LEDs may mean the end for light bulbs as we know them. Dr. Bulb here with an end-of-the-standard-bulb-world report.
There are many new technologies that seem to imply the next phase of LED lighting: smart LEDs. Two recent start-ups plan to utilize LED lights in conjunction with technologies like WiFi and Bluetooth to transform lighting technology as we know it. Mr. Edison would die if he knew about this! Oh wait… One recent startup, ByteLight, plans to utilize LED lights to create interactive maps of stores/shopping centers (and one day may even incorporate coupons) that can direct customers to exactly what they’re looking for. The idea is to use LEDs in conjunction with shoppers’ smartphones to triangulate their location in the store or shopping center, and direct them to the various stores and items they are looking for. While GPS mapping technology already exists, it is difficult to accurately pinpoint signals once a user goes indoors, a problem that ByteLight is hoping to solve. This startup, if successful, could transform the shopping experience! No more aimless wandering in search of obscure items. Then again, we may have a lot more phone-faces walking around not looking where they’re going or interacting with others, but hey, these are the types of sacrifices technology requires of us nowadays. ByteLight is well on their way to success, having already raised $1.25 million to help them build their technology. This will be a great startup to follow in the coming weeks, months, and years. Here is an article on this startup.
Another recent startup, LIFX, is taking the funding platform Kickstarter by storm, already earning $1,314,111 to put towards their idea. The company is also close to earning a round of external funding. This startup is working to create an LED bulb that is wifi enabled, and controlled by a smartphone app. Users will be able to have more control over their lights than ever before with the ability to dim their lights manually or on a timer, change the colors, have their lights pulse to music, and more. This startup may have fewer practical uses in the first phase than Bytelight, but the evolution of this idea may lead to interesting, creative uses of this technology. Here is another article on LIFX. Below is the LIFX kickstarter video where you can see the idea in action:
While these LED technologies are still somewhere off in the future, currently available LED technologies are gaining a lot of popularity. LEDs are increasingly being used for applications like street lights, walkway lighting (with LED bollards), sports (like tennis court lighting), and in commercial applications. There are even many rebate programs in place encouraging people to switch to, or use LED lights for their buildings and/or construction projects. Browse different types of LED lights, and help encourage the use of this green technology!