Since launching the first energy-efficient smart thermostat and smoke alarm a few years back, Nest Labs has been non-stop at developing new ways to make its products work better with our homes. Last year, the company launched a developer program, “Works With Nest”, where partnering companies could market their products as compatible with Nest products. For example, Whirpool “Worked With Nest” to alert the user of any peaks in energy usage, and would delay starting the laundry cycle until a more ecological time. Now, the Nest company is at it again with a new program dubbed “Weave”, designed to enhance the home by increasing communication between devices.

When we say “enhance”, we mean Nest’s new protocol that allows devices, even outside of the Nest Products line, internet-free communication. Wi-Fi has always been necessary for developers to get their products connected to Nest’s cloud API, so this is a huge change for the better. Among the many connection issues solved with Weave, Nest says it will allow the “ability to connect power-constrained devices, as well as devices that require low latency and redundancy”. Functions will include access to home and away states, smoke and carbon monoxide alerts, motion and sound alerts, and peak energy rush hour events, via companies such as GE, Phillips Hue, Hunter Douglas, and Google’s OnHub; and on iOS, Android and web operating systems (PC Mag).

So, not only will Nest devices have an easier time communicating with other Nest devices, as well as other developer products, Nest assures it will happen in a “reliable, compact, and secure” manner, sans the internet. This is especially nice for the smaller home kits, such as smart locks and security systems, that need power to operate at all times, and if our Wi-Fi were to crash for a bit. Thanks to Trusted Reviews, here’s an example of how this would all come into play: a newly adopted Weave-connected smart lock, from famous lock company Yale Linus, would alert you whether your door was open or closed, tell you the frequency of openings and closings, then give you the option to create visitor passcodes for family or friends you’re okay with coming in. But wait, there’s more! Since all devices can now talk to each other, the Nest Cam (security camera) will now be able to talk to the Yale Linus, and show you who is using your door.

Smart, huh? Innovative, yes. It’s hard to picture it getting any more helpful than this. If I were to leave my home to a house sitter, I’d love to leave knowing that I could check in using resources I could trust. When once I could simply check security camera footage, now it’s possible to track actual door lock activity. Nest’s upgrade is great, and we’ll know a device is Weave compatible by seeing its “Works With Nest” logo on the box. We will soon see a number of familiar brands that are ready to be compatible with Nest’s Weave. However, integrations are not expected to be developer-ready until 2016.