INNOVATIONS IN ILLUMINATION
02 Sep 2015
No longer are we limited to the simple on/off functionality of lighting. With today’s advancements in lighting we are able to manipulate the light around, forever changing the way we navigate both private and public spaces.
Welcome to the future of lighting! Philips, ever a pioneer in the development of lighting technology, has firmly established itself as a leader amongst another generation of innovation. Their foundation rests upon fusing software with the massive efficiency gains and versatility of LED bulbs.
Casual observers worldwide have unknowingly appreciated Philip’s connected systems in the public realm. Their smart LED arrangements have illuminated skyscrapers, bridges and other iconic structures spanning the globe. LEDs are capable of creating any color tone while individual light control enabled via internet connectivity allows programmers to monitor each in real time.
Every installation retains the customisability capabilities, opening a new realm for artists to explore while allowing the public at large to interact with their surroundings in a new context.
The illuminative potential is inseparable from the efficiencies and connectivity upon which the installations rely. Each lighting system features comprehensive control via cloud based services that enable management and control from any location in the world 24 hours a day. By integrating lighting with software, the displays are optimisable for the conditions at hand.
LED lights reduce energy costs and produces higher quality light while the cloud based system decreases operating expenses by enabling offsite control.
Illuminating landmarks may present the most impressive application for connected LED lighting, but its capacity to transform the humble streetlight embodies its truly revolutionary capabilities. Municipalities across the world have discovered the efficiencies of LEDs and their low operating costs.
Furthermore, in contrast to the sodium and mercury vapor lights widely employed in street applications, LED bulbs direct all light directly down, decreasing light pollution. Where the lights have been installed, residents can often see stars previously only visible from the countryside. This benefit is coupled with a much warmer ‘white’ light which contrasts the orangish hue associated with vapor lamps.
With the advent of ethernet cables in lighting units, the humble light now has the capability to monitor temperature, humidity and occupancy, which allow for customisable or automatic adjustments that optimise efficiency. In the office individual lighting can be controlled by users to maximise their work environment, while home users can direct their ‘smart’ lighting via personal mobile devices before they even get in the front door.
Perhaps the most exciting development in this type of interfaced technology is the employment of unique light signatures which enable internal mapping. By manipulating the wavelength of light emitted from the installation, each lighting unit has its own distinct signature. This signature is matched to an IP address which gives the exact location. Through the use of a phone app, a user orientates their front facing camera, thus allowing the phone to read the unique signature and provide a location.
The potential for interactive LED technology is just now beginning to be realised.
Images: courtesy of Philips
