Designed in 4 configurations to replace single- or multiple-gang wall switches, the Brilliant Control packs a broad range of smart-home capabilities into a slickly designed wall plate that combines lighting control with accessibility to an expanding array of additional connected home devices. Fitted with a 5-in. diagonal LCD touch screen, the Brilliant Control eschews conventional paddle or toggle switches—and in sizes greater than one-gang features a bank of recessed and sculpted sliders for control of each connected light or bank of fixtures.
In a fashion similar to the forthcoming iDevices Instinct wall switch, the Brilliant Control comes out of the box with the Amazon Alexa digital assistant and a speaker built in, so no other Amazon Echo speakers are required for voice activation control. Also included in the package are integrated motion sensors, an integrated camera with privacy covers that can be used as a video intercom between 2 or more switches, energy consumption tracking, and scene automation capability.
But Brilliant goes beyond most of the market here by integrating an expanding range of additional devices and services into the touch screen, making the switch similar on that front to NuBryte Touchpoint panels. With the Brilliant Control, easy access to the Sonos wireless audio system is provided, as well as many other Wi-Fi-connected accessories—including Nest, ecobee, Ring, Philips Hue, Belkin WeMo and many more. And as the system can connect into Z-Wave and Zigbee products through integration with Samsung SmartThings or Wink hubs, an even broader array of accessories can be linked in.
Brilliant, a San Mateo, California-based company, says one of their chief design goals was to enable homeowners to control their homes without resorting to a smartphone. Toward that end, they also support voice control through Amazon Echo and Google Home lines of standalone speakers. Apple HomeKit and the Siri digital assistant are not currently supported, but Brilliant says this form of integration will be offered to customers in the future as a retrofit.
Beyond that high-resolution touch screen, the lighting sliders themselves are simple yet elegant recesses in the switch surface, and can be used to turn lights on or off and to effect dimming.
The startup began shipping its first limited production run of the switches in November 2017, and those quickly sold out. The next production run is slated to begin shipping later in February 2018. Costs will range from $199 for the single-gang version to a high of $349 for the 4-gang version, and various colors and wood finishes are available. The Brilliant Control is designed for use with 120-volt electrical systems.
More info about this topic:
Brilliant Control at Brilliant website
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Digitized House Magazine
