The lighting and home automation technology developer has developed what it says is the first switch allowing users to turn lights on and off without touching it.
Instead, the switch – dubbed, appealingly enough, Niko Mysterious wave control – is activated by simply waving a hand close by.
At a distance of 50cm, the edges of the switch – which is built into the wall – will light up. A wave within 10cm, meanwhile, will active the switch.
Employing motion-sensing technology (‘Nikobus Wave techology’) that has already been proven in applications such as alarm systems and automobile movement detectors, the Mysterious wave control will be available from January.
Describing the new launch as “the perfect answer to the demands of contemporary living”, Niko R&D manager Luc Meirlaen said that Mysterious “makes life easier. People who come home with their hands full no longer have to press the light switch. They just have to walk by the switch to control the lights, thus enhancing ease of use: they no longer have to put everything down when they come in. […] Like a chameleon, the switch blends into the wall, as it can be painted over, or even hidden behind a variety of materials such as wood or marble. The Mysterious wave control allows designers to be creative with materials and room finishing.”
Niko is planning to extend the use of the technology to its other home automation applications, such as light dimmers, and its controls for blinds and shutters.
