Newly patented technology from Dublin, CA-based Amber Solutions enables solid-state digital control of electricity in any device, appliance, power cord, or endpoint with the immediate commercial availability of its Amber AC/DC Enabler and Amber AC Switch.
The AC/DC Enabler is a patented, UL-certified and globally compatible 30mm x 15mm x 8mm solid-state digital power management and control system, which, combined with the recently patented Amber AC Switch, representing what the company claims is the first major breakthrough in electricity control and delivery in more than 70 years.
The company believes that its technology can provide greater safety, reliability, and connected intelligence in all new and existing electrical infrastructure.
“Amber performs nothing short of magic with electricity and Thomas Edison would be proud of what we have achieved,” Amber Solutions Founder, President, and CEO Thar Casey said. “Solid-state control of electricity changes the rules of the game for everything – security and control systems, circuit breakers, lighting fixtures, appliances, dimmer switches – the list goes on forever. Through commercial implementations of our technologies within the existing electrical infrastructure of any building, any home or business can add IoT functionality overnight by replacing existing outlets and switches with Amber-enabled products. Manufacturers can now engineer and market powered products with far greater capabilities right out of the box.”
According to Casey, the company has received five patents to date and has more than 31 patents pending.
These foundational technologies represent a breakthrough in software management of electricity through solid-state architecture, and Amber has already integrated them into fully demonstrable solid-state products, such as a smart programmable retrofit circuit breaker.
The company also boasts demonstrable smart dimmer switches and smart outlets, both of which showcase more than 10 features within a single-gang box footprint. Amber’s technologies are now available for integration into products that fit in existing gang boxes, as well as an expansive range of other electrical products and appliances.
Amber’s innovation in solid-state technology is an advanced Digital Power Management and Control system (DPMC) – a tiny solid-state device that efficiently runs power to micro-controllers, processors, and RF devices directly from the AC main. It eliminates the need for bulky electromechanical components such as capacitors and magnetics that limit the reliability and functionality of devices today, effectively reducing the component count by a factor of 2.5.
Amber fully replaces these old and outdated technologies, which today cause industry issues ranging from region-specific SKUs to flickering in LED bulbs to just not having the physical space to integrate modern intelligence and advanced features. Eventually, Amber will put all of these components on a single silicon chip.
Casey said today that the company currently has agreements with four leading global electronics manufacturers to explore possible new product solutions that incorporate Amber’s core technologies.
In recent years, a few manufacturers in the building electrical products industry have begun to explore solid-state electrification, but they focus almost exclusively on circuit breakers. Amber Solutions says that its patents, technologies, and demonstrable products represent the first solid-state power management and control solution that can integrate into all parts of a building’s electrical infrastructure, appliances, and other powered devices. This enables creation of a unique smart ecosystem directly embedded in the electrical grid of buildings using existing gang boxes.
“As global manufacturers, governments and consumers increasingly demand improved safety, quality and reliability in all kinds of powered devices, Amber Solutions is ready to deliver these benefits and more, including robust IoT integration to better manage and communicate with appliances and building systems,” Casey promised. “For electricians and builders, the most impactful breakthrough is our ability to offer drastic capability improvements while reducing the size of the power management and control elements, so that every existing gang box in the world can be filled with a smarter, more reliable product that requires no new installation infrastructure.”
The company envisions a world where every circuit breaker, outlet, light switch, and appliance is connected and communicating in real-time, providing unprecedented insights into energy usage, novel control schemes such as integrated voice control and even potentially reducing insurance costs as electrical fires become a thing of the past.
The AMPE2W5 Amber AC/DC Enabler, a solid-state AC Direct power solution, recently received UL recognized component certification for UL 1102. The Amber AC/DC Enabler has a wide range of applications and is designed for internal, low-power solutions, with a specific focus on optimizing IoT functions in wired smart products. Together with Amber’s AC Switch, these core technologies are commercially ready for licensing to global manufacturers of electrical products, appliances and smart systems.
For more information visit www.ambersi.com.
