The project team has a working demo, not the final product. Their ability to begin production may be affected by product development or financial challenges.
Tired of distracting screens? Stressed from endless apps and ecosystems? Say goodbye to digital fatigue and hello to mui Board Gen 2, an award-winning smart home controller made for families that want fewer screens, more privacy, and more family time.
Made from real wood and designed in Japan, mui Board is a minimalist, discrete interface that appears only when you need it.
With a tap, control hundreds of devices, talk to loved ones, and rediscover what it means to live in a world with fewer distractions.
Feel at Peace. Stay in the Moment.
Unlike the screens surrounding us, mui Board Gen 2 only appears when you need it.
Designed to foster a calmer and more harmonious lifestyle, mui Board Gen 2’s is a device that conveys the minimum amount of information needed to fulfill a task.
With mui Bord Gen 2, rediscover what it means to have technology that respects your attention and time.
Made of Real, Natural Wood.
mui Board Gen 2 uses real wood (yes, real wood) instead of glass or plastic as a screen surface material. Among the first to develop and produce touch compatible LED wood screens, mui Lab’s mui Board Gen 2 sets a new standard for at-home technology.
Why use wood?
Wood is not associated as a screen material; hence it can seamlessly blend into interior environment without causing stress or distractions.
Wood has a calming, harmonious visual appeal that fits into any home.
In a world full of screens, wood brings us back to the natural environment.
The benefit of a wood screen surface is that it enables a closer connection to nature: You can feel the wood grain and texture when interacting with mui Board Gen 2.
A Slice of Kyoto, Japan, in Your Home.
Designed in Kyoto, Japan, mui Board Gen 2 introduces Japanese minimalism and timeless aesthetic to your home—combining premium materials with cutting edge technologies.
Life in Kyoto can be described as an environment where technology, nature, and history work together to foster better living. These elements help inspire the features and functions that make mui Board Gen 2 special.
Convenient and Secure Connectivity
mui Board Gen 2 can connect to a wide selection of appliances and IoT devices thanks to Matter, one of the largest and newest smart home standards to date. Users that already have a smart home system at home will also be able to integrate mui Board Gen 2 effortlessly—just open your smart home app and set it to pair with Matter-enabled mui Board*.
*mui Board Gen 2 will only be able to connect to other Matter-enabled ecosystems, such as Apple HomeKit, Google Home Assistant, and Samsung SmartThings.
mui Board Gen 2 is chock-full of features that offer connectivity, without compromising on peace of mind. Users can install mui Board Gen 2 in areas of their home connectivity is needed, but distracting screens aren't.
mui Board Gen 2 Key Features
mui Board Gen 2 uses an intuitive user interface to support a variety of connected features, such as an interactive menu, lighting control, and family messaging, among other use cases.
Interactive Menu
With a tap, see the status of your home appear in front of you. mui Board gen 2's menu screen is responsive to the needs and changes in your home. At a glance, see if the lights are turned on, what the weather is outside, or if you have a new message to read.
Lighting control
Control groups, set timers, or adjust dimming for connected lights around your home via mui Board Gen 2's lighting control app. Compatible with most lighting brands that support Matter connectivity. Use the light timer feature to set daily routines that create a calmer home.
Family Messaging
Write messages or record short voice messages that can be sent to other family members that use the mui Board companion app. Messages are automatically saved and can be made to reappear on the mui Board screen as family memories.
Pin messages to leave reminders, messages, or drawings that other family members can see on the mui Board.
Pin message function on mui Board Gen 2.
A Product Talked The World Over
mui Board Gen 2 has enjoyed broad coverage by technology and design media over the past couple of years; cementing mui Lab's position as a forerunner for developing the future smart home products.
What do people think of mui Board Gen 2?
Not just a smart home controller, mui Board Gen 2's true value lies in its ability to bring people and families together. mui Board users and survey respondents overwhelmingly see mui Board Gen 2 as a device that calms down their home, and reinforces family bonds.
Whitney - Designer living in San Francisco
Pedro - Researcher based in Boston
Yuki - Realtor, living in Manhattan
What Technologists Say About mui Board Gen 2
mui Lab is recognized among technologists as pivotal advancement in the creation of embedded, ambient screens. Inspired by Calm Technology principles, mui Board Gen 2 promises an product experience unlike no other.
