Dorm life isn't for everyone, but UC Berkeley student Derek Low decided to make it as comfortable as possible by tricking out his room with an array of automated systems. The "Berkeley Ridiculously Automated Dorm" (BRAD) lets Low control lighting, curtains, and so on with a combination of wireless remotes, iOS apps, and voice activation. It also features shortcuts like a low-light romance mode backed by music from Elton John and an emergency party button that triggers a smoke machine, laser lights, and disco ball.

Despite Low's investment of "three months and several hundred dollars," UC Berkeley doesn't seem too impressed — it's served the Singaporean student with a summons to a judicial hearing over possible violations of housing policy. Low is unfazed by the drama, however, and plans to move his system to a personal apartment in the next two weeks.