At CEDIA Expo/CIX 2025 in Denver, Rushi Kumar, Vice President of Engineering at DMF Lighting, discussed how engineering, design, and emerging technologies are converging to redefine lighting in the modern smart home.
Kumar, who has spent more than two decades in the industry with Lutron, Crestron, and now DMF, said his engineering mindset has always been rooted in curiosity and problem solving.
“As an engineer, you’re always thinking about why something is done a certain way and how to make it better,” he said. “The key is converting that into something people actually want—a useful product rather than just a cool piece of technology.”
He noted that while the transition from incandescent to LED lighting was necessary for energy efficiency, it initially came at the expense of quality. DMF’s goal, he said, has been to bring back the warmth and visual comfort of incandescent lighting while taking advantage of what LEDs make possible—such as smaller apertures, tunable white technology, and cohesive linear integration.
“With digital lighting, designers can now fine-tune every fixture, match color consistency across products, and create truly personalized spaces,” Kumar explained.
Kumar also spoke about balancing sophistication with simplicity in lighting control. While the industry has embraced apps and advanced automation, he emphasized that usability must remain central.
“Lighting control should be simple,” he said. “Anyone’s parent should be able to walk in and turn on the lights.”
Looking ahead, he sees artificial intelligence as a valuable design assistant—helping integrators and designers streamline planning, commissioning, and even anticipate homeowner behavior.
“AI will make systems smarter and more responsive,” he said, “but it’s still about enabling comfort and control, not replacing human intent.”
