December 1, 2008

Wall-mounted touchpad light switch ends accidental in-home raves


Flipping on a light switch usually doesn't require much in the way of cranial fortitude, but mount three or four of the things in a row and it's Concentration time whenever you try to flick the right one. Japanese graphic designer Mac Funamizu feels your shame, imagining a conceptual wall-mounted touchpad to end the confusion and inadvertent light shows. With his invention you'd simply drag your finger toward the light you want to turn on, do it again to turn it off, or make a circular sweep to illuminate the whole room. It certainly seems a bit more useful than other switches we've covered in the past, but until we see a version that will register our gestures from the couch we'll stick with our Clappers, thank you very much.
Update: Taku commented to point out a strangely similar though seemingly completely unrelated prototype from London-based designer Edward Horsford. It offers the same functionality plus adds ridges.

( Engadget German )

0 comments: