How often is merely showing up with a working lightbulb enough to attract a crowd? At a dimly-lit event held tonight by the Bluetooth SIG ahead of the 2015 CES, Avi-on demonstrated such modest magic using an early implementation of Bluetooth mesh wireless connectivity.
The company’s upcoming Bluetooth light switches ($30-$35), light dimmers ($40), and lightbulbs ($20) will be the backbone of an upcoming home lighting system with General Electric branding, and promise to eliminate the need for in-wall light switch wiring.
You can conceivably mount the Bluetooth LE-based switches and dimmers anywhere on a wall — or elsewhere — using adhesive, creating a complete lighting and control solution for under $60, assuming you have an existing light fixture. Avi-on’s system uses mesh-based wireless repeating to spread commands from one wall controller across an entire collection of lights, defying traditional Bluetooth range limitations via multiple devices.
An inexpensive, small Bluetooth and Wi-Fi adapter can be added to the system to act as a control hub, but is entirely optional due to the mesh system. Avi-on is also planning units for outdoor lighting, and is taking pre-orders now through its website.
