The Mui Board Gen 2 is a wall-mounted smart home controller by Mui Lab that uses a real wood front panel and a low-resolution light display that appears through the wood only when active. The device is offered in wood options including maple or cherry and is designed as a touch interface for controlling connected home functions. It supports Matter compatibility for controlling a wide range of smart devices and can display information such as weather and timers. The system also supports handwritten-style family messages and connects with a companion app.
Mui Lab presented an additional feature at CES 2026 called the mui Calm Sleep Platform, which uses millimeter-wave radar for contactless sleep tracking. The sleep system is described as using local processing for data handling rather than sending sleep data to cloud servers. Hardware changes in the second-generation design include relocating elements like the power button and speaker to the back to keep the wood face uninterrupted. Mui Board Gen 2 is priced at $999, with the article noting discounted pricing in the $799 to $849 range.
Image Credit: Mui Lab
What Makes This Trend Stand Out
- Natural Aesthetic Interfaces
- The use of real wood in smart controllers like the Mui Board Gen 2 points to a trend where natural aesthetics blend seamlessly with modern technology, offering opportunities in eco-conscious home designs.
- Privacy-focused Sleep Monitoring
- The mui Calm Sleep Platform highlights a shift toward privacy-centric health technologies, utilizing local data processing to mitigate privacy concerns associated with cloud-based solutions.
- Minimalistic Smart Home Control
- The integration of a low-resolution light display in devices such as the Mui Board Gen 2 signifies a move towards minimalist smart home technologies that emphasize subtlety over complexity.
Sectors Adopting This
- Smart Home Technology
- Integrating tactile, wooden interfaces like those in the Mui Board Gen 2 offers potential advancements in smart home device design, catering to consumers seeking aesthetic sophistication.
- Health and Wellness Tech
- The introduction of contactless sleep tracking with the mui Calm Sleep Platform showcases innovation opportunities within non-invasive health monitoring technologies.
- Eco-friendly Consumer Electronics
- The use of sustainable materials such as real wood in smart controllers is an emerging interest in the eco-friendly electronics industry, promising innovations in environmentally conscious product designs.
