-the-art CFD simulation and years of optimization to get into the final form factor Noria offers, trimming the total size by 40%. The highly engineered fans and ventilation system are quiet and efficient. Unlike other window air conditioners, Noria directs the cool air up towards the ceiling, creating a convective cycle that prevents cold and hot spots in the room. At 5,000 BTU/hr, Noria can cool a 10'x16' room, or two Noria units can cool a room up to 330 sq ft.
Designed From the Ground Up
When we started this project, we knew window air conditioning needed more than just a pretty grill or smartphone control. The whole user experience had to be rethought, and Noria had to be completely redesigned from the ground up. Our modern and elegant design not only looks good but also addresses the irritations that users have with existing window AC designs.
Easy to Install
Noria comes with a special window frame adapter to ensure a safe and easy installation. The adapter is installed first to create a secure, sealed socket into which Noria slides and locks in place. No more struggling with a bulky object in an open window. The innovative handle and rounded sides further aid with installation, removal, and storage.
Simple User Interface
We've built Noria around a single knob that controls the thing you want to change - temperature. Plug it in and set the thermostat. There's no complicated modes or settings. Users can set a schedule via the iOS and Android apps to ensure they never use more energy than is needed.
Control Noria From iPhone or Android
Noria can be set to a schedule by your iPhone or Android device, ensuring you can come home to a cool space without running your electricity all day. Our simple-to-use app allows you to control several Noria units at a time.
Fresh Air Mode
On those cool summer nights, Noria can turn off the compressor and bring fresh, outside air into your home. With just the press of a finger, you can bring fresh air into your whole house. The thermostat will even prevent the room from getting too cold while you sleep.
Total Room Circulation
Noria is designed to blow cold air upwards to mix with the warm air below as it falls. This circulation removes the warm spots in the room while preventing cold air from being recirculated, which improves comfort and efficiency.
Easy Storage
If you are using Noria in a bedroom, you don't have to take it far when autumn arrives. Noria's slim profile allows it to spend the off-season under your bed or in a closet.
Rewards
Specifications
Cooling Type: Vapor-compression refrigeration using environmentally and ozone-friendly R410a refrigerant
Cooling Capacity: 5,000 BTU/hour
Room size: Up to 160 square feet.
Power Consumption: approximately 460-480 watts, for an EER we estimate to be 10.4 to 10.8.
Size: 5.8''H x 18.25''W x 15''D
Window Opening size: 21" to 36" wide.
Window Type: Single or double-hung window frames
Weight: Approximately 30 pounds
Working Prototypes
During our two year development of Noria, we extensively modeled thermal performance to achieve the smallest possible form factor. After building many small-scale heat exchanger prototypes to check our math, we built a fully functioning air conditioner using custom components made to our specifications.
Currently, we have designed and built two full-scale prototypes. One is a thermal prototype which actually works to pump heat at the size we have designed, and a user experience prototype which acts as a testbed for us to work on the installation experience, confirm the function of our light pipe and knob design, and continue to develop the iOS and Android apps to confirm software / hardware integration.
Replay with sound
Please note the final design will be significantly quieter than in the above video, and the fans themselves are already quieter than those of comparable window air conditioners on the market. The above video captures the sound of a prototype compressor, whose mount had not been optimized for vibration and acoustics.
Replay with sound
Replay with sound
Replay with sound
Our working prototype proves that the underlying technology is ready for production. The fans, heat exchangers, and other components used in the Noria prototype were all custom-built to our specifications. Our outside heat exchanger manufacturer has checked our math, and an accredited HVAC technician charged the unit shown in this video with ozone-friendly R410a refrigerant.
The Team
Process and Timeline
Like any reputable household appliance, Noria will ship on Day 1 with a UL listing, ensuring that a trusted third party has evaluated and tested our product to ensure it is safe for operation in your home. We've budgeted time and money to ensure that all of UL's requirements are met, as set out in the UL-484 requirements document.
HELP NORIA BECOME A REALITY!
Big thanks to our host and home NextFab, Judah Konigsberg for his awesome video production and editing, Stephanie Murphy for lending us her voice, and Adam Selzer for his great music.
Risks and challenges
Noria has been in development for over two years, and in that time our team of experienced engineers and designers have addressed all the major technical hurdles associated with this product. After many prototypes and much analysis, Noria is ready to begin the road to production.
The team behind Noria is Likuma Labs, an established product development firm that has experience bringing projects from the drawing board to the production line in various industries including consumer products, medical devices, and industrial automation. We know what it takes to bring hardware into production, and we know there will be challenges along the way.
No product development process is free from hiccups, and that's why we live by the mantra to "prototype early and often." We've budgeted a year to bring Noria into production and into your hands well before the Summer of 2017. We know this is a long time to wait, but Noria is a complex device with electronics and mechanical systems, and it must communicate with two separate apps (iOS and Android). Rather than rush to put out a buggy, 0th-generation product, we want our backers to have the user experience they deserve on the first day they open the box.
In the Summer of 2016 we plan to extensively test numerous pre-production units here in our own Philadelphia homes to work out all the bugs and kinks in the design and user interface so that we can move into full production knowing the design is ready for you. We've budgeted extra production time in case the first production units don't meet our exacting requirements. During the production roll-out, some specifications presented above may change slightly, such as precise dimensions and energy data. However, we believe the numbers presented to be a realistic outcome, and are not just optimistic estimates.
There is a risk that Noria will not be ready to ship in time for Spring of 2017. Given the seasonal nature of the product, a 3-6 month slip in timeline would result in Noria being delivered during or after the Summer of 2017. We know that backers would be incredibly disappointed in this result, and we are working late nights and weekends to minimize this risk. However, given the complexity of the supply chain management, regulatory requirements, and third party safety verification required, backers should understand there is a risk the shipment timeline could slip into or beyond the Summer of 2017.
Learn about accountability on KickstarterFAQ
-
Noria is currently designed to only be placed horizontally. There are a number of engineering issues that must be addressed before Noria could be placed vertically, including compressor lubrication and condensate dripping. However, given the feedback from many interested parties, we are exploring incorporating this into the design as we move forward with production.
-
Accommodating the electrical and regulatory requirements of each country will take time, and we can only commit to delivering Noria in the United States and Canada at this time.
-
No, currently Noria is only Bluetooth enabled. Schedule creation and temperature adjustments made through the app will only work within your home.
While we are exploring the option to connect to the internet via Wifi, this is a substantial undertaking that we will potentially revisit during the project.
-
Perhaps in the future, but for now Noria will only be available in a single color scheme.
-
Noria is approximately 8 pounds lighter than current window air conditioners of similar capacity. The ergonomics of Noria’s installation and handle contribute significantly to its ease of installation in addition to the moderate reduction in weight. Precise weight figures will be available as the project nears completion.
-
No, Noria’s heat pump only works one way – to cool the inside of a room.
-
Noria can be installed in windows 21'' to 36'' wide.
-
Noria can be installed in single or double-hung window frames.
-
Noria will have a standard screen filter that we recommend cleaning once per season. This filter is used to prevent dust from clogging the evaporator coils, and is not meant to improve room air quality with regard to pollen, dust, or smoke.