This summer has already set temperature records around the nation, and we’re still in the dog days of August. With money tight, and temperatures high, there’s a temptation to test out unconventional ways to beat the the heat. But these odd home remedies can end up wasting energy and costing more money. Here’s how to know what really works when you want to keep cool for cheap. More »
So long as you’re not Indiana Jones, you might be able to appreciate a little serpentine inspiration in your workspace. These Trask desktop lamps can fill that niche for you, and keep your space well lit at the same time. More »
A spiral staircase is a gorgeous feature of this Beirut home. And .PSLAB has made the gem even better, by adding a modern circular chandelier above it. More »
In Insert Coin, we look at an exciting new tech project that requires funding before it can hit production. If you’d like to pitch a project, please send us a tip with “Insert Coin” as the subject line.
Just a simple light switch, you say? Look closer. Think Automatic’s Luminode dimmer switch hides both a processor and a mesh network connection that lets every switch in the home coordinate with each other. A multi-tap system makes it possible to link multiple lights together without extra wiring or complex programming, but that’s just the start: it’s possible to create “scenes” of predefined lighting levels and, with a USB adapter, hook up to home automation systems (including Think Automatic’s own) that can learn usage habits, track energy consumption or simply let us control the array with our smartphones. The platform uses raw XML to communicate and already talks to GE, Insteon and Stargate hardware — all without requiring a huge grid of buttons or displays.
Development of the Luminode is very nearly done after six-plus years of work in Seattle. The hardware is fundamentally ready and just needs the Kickstarter project to finish its FCC and UL testing along with the obligatory mass production. The hope is to start delivering switches in January as well as integrate more closely with non-lighting elements in the future. Pledge levels are dictated almost exclusively by volume: $130 is what it takes to get a basic two-switch kit, $260 will add the USB adapter along with an extra switch, and successive levels scale all the way up to a 50-switch, $3,000 kit for large homes. Think Automatic has a relatively low $35,000 threshold to meet its Kickstarter funding, but it only has 13 days left to go. If you like the idea of advanced lighting that doesn’t require an advanced appreciation of the user manual to understand, now’s a good time to click the source link and make it happen.
Filed under: Household
Insert Coin: Luminode dimmer switch runs on a mesh network, learns to light up our lives (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 06 Aug 2012 21:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
It’s probably not the safest idea to be out in the woods, or swooshing down a mountain on skis, in the middle of the night. Unless you’ve got Petzl’s upcoming Ultra Rush headlamp strapped to your head, with 700 lumens to illuminate everything that goes bump in the night—or that you might bump into. More »
Simply put, LEDs are the future. As the technology matures, it’s now being embraced in a way unlike ever before. The diodes last longer and draw less power than other light sources. And, technical benefits aside, LEDs can also be implemented into unconventional forms much more easily than incandescent and fluorescent bulbs. Get ready for some crazy lighting designs. More »
Even jointed lamps that pivot at all angles can be hard to direct, when you need the light to be just so. A lamp whose entire body is the light itself—and bendy, no less—is exactly the kind of thing to read by… or work by… or by which to do just about any activity requiring good light that won’t hurt your eyes. More »
Set to hit the market in early 2013, Snow Peak’s Lapel Torch flashlight separates the LED bulb from the batteries with a cable tether that allows the light source to be clipped to your jacket or backpack straps. More »
Those who study sleep believe that our encounters with light affect the way our body works. For example, too much exposure to artificial light can affect the release of melatonin, which helps us through our nightly sleep cycles. As such, one young design student dreamed up the Luminarium, a lamp which mimics the movement of the sun to help recalibrate our biological clocks. More »
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