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“Blow Me Up” Lighting Fixture

September 11, 2017September 11, 2017 Chris Johnson

Blow Me Up Light Created by Ingo Maurer and Theo Möller

The Blow Me Up lamp by Ingo Maurer is an innovative LED lighting fixture that arrives rolled up in a can. Who would have thought?

Easy To Use

Once it is blown up you can lean it against the wall or fastened it to the ceiling or wall with hooks or cords. They are easier to transport than fluorescent bulbs and there’s no danger of falling glass shards if bumped. Also, there’s no drilling required. Yes, it’s that easy.

Blow Me Up is a lamp that provides a variety of options. Perfect for those who embrace mobility. There is a integrated sensor switch on one side of the LED strip, which radiates the reflective side of the tube, thus scattering indirect light in the room.

Not A Laser Sword

“With a suitable adapter Blow Me Up can also be connected to the 12 volts supply of a camping van. The plastic hose, however, should be treated more carefully than camping equipment because above all it is neither a swimming noodle nor a laser sword.? -Ingo Maurer & Team

So there you have it, an LED lighting fixture that is easy to assemble, is mobile, and easy to clean. The fantastic lighting it provides is great too. Get yours today here.

Cherry blossoms bloom in ESI Designs light display

Historic D.C. Building Comes Alive With Light

August 11, 2016August 11, 2016 Renee Carlson 1 Comment

A renovated Washington D.C. office building renowned for its historical significance as a civil rights landmark now captures attention with magnificent displays of reactive light.

In 1951 Mary Church Terrell led a civil rights protest at the lunch counter of what was then Hecht’s department store. Over 60 years later the aptly named Terrell Place, now a renovated office building, is making history again.

An Interactive Experience

Imagine that every workday was like walking into a virtual reality. Outside, you might trudge through snow and sleet, but inside, cherry trees blossom and fade, fireworks blaze and butterflies flutter with the ebb and flow of activity in the building’s lobby. Read More

Are Businesses ‘Waking Up’ to the Role of Blue Light in Sleep?

April 25, 2016April 28, 2016 Renee Carlson

ipad and iphone at night An estimated 83.6 million sleep deprived people are shuffling around the U.S. at any given moment – so it makes sense that businesses are investing in products and technologies that focus on ways to get a good night’s rest.

When smart lighting entered the market, it made changing the color temperature of lights easy. With the touch of a button, users could program their lights to wake them up slowly, like a sunrise.

Apple’s recent update to iOS 9.3 introduced Night Shift, a feature that takes its cues from the sun (or more specifically, your device’s clock and geolocation) to gently shift the color temperature of your display to the warmer end of the light spectrum at night which may help you get a better night’s sleep.

The Basics of Blue Light

Blue light, a naturally occurring wavelength emitted in sunshine, was manufactured into light emitting diodes (LED’s) by three Japanese scientists in the early 1990’s, an invention so innovative that it led to a Nobel Prize in Physics in 2014. Smartphones, HD televisions, computers … all of these devices are enhanced by the brilliant light of this technological marvel.

Does Blue Light Mess Up Sleep Patterns?

The theory is that the blue light does such a marvelous job of mimicking the sun, that it “tricks” our brains into thinking that it is still daytime. (See Using Your Tablet or Smart Phone in Bed May Be a Lousy Idea for more information.)

The theory is that the blue light does such a marvelous job of mimicking the sun, that it “tricks” our brains into thinking that it is still daytime.

What Next?

Currently, there’s not enough data to definitively say that the blue light from devices is what is keeping people awake at night. Rather, maybe your wakefulness is a result of too much mental stimulation from playing a game, or just plain worrying about some email that you checked right before you went to bed?

Although the jury is still out on whether or not screens emitting light on the blue spectrum actually disrupt natural sleep cycles, Apple’s latest release may be a catalyst for more discussion on the side effects of late night screening.

What do you think? Have you tried Night Shift, or products that do something similar? Has it helped you get a better night’s rest?

The Bay Lights Project Will Dazzle at Super Bowl 50

January 28, 2016February 5, 2016 Renee Carlson

The Bay Lights photo credit James Ewing 25,000 LED lights, intricately programmed on a network of complex algorithms, will soon dazzle the San Francisco Bay area on the largest LED light sculpture ever created. But it won’t be the first time.

In March of 2015, after a two-year-long display, it was “lights out” for the beloved Bay Lights Project, an iconic architectural light sculpture dreamed up by non-profit organization Illuminate.org and made reality by renowned artist Leo Villareal.

The original project, which ran from March 2013 to March 2015, was deconstructed when the permit expired, allowing the city to do maintenance work on the cables. Illuminate immediately went to work raising the $4 million needed to ensure that the bridge would be re-lit.

Thanks to their efforts, an upgraded and reinstalled sculpture will dazzle once again on January 30, 2016 where it will afterwards be gifted to the State of California. Read More

Man walking into bathroom stall with tooshlights installed

Lights that Made us Say WHAT? – Tooshlights

August 20, 2015August 20, 2015 Renee Carlson

Lights that made us say What? Tooshlights

Sometimes in my search for lighting news to share with my readers, I come across a new lighting product that stops me in my tracks, causes me to raise my brows and even makes me chuckle. Tooshlights® are definitely one of them.

The Los Angeles start-up recently brought to market an automated lighting system that uses glowing red and green LED lights to signal patrons when a bathroom stall is available. Quite literally in this case, “green means go.”

You can install Tooshlights in any size restroom, but the advantages really come into play in large venues like stadiums, airports, theme parks, and performing arts centers, etc. There are some nice benefits for the end-user (no pun intended) and for the venue: Read More

LEDs Hit the Streets

July 30, 2015July 28, 2015 Renee Carlson

Cities everywhere are jumping on the LED street light bandwagon and trading in their outdated fixtures for new & improved models. We’ve known for years that LEDs have many advantages over their incandescent counterparts, so why the sudden push to make the switch?

LED street lights compared to conventional street lights in Sacramento County — This image from Sacramento County’s recent lighting upgrade reveals the vast difference in color temperatures between LED and Conventional street lights. (Photo credit: saccounty.net)

Why are Cities Getting Rid of Conventional Street Lights?

Take a look at some of the benefits LEDs offer over conventional High Pressure Sodium (HPS) street lights:

LEDs are 10x more energy-efficient
LEDs last 25x longer (less maintenance, reduced lamp toxins in landfills)
LEDs offer advanced lighting controls (dim or power off when not in use)
LEDs offer better visibility (less glare for drivers, better images for security cameras)
LEDs reduce light pollution by not diffusing light in all directions