your lighting is watching you
A delightful little robotic project from students at the Victoria University of Wellington called Pinokio, a project very similar to a project from MIT’s Media Lab that I posted a few years back. Check out the FastCompany Co.Design article describing … Continue reading your lighting is watching you
technical vs. design innovation
Following is an insightful quote from a FastCompany article titled “Why Good Design Is Finally a Bottom Line Investment“: COMMODITIZATION PUSHES DESIGNERS TO THE FORE Innovation usually cycles between periods of raw, technical inventiveness and the finer task of packaging it … Continue reading technical vs. design innovation
nike china logistics center
Another great project showcased on DesignBoom: Situated in Taicang, China, is a 300,000 sqm digital installation by Shanghai-based firm Super Nature Design. The ‘Nike China Logistic Center’ consists of environmentally friendly, low-energy sculptures showcasing its operational efficiency and infrastructure systems. Separate … Continue reading nike china logistics center
neon installation by joseph kosuth
Nice neon installation as seen in DesignBoom. I’m not particularly interested in the fragile neon aspect of the art piece, but I can see this as a good example of incorporating flush-mounted luminous lettering or even digital media into wall … Continue reading neon installation by joseph kosuth
word-of-the-day: chromophore
Here’s your lighting vocabulary word-of-the-day, and I’m betting that even if you’re the most hardcore lighting nerd, you haven’t heard it yet: Chromophore. According to Wikipedia: A chromophore is the part of a molecule responsible for its color. [1] The color arises when a molecule absorbs certain wavelengths of visible light and transmits … Continue reading word-of-the-day: chromophore
lighting designers: “independence” is cutting your potential short
I urge the lighting design community to stop obsessing over “independence” and start focusing on how to support and drive new forms of collaboration: Collaboration with customers; collaboration with manufacturers and technology suppliers; and collaboration with contractors. The drive to … Continue reading lighting designers: “independence” is cutting your potential short
lixf founder phil bosua
Interesting article from BusinessWeek on Phil Bosua, who is leading the LIFX project on Kickstarter. My favorite quote: “They’ve been inundated with offers from venture capitalists who noticed the huge response online, Bosua says. He declined to name the VCs.” Continue reading lixf founder phil bosua
3D Systems just sued everyone who’s cool
Pebble. LIFX. TikTok. Plus hundreds of art projects. Film projects. Games. What do they all have in common? As of yesterday, they’re all being sued by 3D Systems — at least in the court of public opinion. Yesterday, 3D Systems, … Continue reading 3D Systems just sued everyone who’s cool
photo extremist
If you are a lighting nerd looking for a hobby over the holidays, check out this nice amateur photography site by Evan Sharboneau called PhotoExtremist. I especially like the “bokeh” and the “steel wool” tutorials…just don’t set fire to anything, please. … Continue reading photo extremist
incubator for the lighting industry?
Do you think it would be possible for a venture capital group to create a model similar to Y Combinator specifically for the lighting industry? For those of you who don’t know, Y Combinator is a Silicon Valley venture model that … Continue reading incubator for the lighting industry?
howeler + yoon architecture – sky courts
I love this exterior lighting feature in a project from Howeler + Yoon Architecture as described in DesignBoom, the “sky courts exhibition hall” in Chengdu, China. It looks like there is a ring of light surrounding each window, adding a … Continue reading howeler + yoon architecture – sky courts
sketching with LEDs
A very inspiring TED Talk from Leah Buechley, head of the High-Low Tech research group at MIT’s Media Lab: “How to “Sketch” with Electronics” Buechley uses copper- or silver-based conductive ink to draw circuits on paper. She also demonstrates how … Continue reading sketching with LEDs
edison tech center: LED video
For all of you complete lighting nerds out there, here is an excellent video from the non-profit Edison Tech Center about how LEDs and OLEDs are constructed, function, and their history. Enjoy… Continue reading edison tech center: LED video
make magazine: the led
If you can get past the freaky intro, this video contains some nice information about the history of LEDs and a very cool lab experiment demonstrating how a raw silicon carbide crystal glows in different regions when electrified. Silicon carbide … Continue reading make magazine: the led
audi urban future
Just found this cool video for an AUDI installation at Design Miami 2011. I’m checking out Kollision’s site…some amazing projects there. I’ll post more later. Urban Future from Kollision on Vimeo. The video includes a good description of the project. … Continue reading audi urban future
philips mybuddy
I really do like the concept behind Philips MyBuddy bedside lamp for children. Not so sure it would work with my kids…they take after my wife’s insufferable morning grumpiness…but I’ll try it anyway… Continue reading philips mybuddy
olafur eliasson sunlight graffiti
Fun little interactive project by Olafur Eliasson from a few years ago called Sunlight Graffiti. Beautiful imagery… Description from the site: The Sunlight Graffiti sphere is by artist Olafur Eliasson, conceived as part of his larger Little Sun project. An interactive Sunlight … Continue reading olafur eliasson sunlight graffiti
nema ssl1, ssl6 & ssl7
For lighting designers who are concerned about dimmer capability with LED drivers, they should take the time to research NEMA’s latest efforts. NEMA has developed two standards and is currently developing a third, covering different aspects of LED drivers and dimming. Here is the scope of the SSL1 standard: This standard provides specifications for and operating characteristics of non-integral electronic drivers (power supplies) for LED devices, arrays, or systems intended for general lighting applications. Electronic drivers are devices that use semiconductors to control and supply dc power for LED starting and operation. The drivers operate from multiple supply sources of 600 V maximum at … Continue reading nema ssl1, ssl6 & ssl7
finsix (onchip power)
See this MR16 lamp? Notice that tiny driver next to it? Now imagine that this tiny driver is actually a complete AC to DC, dimmable LED driver. Amazing, isn’t it? And this is the very near future for the … Continue reading finsix (onchip power)
pyrasied acrylics
PyraSied is a local Dutch company that specializes in plastics and acrylics. I recently saw a sample of their PyraLED PMMA (acrylic) diffusion sheet and was supremely impressed by its diffusion properties while maintaining decent transmission. Specifically the PyraLED 3 in 10mm … Continue reading pyrasied acrylics
Lucept 