Things5
Technical documentation Book a demo

The secure IoT and AI platform for manufacturers of connected machines: washing machines, refrigerators, ovens, coffee machines, heat pumps, air conditioners, industrial machines, fitness equipment

Things5 connects the machines you build to the cloud, both new and already installed: home appliances, foodservice equipment, HVAC units, industrial machines and fitness equipment. It monitors them, updates them remotely and gives customers, dealers and technicians an AI assistant that knows every manual and the real status of every machine. That way you can sell digital services directly through your products.

The display of a professional machine in the foreground, with the machine it belongs to behind it. On the coffee machine Genuin answers how many coffees were made today; on a cold room evaporator it explains why the room won’t reach −20 °C and guides a manual defrost; on the washing machine the cycle stops for error E21 and Genuin helps fix it; on the oven the user describes by voice the result they want and Genuin generates the recipe; on the wire drawing line a worn-out die leads Genuin to check the spare parts warehouse and create a picking order; on the treadmill Genuin flags the scheduled maintenance coming due, shows the last service report and books a slot with the service center.

  • 54K

    managed machines

  • 63

    active customers

  • 60+

    countries

  • 99.7%

    platform uptime

Chosen by manufacturers

Manufacturers of home appliances, professional equipment, HVAC units and industrial machines use Things5 to manage the machines installed at their customers' sites

Every day, Things5 works with the R&D, service and after-sales teams of companies that design and build connected machines for homes, foodservice, building comfort and industry.

  • LU-VE
  • DIHR
  • Cimbali Group
  • Vimec
  • Esmach
  • Riello Cleaning Machines
  • Grandimpianti

Partner of

With EFCEM Italia we are working on an open interoperability model between machines of different brands in professional kitchens.

The problem

After the sale, you lose touch with the machine and with the people who use it

Once delivered, the machine becomes a black box for the manufacturer. You only find out about a problem when the customer calls service: a family without a washing machine, a restaurant with its oven down at peak time, an office with no air conditioning in the middle of summer, a workshop with an industrial machine stopped halfway through an order.

  • The technician sets off without knowing what to expect.

    "The machine isn't working" is often the only information available: the fault is diagnosed on site, and a second visit with the right spare part is often needed.

  • Nobody reads the manual.

    Customers and operators call service with the same questions, and the features you designed go unused.

  • Every firmware update requires a technician.

    Fixing a defect or adding a feature on machines already sold takes months, and the Cyber Resilience Act (CRA) makes security updates mandatory for the entire support period.

  • The limit of one-off revenue.

    Programs, spare parts, consumables and maintenance contracts often go through channels you don't control.

The platform

One platform, two modules

Things5 Connect

Control and update the machines you have sold, remotely

Things5 Connect is the IoT module of Things5. It integrates into your firmware or into the boards of our EMS partners, and also connects the installed base through a gateway.

Key features

  • Remote monitoring and real-time alarms
  • Remote firmware updates across the whole installed base
  • Programs, recipes and settings distributed in bulk
  • Access for dealers and service centers, each to its own share of the installed base
Discover Things5 Connect
Genuin

Users find answers directly from the machine, without overloading your service team

Genuin is the Things5 AI assistant that knows every model, every manual and the real status of your machines. It guides customers, operators and installers in everyday use, by voice and in their own language, and answers technicians and service centers with the right procedure for that model. It interacts with the machine and with connected business systems.

Key features

  • Answers from manuals, organized by model and version
  • Agents connected to machine data and to your software (ERP, CRM and e-commerce)
  • Conversational experience
  • Feedback and analysis of the most frequent questions
Discover Genuin

Why Things5

Today

From the machine you sold…

Once delivered, the machine becomes a black box: the problem only surfaces when the customer calls the dealer.

Installed machine “The machine isn't working” Dealer Technician without a diagnosis
  • The fault is discovered when the customer calls
  • The technician diagnoses on site
  • Firmware is updated machine by machine
  • The same questions reach service every day
  • Service and dealers exchange passwords and serial numbers
  • One-off sale and service contracts

With Things5

…to the connected machine

Every machine stays connected to you: you know what is happening, you update it and keep improving it after the sale.

Connected machine Things5 Connect + Genuin ServiceEngineeringCustomer
  • The alarm reaches the service center before the call
  • The technician sets off knowing what to check
  • Firmware is updated remotely across the whole installed base
  • Everyone sees only the machines and features relevant to them
  • AI assistant that can be embedded in the display, in the app and in the service area of your website
  • Premium features, consumables and subscription services

An IoT platform built for manufacturers of connected machines

  • Programs, commands and settings.

    Recipe books and programs, predefined commands such as a sanitization or defrost cycle, and separate configuration levels for the customer, the service center and the manufacturer are platform features, not projects to develop.

    Discover Things5 Connect

  • Built around your service network.

    Dealers and service centers have their own organization and see only their customers' machines.

    Discover Things5 Connect

  • Data is integrated only once.

