Skip to main content

The LaMetric Sky gives artistic meaning to smart lighting

With the introduction of the Aurora Nanoleaf and Lifx Tile, smart lighting changed from a modern convenience to modern art–and today LaMetric takes that evolution one step further with the introduction of the LaMetric Sky, a modular smart light system that can be functional, artistic, and meaningful all at once.

The LaMetric Sky starter pack is made up of four right triangles, each with 32 independent color zones. The light panels mount to the wall using double-sided tape, so there’s no need to drill holes or damage the walls in any way. The panels can be assembled corner to corner, side to side, and half to half to create almost any shape imaginable. The LaMetric Sky includes mounting instructions to help users arrange their lights in any way they want. A few of the shapes the company suggests include a fish, a cat, a diamond, and a crown.

Image used with permission by copyright holder

The philosophy behind the assembly and arrangement of the LaMetric Sky is based on the Chinese tangram puzzles, in which the player must form a specific shape using seven distinct pieces. LaMetric also says that its design philosophy means it is possible to decorate large sections of the wall with fewer pieces.

The LaMetric Sky is described as requiring minimal setup. All users have to do is decide on the shape they want to create, mount the lights, and plug the device in. The app handles lighting combinations — and with the Sky’s ability to display more than 16 million colors, there are a lot of potential combinations.

The LaMetric Sky can also display specific patterns like pixelized faces and animated shapes, taking after the LaMetric Time smart clock. The app is said to have more than 25,000 faces to choose from at the start, with the ability for users to create their own. Users can also display the time, date, weather conditions, and even social media follower counts.

The panels can be turned on or off with a double-tap, via smartphone control, or through a smart assistant like Google Home or Amazon Alexa. The LaMetric Sky also pairs with the Time smart clock for automatic lighting adjustments based on the time of day or based on social media notifications.

The pre-order campaign for the first set of LaMetric Sky lights starts today, July 25, and runs until August 25. Compared to similar products on the market, the pricing is rather affordable:

  • 4 light surfaces: $172
  • 6 light surfaces: $246
  • 8 light surfaces: $299
  • 16 light surfaces: $576

The lights are slated to ship in winter, but no concrete date has been given.

Editors' Recommendations

Patrick Hearn
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Patrick Hearn writes about smart home technology like Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, smart light bulbs, and more. If it's a…
Wemo expands its home security lineup with a smart video doorbell
The Wemo Video Doorbell works with HomeKit Secure Video.

Wemo is known for easy-to-use smart home products, but its lineup has always been on the smaller side compared to the competition. The Wemo Smart Plug has earned a spot on our list of best smart plugs, but the company never focused heavily on home security -- until now. Today at CES 2022, Wemo announced the Wemo Smart Video Doorbell.

This video doorbell has a 178-degree field of view combined with a 4-megapixel camera. Throw in the enhanced night vision and zoom functionality, and you can keep an eye on what's happening not just at your door, but in your yard, too. The Wemo Smart Video Doorbell works exclusively with HomeKit Secure Video, which also means it's easy to set up and manage through the Home App.

Read more
Abode expands line of smart home devices with doorbell, light bulbs at CES 2022
The Adobe Wireless Video Doorbell beside its speaker.

Abode has announced two new additions to its existing lineup of smart home products at CES 2022. The Abode Wireless Video Doorbell beams live 2K footage to your phone, or to the cloud with a subscription plan. It boasts full-color night vision, wire-free installation, and two-way audio.

As you would hope, the doorbell is certified to weather the outdoors with an IP65 waterproof rating. It comes with a companion Chime device to act as the bell indoors. On the software side, the Abode Wireless Video Doorbell is able to differentiate people from other kinds of movement, which can help you triage notifications appropriately. This capability is expected to expand to pets and packages in the future.

Read more
GE expands Cync smart light lineup, adds climate control, camera
GE Cync lights set up in gaming room.

If you’ve never heard of Cync by GE Lighting you could be forgiven. It doesn’t get the press of some other more popular brands of smart lighting. Today, GE Lighting announced several new Cync products that will expand this smart lighting platform to a full smart home ecosystem, meaning if it's not already on your radar, it should be.

As part of CES 2022, the company is introducing a smart thermostat and temperature sensor, a line of outdoor security cameras, and several new lighting products to its family of connected products. A big bonus for many consumers, there is no additional hub or bridge required to create the Wi-Fi connection needed for automation and scheduling.

Read more