Abstract: An infrared-sensitive switching apparatus for use with typical household electic appliances, and an adaptor for supporting the switching apparatus. In one application, the apparatus is used with a lamp, and the adaptor includes a first housing member configured as a female socket for receiving and making electrical contact with a conventional light bulb base, a second housing member configured as a male lamp base which can screw into and make electrical contact with a conventional lamp socket, and a sensor assembly. The sensor assembly includes a photodiode, a power supply, an infrared amplifier, and an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit). The sensor assembly electrically couples the first and second housing members. The ASIC includes a rectifying circuit, a filter circuit, a switching circuit, and a current-limiting circuit between the filter circuit and the switching circuit. The switching circuit generates a regulated pulsed, high frequency, current at predetermined intervals.