Most of the world is
well-lit to a fault, making it easy to take light and its many applications for granted. Perhaps not since
The Clapper have we seen a buzz-worthy cultural development in the lighting world (though one recent
tech-enabled take on that oft-parodied product shows promise). Happily, inspired minds are reevaluating classic approaches to lighting with new ways to re-imagine illumination in creative, environmental and humanitarian endeavors.
The Kick: The
unprecedented rise of
Instagram has made amateur photogs of us all, but there remain those enterprising point-and-clickers who wish to elevate their portfolio (or, more likely, their mobile uploads). For those seeking to create a studio experience during traveling photo shoots or video captures,
The Kick provides a portable source of professional-grade light. This handheld and wireless device recently surpassed its
Kickstarter goal and is set to ship to backers this fall. Via its companion iPhone app, users will be able to adjust warmth, brightness, and color of their desired light—or, in the instance of an impromptu
dance party, switch on fun effects like rainbow or strobe.
Lucidity Lights: Ten years after founding
IdeaPaint, the company that popularized the
paint-on dry erase board, CEO
John Goscha is applying his innovative approach to a sustainable lighting venture. His new company, Lucidity Lights, is shrouded in mystery—it has no website—but has nonetheless
raised over a million dollars from faithful angel investors. Goscha’s intention, at least, is clear: he wants to make sustainable light bulbs, minus everything everyone hates about sustainable light bulbs. That means no more sterile spiral shape, unflattering fluorescent glow, or high price-point. Rather, Goscha is out to make a comfortingly familiar incandescent bulb that’s 80% more energy efficient than its classic counterpart.
Little Sun: The
Little Sun solar-powered LED light provides an aesthetically pleasing solution to a widespread—yet widely overlooked—problem: A shocking 1.6 billion people worldwide have no access to an electric power supply. With the exception of those who rely on expensive and
dangerous kerosene lamps, this faction has no access to artificial light once the sun sets. The Little Sun aims to introduce light into nighttime, enabling a range of activities that require illumination—like cooking, reading, writing, studying, working, and socializing. The
sustainable, sun-shaped LED provides five hours of light per four-hour charge, and promises to cut energy costs by 90% over three years in households dependent on kerosene.
