But the ecomanufacturer Real Goods, based in Santa Rosa, California, is interested in developing the prize-winning Wattbug into a real product. The LCD reports relevant power stats, and the red LED on the track lights up when the meter reaches a preset daily consumption limit. The luminescent, gel-filled touchpad switchplate includes a motion detector that turns off lights when the room is empty. Both units transmit data to the display hub, a wireless, rechargeable database of energy use. The less energy used the previous day, the more fully the meter blooms.
Less energy equals more bubbles.
The bug communicates wirelessly with the standard fuse box. The LED on its tail flashes green when power use dips below 4 amperes, yellow for 4 to 12 amperes, and red for the high-use zone above 12. As consumption increases, the bug's expression changes from a smile to a frown, and it replaces its happy purr with a sad grumble. Inc. All rights reserved.