Abstract: Disclosed is an electrical dimmer that upon activation sends a forward-phase modulated test power pulse to a connected load, receives from the load a response pulse, compares the width of the two pulses, and, depending upon the results of the comparison, operates in either forward- or reverse-phase modulation. The dimmer may respond to an intensity target by setting a pulse-width modulation duty cycle, the setting based on an intensity-translation curve. The translation curve may be based on a mapping between luminance and human visual perception of brightness. Some dimmers support a minimum intensity setting, and some dimmers configure themselves to the frequency of the incoming alternating-current power source.