    The machine you monitor with Things5 Connect is the same one on which Genuin answers the people who use it and the people who repair it.

    Discover Genuin

  • Grow without reconnecting anything.

    Start with one module and add the other when you need it, without changing platform or reconnecting the machines.

Regulatory compliance and security

  • Two-factor authentication (2FA)

    Two-step verification at login, via an authenticator app or SMS.

  • CRA standard

    Provisioning system developed and kept up to date in full compliance with the Cyber Resilience Act.

    Learn more

  • Penetration testing

    Simulation of real-world attacks and documentation of vulnerabilities with reproducible evidence, following the testing practices referenced by SOC2, ISO/IEC 27001 and NIS2.

The results

What changes for a manufacturer of connected machines

  1. Less downtime for your customers.

    A critical alarm reaches the service center, which contacts the customer and sets off with the right spare part.

  2. Service costs don't grow with sales.

    Repetitive questions are answered by the machine or the app, and your team works only on the cases that need a technician.

  3. The machine improves after the sale.

    New features and programs arrive through software, even on machines sold years ago, and real usage data shows R&D what to improve in the next model.

  4. New revenue from the installed base.

    Premium features, consumables and spare parts offered at the right time, plus per-machine service plans, open up revenue that used to stop at the sale.

The platform

One integration, endless ways to put machine data to work

Things5 Connect

  • See the status of every installed machine, read its actual configuration and change parameters remotely, from a heat pump's setpoint to the time of a cooking cycle, without sending a technician.

    Discover Things5 Connect

  • Distribute new programs and recipes to one machine or a whole group, and launch predefined commands remotely with a single action.

    Discover Things5 Connect

  • Review the history of measurements, cycles, operating hours and alarms, build diagnostic dashboards and calculate KPIs for a single machine or the entire installed base.

    Discover Things5 Connect

  • Assign each machine a plan that decides which features it unlocks and for how long, for example premium programs, a recipe book or remote monitoring for 12 months.

    Discover Things5 Connect

  • Publish a new firmware version for a model and roll it out remotely to one or thousands of machines, tracking the outcome of each.

    Discover Things5 Connect

Genuin

  • Customers, operators and installers talk to the machine in natural language, by voice or in writing, and get answers based on your manuals.

    Discover Genuin

  • The machine shows error E12: Genuin explains what it means for that model and guides the check with the procedure from the manual. With Things5 Connect, it also reads the actual alarms and history.

    Discover Genuin

  • Installers, maintenance crews and field technicians follow procedures step by step, with the right diagram or photo next to each step: from commissioning an elevator to routine maintenance.

    Discover Genuin

  • First-time users, whether a new customer or a newly hired operator, learn by asking the machine directly how to set a program or a feature, instead of reading the manual.

    Discover Genuin

  • Genuin finds the right spare part code for the installed model, checks availability and opens the order in the same conversation, connecting to your e-commerce or ERP.

    Discover Genuin

For every appliance

Designed for the appliances you build, for home and professional use

For home and professional use

  • Ovens and cooking

  • Blast chillers and refrigeration

  • Ice makers

  • Dishwashers and warewashing

  • Coffee and beverage machines

  • Food preparation

For every machine

Also designed for HVAC units, industrial machines and fitness equipment

For buildings, industry and wellness

  • Heating and refrigeration

  • Ventilation and air conditioning

  • Industrial machines

  • Professional gym equipment

Customer stories

We sell equipment in more than 120 countries around the world. In Italy, the local dealer who has to provide service may drive 40-50 km. In some places, they have to take a plane. Leaving the office to repair a piece of equipment without any idea of what is wrong with it creates a lot of problems. Service costs go up, and the customer is left with a machine they cannot use for days. We built something that lets whoever goes out on a service call already have a clear idea of the job.

Paolo Dalla Tor · R&D manager · Icematic

Why now

GDPR, Data Act, AI Act, CRA, RED and Machinery Regulation: what changes for connected machine manufacturers

A connected machine collects data, receives updates and, with an AI assistant, talks to the people who use it. Six European regulations govern these aspects, from data to machine safety. Product compliance remains the manufacturer’s responsibility: Things5 provides the technical tools that help meet them.

  • GDPR

    What it requires: informing users of the machine about the data collected and tracking their consent.

    How Things5 responds:

    • Privacy notices and consent requests shown on the display through the SDK, versioned and recorded
    • Consent log, with a new request at every update
    • Data separated by organization and encrypted communications

  • Data Act

    What it requires: from 12 September 2025, usage data accessible to the user and shareable with third parties at their request; for products placed on the market from 12 September 2026, data access built in from the design stage.

    How Things5 responds:

    • Data from every machine exportable and available via API
    • Data access defined by role and by organization
    • Things5 can act as data holder on behalf of the manufacturer, where the contract provides for it

  • AI Act

    What it requires: from 2 August 2026, people talking to an AI assistant must know they are interacting with an artificial intelligence system.

