Simulation tools have developped to the system level for many years. Actually system level simulators are powerful enough to communicate with external world via TCP/IP and many native interfaces (RS232, Bluetooth, USB).

Proteus PCB design combines the ISIS schematic capture and ARES PCB layout programs to provide a powerful, integrated and easy to use suite of tools for professional PCB Design.

Usually a traditional control system requires a regulated power supply (5V/3.3V), controlling the lighting loads via an opto-coupler. Another approach is interfacing the microcontroller directly to the main supply. Philips Semiconductors/NXP released several application notes for the latter approach, which was named as easytriac. It allows a low-end microcontroller to be embedded into the casing of each incandescent, CFL or LED lamps.