Microsoft unveils smart thermostat powered by Cortana

Microsoft Cortana GLASMicrosoft has teamed up with heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) multinational conglomerate Johnson Controls to unveil a Cortana-powered thermostat.

GLAS runs on the Windows 10 IoT Core and Microsoft cloud computing service Azure. Its translucent touchscreen enables the owner to alter room temperature, track both indoor and outdoor air quality, check energy usage, adjust home and away settings, and more. In having Cortana voice activation built-in, it has similarities to the Ecobee4 – which is powered by Amazon Alexa.

“GLAS is a thermostat that moves with us. Its daily reporting provides the insights needed to create the perfect atmosphere for your business, your home, the places you want to visit, the places you need to visit,” says Microsoft in the product’s promotional video. “GLAS knows when you’re in the room and when you’re not. GLAS constantly monitors indoor and outdoor air quality, and intelligently changes its settings – making it capable of providing leading energy savings.”

There is no word from Microsoft, or Johnson Controls, as to when the thermostat will launch or who it will be released to yet.