Voice Control for Lighting

February 15, 2018

Craig DiLouie

Virtual personal assistants provide many services to consumers, such as Internet lookup, playing music and video, and buying products. The most popular platforms are Apple’s Siri, Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, and Microsoft Cortana. These assistants use speech recognition technology to execute user voice commands.

A new application is control of home systems, such as lighting, shades, thermostats, A/V, security, and other smart devices. A typical solution includes a virtual assistant device (phone or speaker), WiFi connection, downloadable smart device app, and a compatible lighting or home automation system. Voice assistant devices are agnostic in that they can control products from many manufacturers. (Shown in photo: LEDVANCE’s Lightify.)

By selecting a control system compatible with these devices, voice becomes another input alongside any others installed, such as keypads, mobile apps, motion sensors, etc. (With voice control, standard controls still have their place.) Benefits include convenience and easier lifestyle.

An occupant walks into a house with arms full of groceries, and simply tells the home system to turn on the lights. An occupant wants to change the mood and voices a command to choose a scene, whether it’s a date, dinner, or movie night. An occupant gets into bed and tells all lights to turn OFF. The occupant wakes up and says, “Good morning” to activate selected house lighting. An occupant with a disability limiting freedom of movement can control everything from lighting to shades to temperature to music without moving.

Gaining this control input requires installing a lighting or home automation system that recognizes inputs from, e.g., Amazon Alexa (with an Echo device), Apple Siri (with HomeKit), Google Assistant (with Google Home), and/or Microsoft Cortana (with Harman Kardon Invoke).

Examples include LEDVANCE’s Lightify; Leviton’s Decora Smart with Wi-Fi Technology and Decora Smart with HomeKit Technology; Lutron Electronics’ Caséta Wireless, RA 2 Select, RadioRA2, and HomeWorks QS; and Philips Lighting’s Hue system, among others. Different systems offer varying levels of size, scalability, programmability, and simplicity.

When the user voices a command, it is sent to a cloud-based service and translated into a control signal at the control provider’s cloud service via an application programming interface. The manufacturer’s cloud-based service then signals the controller in the home. Response is virtually immediate.

For consumers, it provides a convenient and familiar method of controlling home systems to gain lifestyle benefits, with smart lighting being a good starting point. For contractors and distributors, it’s a key selling feature for smart lighting and an avenue to help customers adopt home automation. With smart lighting installed, the benefits are immediately experienced.

Start with the home and how it’s used, ensure the home has a robust network connection, choose a manufacturer that offers appropriate levels of support, select an appropriate solution with confirmed interoperability, and overall, keep it simple. While voice control offers convenience, it is recommended to use voice control in concert with smart manual controls in typical locations. One approach is to start with a few control points, perhaps a room, such as a living room or kitchen, and grow from there as the user immediately experiences the benefits.

Photo source: LEDVANCE


Craig DiLouie, LC, is Education Director for the Lighting Controls Association. Reprinted with permission of the Lighting Controls Association, www.lightingcontrolsassociation.org

                                                

Related Articles


Changing Scene

  • LEDVANCE Expands Ontario Presence with New Specification Agent

    LEDVANCE Expands Ontario Presence with New Specification Agent

    LEDVANCE is pleased to announce the appointment of Sterling Architectural Products Ltd. (Sterling Lights) as their new specification agent in Ontario. This partnership strengthens LEDVANCE’s presence in the region and reinforces their commitment to serving the professional lighting design and specification community with innovative, reliable lighting solutions. With decades of experience and a service-driven mindset,… Read More…

  • May 29, 2025 - Eureka Wins Three 2025 Red Dot Awards for Product Design

    Eureka Wins Three 2025 Red Dot Awards for Product Design

    Eureka is pleased to announce that its Velia, Cirra, and Junction luminaires have each received a 2025 Red Dot Design Award for Product Design. It is the 11th consecutive year that Eureka products have been honored with this prestigious award, which is a testament to the company’s consistency and relentless drive to design exceptional luminaires.… Read More…


Design

  • Mac’s II Agencies: Case Study – Tesoro, Vancouver, BC

    Mac’s II Agencies: Case Study – Tesoro, Vancouver, BC

    At the crest of False Creek, Tesoro stands as a contemporary interpretation of classic luxury, offering 92 exclusive waterfront homes in the heart of Vancouver. Developed by Concert Properties, this 17-story residential tower embraces a distinctly modern character, harmonizing sleek design with timeless sophistication. The vision for Tesoro extended beyond its architectural presence—it was about… Read More…

  • LightForm: Estiluz – Versatile Solutions for Sophisticated Spaces

    LightForm: Estiluz – Versatile Solutions for Sophisticated Spaces

    For anyone seeking high-performance lighting that blends elegance with engineering, Estiluz offers an exceptional range of solutions. This Spanish brand, family-owned since 1969, creates lighting that balances form, function, and flexibility, making it ideal for both bold architectural statements and subtle design enhancements. At LightForm, they are proud to be the exclusive Canadian distributor of… Read More…


New Products

  • Cyclone Lighting Introduces New Taji Luminaire

    Cyclone Lighting Introduces New Taji Luminaire

    Cyclone Lighting is excited to announce the release of its new Taji luminaire. Taji’s captivating design features high-performance optics and enhances a variety of aesthetics. Taji’s distinctive, stylish silhouette and slender lines are a refreshing departure from the ubiquitous dome luminaire. The unique flared form maintains a slender, minimalist feel yet provides high-performance optics. The… Read More…

  • Leviton Releases New Decora Smart Wi-Fi 0-10V Dimmer for Home & Small Business Lighting Control

    Leviton Releases New Decora Smart Wi-Fi 0-10V Dimmer for Home & Small Business Lighting Control

    Leviton has announced the launch of the Decora Smart Wi-Fi 0-10V Dimmer (D2710), expanding its comprehensive Wi-Fi lighting and load control solutions that work with the My Leviton app. As the first Matter-compatible 0-10V smart dimmer, the new 120V/277V device makes it easy to add 0-10V dimming to smart platforms such as Apple Home, Amazon… Read More…