    How Things5 responds:

    • Genuin skills and content approved by a person
    • A cited source for every answer and a log of every conversation
    • Actions on the machine within the limits set by the manufacturer

  • CRA

    What it requires: from 11 September 2026, reporting actively exploited vulnerabilities and severe incidents; from 11 December 2027, security requirements for CE marking and security updates for the whole support period, normally at least five years.

    How Things5 responds:

    • Remote firmware updates across the whole installed base
    • Roles with over 40 permissions, multi-factor authentication and single sign-on with the company identity provider
    • Encrypted communications, revocable per-device certificates and a change log

  • RED

    What it requires: from 1 August 2025, for machines with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or cellular connectivity, protection of the network, of personal data and against fraud, with the EN 18031 standard as technical reference.

    How Things5 responds:

    • Encrypted communication between machine and cloud and revocable per-device certificates
    • Machine data, parameters and commands accessible only to authorized roles
    • Remote firmware updates to fix vulnerabilities across the installed base

  • Machinery Regulation

    What it requires: from 20 January 2027, protecting safety-relevant software and data against tampering, logging interventions and the versions of safety software uploaded after the sale, with instructions also allowed in digital format.

    How Things5 responds:

    • The firmware version of every machine visible, and remote updates tracked with the outcome per machine
    • A history of who changed which parameter, when and from which value, with changes restricted to authorized roles
    • Manuals organized by model and version in Genuin, available on the machine, in the app and on the website

Frequently asked questions about Things5

Can't find the answer? Book a demo and we'll answer you.

Book a demo

FAQ

What is Things5 and who is it for?
Things5 is the IoT and AI platform for manufacturers of connected machines that want to control their installed base remotely and automate technical support. It is used by manufacturers of home appliances, professional foodservice equipment, HVAC units and industrial machines, without building the IoT and AI infrastructure in-house.

Which machines is Things5 designed for?
Things5 is designed for machines built in series and installed at customers' sites, which the manufacturer supports through dealers, installers and service centers: home appliances, foodservice equipment, heat pumps, refrigeration and air conditioning units, industrial machines and fitness equipment. It is not a platform for monitoring a factory or a production plant as a whole.

What is the difference between Things5 Connect and Genuin?
Things5 Connect is the IoT module: it connects machines to the cloud, monitors them and updates them remotely. Genuin is the AI module: with the Genuin Studio editor you create assistants that answer from manuals (Knowledge area) and agents that interact with the machine (Assistants area). Genuin uses Things5 Connect data to answer based on the real status of every machine.

Can Things5 modules be purchased separately?
Yes. Things5 Connect and Genuin are purchased separately. Things5 Connect handles remote control and updates of the installed base, Genuin handles technical service and usage guidance for customers and operators. Together they cover the whole cycle, from machine data to the answer given to the person using it.

Can machines and devices that have already been sold be connected to Things5?
Yes. Machines and equipment already sold are connected with a compatible gateway or connectivity module, supplied by a network of EMS partners already integrated with the platform. Once connected, the machine joins fleet management with remote monitoring, control and updates.

How much work does it take to connect machines to Things5?
New machines connect with the Things5 SDK in the firmware or with a board from one of more than 15 EMS partners; machines already installed connect through a gateway, without redesigning the hardware. Then you describe your models, with variables, alarms, units of measure and translations, also from CSV: a complex firmware is configured in a few hours. The APIs and technical documentation are public.

How does Things5 help a machine manufacturer create recurring revenue?
In Things5 Connect, every machine has a commercial plan that decides which features it unlocks and for how long, from premium programs to monitoring. Genuin offers spare parts, consumables and upgrades at the right time, and new features arrive via software on machines already sold.

Is it better to build an IoT platform for connected machines in-house or to adopt Things5?
For most manufacturers, a ready-made platform is the better choice. An in-house project requires cloud, security and AI skills and has to be maintained for the entire life of the machines, often more than ten years. Things5 is hardware-independent and already includes service network management, commercial plans, remote updates and AI agents.

Does Things5 help manage privacy and consent on connected machines?
Yes. The Things5 SDK shows privacy notices and terms of use on the machine display and collects the authorizations of the people who use it. The platform records who accepted, when and which version of the document, and asks for consent again when the version changes. Things5 does not replace legal advice.

How does Things5 protect machines and data?
Communication between machine and cloud is encrypted and every device has its own revocable certificate. Each company in the network has its own organization, with roles built from over 40 permissions, multi-factor authentication and sign-in through the corporate identity provider; the change log records who changed which parameter and when.

Does Things5 help comply with the Cyber Resilience Act?
Things5 does not certify the product, but it provides the technical infrastructure the CRA requires: security updates rolled out to the whole installed base, certificate management and a change log. The CRA reporting obligations apply from 11 September 2026, the other requirements from 11 December 2027.

Discover what Things5 can do for the machines you build

We'll show you the platform on a case close to yours: home appliances, professional foodservice equipment, HVAC, industrial machines or fitness.

Book a demo