There is so much going on in lighting technology today, that it is getting hard to keep up with. Which is why we have listed down the 6 top trends in lighting technology today.
- Connectivity - as there is a large scope of the LEDs in the mainstream market, next in line is control. You can call this connection smart, or you can call it being connected; the bottom line is that your light can be controlled. Sensors and dimmers have been around for decades, but the real challenge we see now is their ability to communicate with devices. Saving light is just a small factor of the benefits connectivity brings forward. As these connected lights promise is a safer future, and have paved the way for a technology that has yet to emerge.
- Built-in - there has been a lot of debate on the matter, that are built-in light sources a good or a bad idea. As we know that LED lights do not need to be replaced often, and as there was never any standard that came forward; on how they should be like. The manufacturers and builder have gotten used to building them in, which is preferred than designing light fixtures around these replaceable lamps. Have you ever thought about what will happen if these LED lights fail early? Or a better models hits the market? Whereas integrated models are becoming the norm, there are companies such as Best Book Light that have acknowledged the issue, and are coming up with more designs. So the question really is, will people who have opted for light sources that cannot be changed regret their decision?
- Power Technologies - before, we only saw LED light fixtures that come equipped with a driver that can convert electricity supply to a form that can be used by the light. But, more new power technologies have started to emerge in the market, and those come with a range of benefits. The first component of a lighting system to fail are drivers, so we can see that companies are taking them out of the scenario. For instance, Iviti has developed a lamp that comes with a DC LED chip, and it does not require a driver. Furthermore, Isotera is selling power system for lights that use a central hub, in this each and every cable is directly connected to a bus cable. The latest technology we have seen is the power-over-Ethernet, which uses data cables to provide electricity.
- No Wires - for a few years now, we have seen the focus on wireless technology. Where everything is going wireless,the lights did not feel the need to be an exception. These wireless light are appealing for people who are dealing with retrofit projects. Along with radio frequency based system, we can see technologies such as power line communication; where the main power line carries the data from and to the fittings. With the speed technology is growing in, soon we will be able to manage our electricity through our phones and tablets.
- Healthy lighting - the lighting in any space can influence how productive one will be while working, how well we will learn, and how quickly we will recover. With LED on the rise, we have been able to see how with the help of these cheaper lights we are able to put this knowledge to practice. As we are now able to use LEDs to promote health and productivity. As technology now allows us to adjust the brightness of the light during the day, so we can use it to mimic natural light.
- Beyond Light - it is not just about lighting anymore, it is about data. We have in the market technologies that are similar to Wi-Fi, called Li-Fi, that has the ability to track people's positions using LED lights, and their phones.