The device is called The Remote, but those familiar with the company behind it probably could have predicted it would not look anything like a remote control.

Nanoleaf, creators of smart light-panels that give any room a futuristic glow, unveiled a 12-side geometric table-top object at CES Tuesday that will work with Apple HomeKit-enabled smart home devices.

And yes, it glows with the mesmerizing colors characteristic of Nanoleaf’s lighting products.

It’s hard to see what mathematicians call a dodecahedron as a remote control. There are no buttons nor is it something you would grip with one hand.

Instead, the operator uses an iPhone to assign it various functions, like locking doors, dimming lights or playing music, to one of the Nanoleaf Remote’s 12 sides. You don’t press anything, just select the desired function by facing the corresponding side up toward the ceiling.

It changes colors as the user rotates it. Turn it clockwise or counter-clockwise to alter the brightness of a home’s lights.

“The Nanoleaf Remote is designed to make the smart home smart again,” said Nanoleaf CEO Gimmy Chu. “We want to give people the option of controlling their smart home without always relying on their devices. Everyone is so glued to their phones these days, the Nanoleaf Remote offers the possibility to just sit back and enjoy living smarter.”

The Remote can be pre-ordered here for $49.99. It will start shipping sometime this spring.

Source: The Verge