Consider this. 200 years ago you would have used a candle or a lantern to light up your home. You would have received a lowly lit ambient light where you could socialize, but it would be difficult to conduct basic tasks inside a closed area with the lighting being so bad.
After the development of the lightbulb, people’s functionality and quality of life improved. It also triggered a wave of innovation that we would see continue for over a century. Lighting specialists LEDified are strong advocates of lighting technology, and they would like to share lighting technologies that should have a positive impact on the world.
LED Lights
For a long time, people have been satisfied with purchasing incandescent light bulbs to illuminate their home. The bulbs are usually the cheapest ones on the market. However, their running costs are high due to the way they consume energy. The filament within the bulb emits light based on the amount of energy (Watts) being passed through it. The more energy that would pass through the filament, the brighter the light would be. [pullquote]The problem with the technology was 90% of the energy that was used to light up the bulb was wasted as heat.[/pullquote]
The catch is that the energy consumption cost is passed onto the consumer, meaning that they will have higher bills to pay.
LED light technology changed this by conserving the energy so that it is used to emit light. Now, this already sounds good, however, for many years the cost of the bulb priced consumers out of the market.
It’s only recently that the bulbs have come down in price so that it can provide consumers with an economic benefit if they replace their incandescent bulbs with LEDs.
Residents and businesses that have upgraded to LED lights have reported cost savings of up to 60%, but what is more impressive is the light quality and its impact on people who are exposed to the luminaire. Some of the bulbs can replicate sun-like qualities, improving the health and wellbeing of people that are exposed to it.
Health clinics, businesses, and educational centers have seen improvements to people’s alertness and overall performance since installing the luminaires. As advancements in LED light technology advances, we can expect the benefits to increase over time.
CoeLux
Scientists in Italy developed an artificial skylight that replicates sunlight and the movement of the sun. The technology is phenomenal as it triggers the body’s internal sensors when exposed to sunlight. However, the technology is an LED panel.
Currently hailed as an innovation, it is a potential alternative for people gaining exposure to natural light. Organizations that are likely to benefit include hospitals and medical clinics, whose patients are likely to improve their health if they are exposed to natural sunlight. Additionally, businesses that want to improve their overall productivity will find that employees that are based in dark areas will improve their alertness and overall energy.
Upmarket businesses such as luxury spas have also identified an opportunity to create daylight in any location. For example, a luxury spa that is based in the basement of a London building can now expose patrons to natural sunlight 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
This piece of technology doesn’t come cheap. The starting price of one panel is £41,000 ($51,000 USD) and costs up to £5,000 ($6,250 USD) to install.
Lighting technology will continue to evolve. There is still a time and a place for the light bulbs of yesteryear. However, it is now time to look towards the future. You can view the video demonstration below.
New Lighting Technology Adds Real Sunlight Anywhere
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