Skip to main content

Impress your friends and infuriate your houseguests with the invisible iOn switch

Yeah, you read that right — somebody finally invented an invisible light switch. If installed properly, you and your family will be privy to its exact location, but your horrible in-laws won’t, and they’ll be stuck wandering around your living room in complete darkness, doomed to bashing their shins on your coffee table and stepping on your kid’s Legos. What’s that, Rita? You’d like to know where the switch is on the wall? Well I guess you shouldn’t have bought me a gym membership as a wedding gift you passive-aggressive sociopath. It’s payback time.

Here’s how this glorious invention supposedly works. Just like the screen on your smart phone, the iOn switch is controlled by a capacitive switching system, or in other words, tech that reacts to touch. The difference, however, is that iOn’s capacitive field is considerably bigger than that of your phone, and actually extends beyond the surface of the device. So, when your finger, hand, elbow (or any other part of your body for that matter) enters the field, it disrupts it and tells the switch to activate or deactivate.

Recommended Videos

The coolest part is that it’s more than just a miniaturized version of that touch-sensitive lamp your grandma has on her end table — the creators actually added a some other features to make it more functional and useful. In addition to activating the switch with a wave of your hand, you can also make lights dimmer/brighter by simply holding your hand inside the field and adjusting its proximity. And of course, if you’d prefer not to get up off the couch and wave your hands, you can also control iOn from afar via a companion app for iOS and Android.

As it’s roughly the same size as a traditional switch, iOn can easily replace just about any standard light switch in your home. You can install it flush on a wall with a faceplate to remind you where it’s located, or go the ninja route and install it invisibly inside a wall, under a desk or table, inside a cabinet, or even in the headboard of your bed.

The project is shooting for a rather ambitious $100K goal, but it’s already a third of the way there and has the better part of a month to make the rest, so it’s still got a decent shot. If you back the project now, you can lock down an iOn switch for the early-bird price of $40 bucks, or pick up a pair of them for $80. Find out more here.

(Image © Peshkova via Shutterstock)

Drew Prindle
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Drew Prindle is an award-winning writer, editor, and storyteller who currently serves as Senior Features Editor for Digital…
Earth Day with Reolink: Protecting nature, one camera at a time
earth day with reolink protecting nature one camera at a time hero crop

This Earth Day, Reolink is celebrating the incredible intersection of technology and conservation. With help from environmentally conscious users and dedicated NGO partners, Reolink is proving that small actions, powered by smart outdoor technology, can lead to a big impact for our planet's wildlife and natural landscapes.
Smarter, Greener Outdoor Monitoring
Reolink's lineup of outdoor cameras, including the Go PT Ultra, Go Ranger PT, and TrackMix LTE, do more than safeguard homes. They empower nature lovers to connect with the wild while treading lightly on the environment.

Each camera is engineered for sustainability and performance. Solar power compatibility keeps them running without contributing to battery waste. Their rugged, waterproof designs ensure they survive the toughest outdoor elements. And with stunning 4K 8MP ultra-clear footage, they capture the beauty of wildlife — from the shimmer of a bird's wings to the subtle prowling of a fox at dusk — without disturbing natural behavior.

Read more
Roku expands smart home lineup with two upcoming security cameras
The Roku Battery Camera on a tree

Roku might be known for its streaming sticks and smart TVs, but the brand also has a strong presence in the smart home market. From video doorbells and smart lights to plugs and motion sensors, Roku’s smart home catalog is surprisingly robust. The catalog is set to expand in the coming months, as Roku has officially revealed two upcoming security cameras -- the Roku Battery Camera and Roku Battery Camera Plus.

The Roku Battery Camera Plus is the most enticing of the two, as it can get up to two years of battery life on a single charge (the Battery Camera gets up to six months). They can also be combined with an optional solar panel to extend their battery life. Beyond that, most specs are shared -- including 1080p resolutions, color night vision, and the option to receive motion alerts when activity is detected around your home.

Read more
Aqara releases new Matter hub, security system, and climate sensor
The Aqara Matter Hub

Aqara has been busy as of late. The company announced Matter support for 50 new device types earlier this month, and now it’s launching three new products -- the Aqara M100 Hub, Climate Sensor W100, and Camera Protect Kit Y100. All three are now available for purchase.

If you’re interested in syncing all your smart devices together, the Aqara Smart Hub M100 is bound to be the most exciting of the bunch. The next-gen smart hub is designed for seamless Matter compatibility, allowing you to set up complex automations between Aqara products and Matter-enabled products from other platforms.

Read more