the best lighting design…EVER…
Them there’s fightin’ words…for those of us who are absolute lighting geeks… But I will issue my opinion regardless… The best lighting design EVER is the insane music video from Lenny Kravitz: Are You Gonna My Way from 1993: Released in ’93, … Continue reading the best lighting design…EVER…
opple – corporate video
Winds of change are blowing through the lighting industry… The growth and scale achieved by Chinese lighting manufacturer Opple is quite impressive. Check out their recent corporate video. One thing that is especially striking is the focus on the customization services … Continue reading opple – corporate video
driving towards new applications of light
In a previous Linked-In blog post, I wrote about the advancements we’ve achieved with Philips Luminous Patterns, a product solution for embedding patterns of light into wall and ceilings to create distinctive architectural experiences. In this post, let’s look farther ahead … Continue reading driving towards new applications of light
led ibond
LED iBOND is a startup based near Copenhagen that is embedding LED components into aluminum composite panels for a unique product concept. Aluminum composite panels (such as the popular Alucobond brand) sandwich two thin plates of aluminum on a plastic core. … Continue reading led ibond
intel joule
Interesting post from The Verge on a new chip set from Intel called Joule that is intended to bring powerful computer vision capabilities to low cost, IoT types of devices. The application for using vision systems in architectural lighting control, interactive lighting installations, retail tracking/interaction systems, etc. continues to hold great promise – and as tech like this from Intel continues to drop the price/complexity of such hardware and IP networking becomes pervasive in lighting, there will be a tipping point when camera vision becomes the de-facto sensing standard. Despite the fear of “big bother” always watching, the system capabilities and advantages of … Continue reading intel joule
philips luminous patterns: wallpaper* magazine
Philips Luminous Patterns is featured in the August 2016 edition of Wallpaper*Magazine — go buy a copy now and turn to page 186! Luminous Patterns collaborated with Amsterdam design firm BCXSY for the “Hotel Wallpaper” exhibition at the Milan design … Continue reading philips luminous patterns: wallpaper* magazine
lumecluster
Lumecluster is New York based-artist Melissa Ng, who’s created a striking 3D-printed medieval costume with stunning internal LED illumination sewn into the translucent padding. Her design and fabrication process for the piece can be seen here. Continue reading lumecluster
diffus design
Copenhagen-based Diffus Design presents a large collection of amazing research projects, exploratory designs with e-textiles and other unique concepts fusing electronics, light and materials. According to their site: Diffus is founded by Michel Guglielmi and Hanne-Louise Johannesen. Michel is an architect working with tangible … Continue reading diffus design
motion activated media wall
Via Designboom.com, giant motion-activated media reacts to passersby in Washington DC office building. Project by ESI Design; see the original PR release here. Inside Terrell Place — an office building and civil rights landmark in downtown washington DC — ESI design … Continue reading motion activated media wall
planned obsolescence vs. LED lighting
A great article just appeared in the New Yorker comparing the history of light bulbs and the challenge of switching from an industry structure around planned obsolescence to an industry built around durable products — effectively circular economy strategies. Some notable sections … Continue reading planned obsolescence vs. LED lighting
update: lighting venture funding and revenue spreadsheet
Another update of my spreadsheet tracking VC-backed lighting startups, with scattered data points on funding and revenue, collected from web and anecdotal sources. This time including Cooledge Lighting into the mix. You can download the Excel file here. BK_InvestmentRevIPO List Continue reading update: lighting venture funding and revenue spreadsheet
cooledge lighting: ceo transition
I just noticed that Bill Sims is now serving as interim CEO for Cooledge Lighting, replacing former CEO Wade Sheen. And also Phil O’Donnell joined recently as Sr. VP of Global Sales. So now two of the guys who helped … Continue reading cooledge lighting: ceo transition
meystyle: update
I posted on London-based Meystyle back in 2013, but I just checked in on their site and see they’ve added a bunch of new patterns and project photography for their LED wallpaper collection. Nice to see them successful with such … Continue reading meystyle: update
tension led systems
An interesting back-lighting solution for illuminated sign boxes and architectural applications by Tension LED Systems. A series of LED strips are suspended on tensioned and electrified cables. Without having seen the product first hand, the images on the website seem … Continue reading tension led systems
0.9mm pitch LED screens: approaching “retina” quality for architecture?
A marketing mail came across my inbox from Planar announcing their latest direct-view LED screens offering an incredibly fine 0.9mm pixel pitch. To do the math, that’s 25.4mm / 0.9 = 28 pixels per inch, or thinking of it by … Continue reading 0.9mm pitch LED screens: approaching “retina” quality for architecture?
the coolest light meter…ever!
Wandering around the National Air and Space Museum last week, I found what is arguably the coolest light meter ever: The Minolta Space Meter used by Neil and Buzz on Apollo 11 to set exposure settings for their photography while walking … Continue reading the coolest light meter…ever!
philips lighting headquarters lobby by LAVA and Beersnielsen
German architects LAVA Laboratory, Dutch architects of record Inbo and Dutch lighting designers Beersnielsen created a large parametric light sculpture using stock 60x60cm office fixtures for the lobby of High Tech Campus building #48, the headquarters building for Philips Lighting. Continue reading philips lighting headquarters lobby by LAVA and Beersnielsen
lighting geekery: photoacoustic spectroscopy
I’m still amazed that after about 20 years specializing in lighting, I can still learn new things that lighting does. Today’s crazy new thing: Photoacoustic spectroscopy. Basically, light has enough energy in it to cause material to vibrate, generating acoustic signals that can be measured. I find this interesting because I’ve felt the affect first hand – holding my hand in the beam of a super powerful, crazy-narrow beam LED fixture (which doesn’t have any IR or UV energy in the beam), you can feel the power of the photons. Mostly what I felt is probably thermal absorption in my skin, … Continue reading lighting geekery: photoacoustic spectroscopy
embedded lighting: samsung pop-up store
I’m super impressed by a Samsung pop-up store in Frankfurt recently featured in Retail Design Blog. I find that it embodies many of the “embedded lighting” concepts I’ve been espousing as the future of lighting design. First, let’s look at this … Continue reading embedded lighting: samsung pop-up store
tan your bum this summer…it’s good for you!
This summer, go ahead and get half naked and prance around the beach/pool deck/music festival. The sunshine is good for you in so many ways…it gives you energy, relaxes pain, keeps your skin healthy…and lighting science is just beginning to … Continue reading tan your bum this summer…it’s good for you!
Lucept 