Canadian Matter device maker InvisOutlet announced a crowdfunding campaign for its new smart outlet on Kickstarter today.
The wall outlet, named InvisOutlet Aura, is a standard two-slot US outlet with a dimmable nightlight built into the bottom. The product’s reveal follows its sister model, which only offered cool and warm light. The previous model, funded in mid-2023, raised $161,204 from 839 backers.
At the time of publishing, the campaign had raised over $22,000, surpassing its $10,000 goal with 126 backers.
A multi-purpose outlet
The InvisOutlet Aura has a design similar to the ThirdReality Smart Nightlight. It has two separately controllable slots with a rating of 15 A for indoor use. Under the deco panel, there is a delicate, RGB-adjustable light bar that casts a gentle vibe onto the wall.
The Matter-over-Wi-Fi outlet features a modular design, so its main body and panel are replaceable. This means the cover panel, which holds the light bar and sensors, can be easily swapped with the one from the Pro version.
Based on its design, the Aura outlet may have the same sensor kit as the Pro model. But the crowdfunding page does not offer many details in addition to the brightness sensor, and only states that the Aura can pair with InvisOutlet Pro to utilize all features.
The InvisOutlet Pro includes an air quality sensor, a carbon dioxide sensor, a volatile organic compound sensor, a presence detector, and a temperature and humidity sensor. The LED indicators for both models on the front will use different colors to indicate the nearby air quality.
With this powerful sensor kit from the Pro, users can make full use of the two outlets. For instance, they can automate a non-smart air purifier using the air quality sensors or trigger a dehumidifier. The built-in occupancy sensor is also a useful energy-saving feature, especially for devices like lamps.
As the product pages show, these sensors and controls are all accessible within the Matter ecosystem, including Apple, Alexa, and Google Home. According to discussions on the Home Assistant forums, Home Assistant is also supported via both Matter and MQTT.
However, we did not find either product listed on the Connectivity Standards Alliance database, so their detailed Matter features and spec versions are unclear at the moment. As of press time, the firm has not yet responded to our inquiry.
Availability
The Kickstarter campaign starts today, offering an early-bird price of $69 for a two-pack for the first 50 backers and $75 for the next 50.
(Source: InvisOutlet, Kickstarter; Image Source: InvisOutlet)
