is a senior reviewer with over twenty years of experience. She covers smart home, IoT, and connected tech, and has written previously for Wirecutter, Wired, Dwell, BBC, and US News.
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One of the fun parts of being a tech journalist for over a decade is that occasionally you get to watch a truly unique gadget go from concept to reality — and, eventually, into your living room. That’s the case with the Mui Board, a smart home controller built into a piece of wood.
The Mui was first demoed at CES in 2019, and I’ve seen it at several shows over the years, in various iterations, always with the promise that it would ship soon. Well, this year it did (in limited quantities!), and I finally got to try one out in my living room.
Mui Board $ 799 $ 999 20 % off $ 799 A minimalist smart home controller made from a piece of wood, the Mui Board works with Matter, Sonos, Hue, and others. It takes a new approach to how we interact with technology in our homes. Read More $799 at indiegogo$849 at Mui
Wood with Wi-Fi
The Mui Board is a screenless touch interface for my smart lights, Sonos speakers, and other devices. I installed it below these Nanoleaf panels, which also double as smart home buttons.
You could call the Mui Board an anti-smart display. A Raspberry Pi-based smart home controller with Matter support, it’s just a piece of wood on your wall when not in use. But when you touch its capacitive surface, glowing dot-matrix icons appear, letting you control your music and lighting, set timers, view messages, and access other information you might use a smart display for.
The idea is that technology should blend into your home — be calm, accessible, and integrated, not jarring or distracting. Mui is a Japanese term for being in harmony with nature, and the device is certified by the Calm Tech Institute. As someone surrounded by screens and smart displays in my home, I have long been intrigued by Mui’s alternative approach and was excited to try it out.
I’ve had the Mui Board second gen in my home for a few days now, and while I haven’t had a chance to fully put it through its paces, I’ve been impressed by its responsiveness, thoughtful design, and ambitious scope.
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