There is nothing quite so wrenching and traumatic as having to get out of a warm, comfy bed, put your cosy feet on a cold carpet and walk across the room to switch off a light. Not even poverty. Not even murder.
However, help could soon be at hand, thanks to developments at leading LED lighting manufacturer Insteon.
The California-based producer this week launched a new 8-watt LED bulb, with the unique feature of being network-connected - meaning, with the right setup, you'll soon be able to control your lighting with a sweep of your smartphone or tap on your laptop.
"For years, home automation has controlled light fixtures with plug-in lamp modules, wire-in switches, and keypads," said Insteon chief Joe Dada. "Until now, no one has controlled the bulb itself. It's exciting to be the first to introduce a new product to the world."
The energy-efficient dimmable bulb has been designed to retain more energy than standard 60-watt bulbs, while being easily controlled from both iOS and Android systems.
Insteon's announcement marks yet another milestone for LED bulb technology, which has come on in leaps and bounds in the past couple of years.
Not only do the low-energy bulbs provide the same strong, blue-based light as traditional bulbs, but they are being ever augmented with technology to make them more flexible around the home.
Just as Insteon have introduced the first app-controlled bulb, artist Greg Friedland has developed a 4' by 8' piece of wall art that can be controlled by an iPad. The so-called Aurora LED wall consists of 544 LED bulbs capable of displaying some 16 million colour-combinations, which, when linked to the tablet device, can produce temporary wall art without exorbitant energy costs.
And while you needn't install 544 bulbs in your home, simply switching your lighting to more energy efficient bulbs can have a significant impact on your bills - so much so that the hardware soon pays for itself over the life of the bulb.
