Resumen: This paper provides an analysis on the design, implementation and operation of Bi-Directional Switches (BDS) based on power semiconductor devices intended to replace Electro Mechanical Relays (EMR) in home appliances. Static and dynamic characterizations of test vehicles developed using different power device semiconductor technologies (TRIAC, Super Junction (SJ) MOSFET, IGBT...) are presented. At this time, emerging Gallium Nitride High Electron Mobility Transistors (GaN HEMTs) seem to be very suitable for the mentioned applications. Actually, GaN HEMTs based BDS has demonstrated to be the best solution to replace EMRs, with a high expectation to a significant cost reduction. Idioma: Inglés DOI: 10.23919/EPE17ECCEEurope.2017.8099012 Año: 2017 Publicado en: European Conference on Power Electronics and Applications. 17363408 (2017), [9 pp.] ISSN: 2325-0313 Financiación: info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/ES/MINECO/PCIN-2014-057 Financiación: info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/ES/MINECO/RYC-2010-07434 Financiación: info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/ES/MINECO/TEC2014-51903-R Tipo y forma: Comunicación congreso (Versión definitiva)