Don Lindsay - Former Apple Lead Developer, Executive
Ivan Poupylev - CEO of Archetype AI (current), former Director of Engineering, ATAP, Google
Amber Case - "Calm Technology" Author, Calm Tech Institute Founder
Certified for Connectivity and Calm
mui Lab is one of the first startups to be certified by Matter (Connectivity Standards Alliance), the leading smart home standard supported by Google, Apple, Amazon, Samsung, among others. Matter certification enables mui Board Gen 2 to connect to hundreds of other smart home brands and thousands of devices, all while retaining a minimalist user experience.
What is Matter?
Matter is a universal standard for smart homes. It enables seamless communication among smart devices across different ecosystems, regardless of the manufacturer, brand, or platform used.
mui Board Gen 2 is also Calm Tech Certified® by the Calm Tech Institute, a product standards body that seeks to certify products that respect user's attention and adhere to Calm Technology principles. Learn more about CTI here.
Why we made mui Board Gen 2
Same as the original mui Board, mui Board Gen 2 is a labor of love inspired by the needs of our family members. The mui Board has a special place in the lives of its owners, often contributing to key family moments, and capturing these unique moments forever.
Kazunori Oki, President and CEO
Munehiko Sato, CXO
Nobuyasu Hirobe, Creative Director
The mui Lab Team
We are a creative group of professionals dedicated to developing products that provide memorable digital experiences. All our products reflect the principles of Calm Technology.
mui Board Gen 2 Product Design
In the Gen 2 development process, we gave serious consideration to feedback from users of the first generation to gain deeper understanding of their experience and expectations for future editions of the board. We then spent a great deal of time discussing new features to include in the second generation.
Prototype development of the second generation of mui boards
The current prototype focuses on functions that support user behaviors, the operational ease and usability of the interface. Simultaneously, we are building the data for the still images and animations that will be displayed on the surface.
Work-in-progress mui Board Gen 2 presented at CES Unveiled 2024
mui Lab recently showcased a work-in-progress version at CES2024 during the Unveiled Media Event.
Product Specifications
Body size: 585.8 x 78.5 x 26mm
Weight: 850g
Installation method: mounted on a wall bracket fixed to the wall with 4 small screws
Input/output interface: mui original natural material user interface Ver 2.0 powered by mui & Wacom, Digital ink 2.0 powered by mui & Wacom, capacitive touch panel, speaker, microphone
Communication interface: BLE/ Wi-Fi
Power supply: AC100-240V (50Hz/60Hz)
Supported protocols...Matter, ECHONET Lite, Web API (SONOS, Hue, etc.)
Software
mui Board gen 2 is operated through the dedicated smartphone app "mui - Calm Design". The app allows users to send and receive messages to and from the mui board, set calendar events, and manage connected smart home devices.
mui - Calm Design" is compatible with iOS and Android devices. In addition to the app, a web app that can be operated from a browser is also available.
Shipping FAQ and Disclaimers
Duties, taxes, VAT, or other customs clearance fees may be applied to backers depending on the location.
The product is designed to be used in Japan or United States of America. For other countries or area, please follow the regulations of countries of residence.
The global supply chain is still unstable with the world situation, and the prices right now are unusually high and unreliable. Shipping Costs will be charged upon shipping with adjustment. We apologize for the inconvenience.
Outside the Unites States and Japan, here is the list of countries we deem shipment can be fulfilled (please check local regulations/customs):
Note: Backers from the countries above should be aware of the risks of purchasing a product that is not certified with local regulations.
Scheduled updates after product shipment
Ability to work with ChatGPT
Message sending/receiving function between mui boards
Smart lock integration function
About mui Lab
mui Lab's mission is to spread Calm Technology around the world. We believe that traditional devices inundate us with information, demand too much of our time, and distract us from the important people around us.
mui was designed to create a modern living and working space where humans can thrive without being dominated by technology. The intent is to stop technology from continually grabbing our attention, pulling us away from our loved ones, and trying to enjoy our private time. Mui's ability to set boundaries on our personal space and time allows us to be more mindful readers, more creative artists, and better family members.
As technology advances further, our homes will undoubtedly become "smarter." There will always be some gap between how technology works and how we live. Nevertheless, mui helps people live their lives the way they want by minimizing technological barriers. We think of mui as a tool to help you achieve the lifestyle you desire, just like the favorite furniture you choose to design your living space.
Thank you from the entire mui Lab team!
Privacy Policy
Our privacy policy can be found here. We take care to make our products as secure, and private as possible for our own families and users.
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