My NYC apartment is far from a smart home, mostly because of the lack of space, and, as a result, a lack of things to optimize. However, I did opt for smart light bulbs to control my lights with an Alexa command or my phone. That’s why, when I passed the Lotus booth at the Computer Electronics Show (CES), I knew I had to stop by.
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The idea of pointing at things in your smart home to turn them on seemed like something out of a sci-fi movie, but the technology is quite simple. The Lotus system consists of a ring with a button and switch covers. When the button is pressed, the switch is turned on as you point at the object.
The ring fits comfortably on your index finger and the button sits on the outside, allowing you to press it easily with a quick thumb motion. Within seconds, I turned things on and off around the demo room.
The Lotus system is compatible with any device that uses switch covers, whether lights, fans, AC units, or TVs, as long as the switch cover fits.
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The only catch is that, at the moment, the technology only works with a rocker switch, the type you tap on the top or bottom to turn on and off. There will be models for the toggle switch coming soon.
Another obstacle is that, right now, the ring only comes in sizes 8, 10, and 12, so many interested users won’t get the opportunity to try it. The Jedi-like control experience will come at a pretty hefty price of $349. The Lotus Kit comes with a ring and three switch covers.
At the moment, you can purchase the kit for $314, plus a 10% CES discount with the code CES25. At that price tag, you may be better off buying a couple of smart lightbulbs, and pointing your phone like you are in Star Wars.