Popular Science
Date: August 2001

HANDS ON

Mood Lighting for Couch Potatoes

THINK OF IT as Clapper 2.0. Just say the right word and VOS Systems' new IntelaVoice dimmer, designed with an ear toward people with limited mobility, sets the lights at the desired brightness. It plugs into a wall outlet and accepts a two-prong lamp plug. It has four settings: high, medium, low, and off.

A coworker and I had a great time testing it, mostly because we couldn't resist working those words into our conversation - the key was getting in the word "program" before them. "Donna, your work here has hit a new program high." And the lights would brighten. What fun!

We spent hours talking to the $30 device in different tones of voice and decibel levels, discovering that it works pretty well for all but the thickest accents (and that Donna does a good Bond). At one point, as we were leaving, it turned stubborn with me. In a soft, feminine voice, Donna told it to turn off. It listened. Pretty smart. -C.W.