Learning Thermostat thumbnail 1
On display
Image of Gallery in South Kensington

This object consists of 10 parts, some of which may be located elsewhere.

Learning Thermostat

Thermostat
2014 (manufactured)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

The Nest thermostat is a new kind of smart device for the home. Loaded with sensors and connected to the Internet, it is designed to learn your schedule in order to automatically regulate the temperature of your home.

The company Nest was founded by Tony Fadell, who previously worked at Apple on the iPod and iPhone. The thermostat is intended to appeal to consumers interested in new technologies and innovative product design.

Part of a generation of products that ushers in the Internet of Things, the thermostat collects data about your habits – such as when you are at home. Nest claims this information can reduce home energy consumption by up to 20%. In 2013, Nest was acquired by global search giant Google, raising concerns in the press about data privacy.

Google, a company which assembles personalised profiles of users of its products based on their online activity in order to deliver targeted advertising, now has a foothold in our homes. Architect Rem Koolhaas, speaking at a press conference in March 2014, described smart devices such as the Nest thermostat as ‘the first step toward an architecture of betrayal’. As with much new technology today, the device provides personalised service in exchange for personal information. This object, and the services it communicates with, neatly capture this contemporary dilemma. The Nest Learning Thermostat is a fascinating device, a beautiful object of design, containing within it a potentially threatening future.

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Object details

Categories
Object type
Parts
This object consists of 10 parts.

  • Thermostats
  • Stands
  • Electrical Plugs
  • Link
  • Fixing
  • Screws
  • Fixings
  • Leaflets
  • Packaging
  • Packaging
TitleLearning Thermostat (manufacturer's title)
Materials and techniques
Plastic and metal case and glass screen
Brief description
Learning Thermostat by Nest Labs, California, USA, 2014
Physical description
Learning Thermostat by Nest Lab round thermostat with silver casing with a black screen. The thermostat slots on to a stand with a circular base.
Dimensions
  • Height: 14.1cm
  • Width: 9cm
Production typeMass produced
Gallery label
  • A thermostat that gets to know you The Nest thermostat does not need programming. Connected to the internet, it collects data about users’ daily habits and uses machine learning technology to adjust the temperature of their homes to save energy. Supplying personal information in exchange for enhanced services can reduce costs, but can also lead to discomfort around data privacy and ownership. This smart thermostat is part of the network of interconnected devices called ‘the internet of things’. Smart thermostat Nest, 2014 Designed by and manufactured for Nest Labs, USA LCD display, aluminium casing and electronic components Museum no. CD.36:1, 2, 9, 10-2014 The object sits in the 'Housing and Living' section of the Design 1900-Now gallery opened in June 2021.(2021)
  • From The Future Starts Here A THERMOSTAT THAT LEARNS YOUR SCHEDULE Learning Thermostat Nest Labs 2014 The Nest thermostat does not need programming. Instead, it collects data about your daily habits, like when you go to work, and uses this information to automatically regulate the temperature of your home, saving energy while you are out. Supplying this personal information in exchange for ‘free’ services is a feature of some internet companies today, although many of us do not fully understand the terms. Commercially available product. Glass, steel, circuit board, LED display and custom software V&A: NCOL.391:1-2017 (May 2018)
  • 30.04.2014 The Nest thermostat is a new kind of ‘smart’ device for the home. Loaded with sensors and connected to the Internet, it is designed to learn about you and the temperature you like in order to make your home environment comfortable. The thermostat was designed by Tony Fadell, who previously worked at Apple on the iPod and iPhone. It is intended to appeal to consumers interested in new technologies and innovative product design. Part of a generation of products that ushers in the ‘Internet of things’, the thermostat collects data about your habits – such as when you are at home, or out at work. This increase in information and connectivity can reduce costs and allow for remote control via mobile devices. Concerns about privacy were raised in the press when global search giant Google acquired Nest in February 2014, broadening the scope of its holdings of personal data. Nest thermostat 2013 Designed in Palo Alto, USA Designed and manufactured by Nest LCD display, printed circuit board, aluminium rotating ring and terminals Museum no. CD.36-2014(02/07/2014)
Summary
The Nest thermostat is a new kind of smart device for the home. Loaded with sensors and connected to the Internet, it is designed to learn your schedule in order to automatically regulate the temperature of your home.

The company Nest was founded by Tony Fadell, who previously worked at Apple on the iPod and iPhone. The thermostat is intended to appeal to consumers interested in new technologies and innovative product design.

Part of a generation of products that ushers in the Internet of Things, the thermostat collects data about your habits – such as when you are at home. Nest claims this information can reduce home energy consumption by up to 20%. In 2013, Nest was acquired by global search giant Google, raising concerns in the press about data privacy.

Google, a company which assembles personalised profiles of users of its products based on their online activity in order to deliver targeted advertising, now has a foothold in our homes. Architect Rem Koolhaas, speaking at a press conference in March 2014, described smart devices such as the Nest thermostat as ‘the first step toward an architecture of betrayal’. As with much new technology today, the device provides personalised service in exchange for personal information. This object, and the services it communicates with, neatly capture this contemporary dilemma. The Nest Learning Thermostat is a fascinating device, a beautiful object of design, containing within it a potentially threatening future.
Collection
Accession number
CD.36:1 to 10-2014

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Record createdMay 2, 2014
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