When I first heard about CFLs (Compact Fluorescent Lamp) and checked up on some statistics about their energy consumption, I was rather pleased. They may cost a bit more than Edison’s electric bulb, but in the long run they save a good amount of energy, thus also cutting down bills by a fair bit. I blush to say that I made the transition only too recently. Now, I hear they’ve invented the OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode) which enables 100 percent efficiency out of a single, broad spectrum of light, and mimics sunlight after dark. This could transform lighting applications and energy consumption altogether.
Moreover, companies like Ingo Maurer are integrating this concept into the modern home as designers start to realize its potential for efficient and inexpensive lighting. This design resembling a tiny tree blossoming with lucent leaves called the Early Future lamp, designed by the artists of Ingo Maurer in cahoots with Osram’s engineers, is the world’s first to pack energy efficient OLED lighting into a tabletop form. The two-dimensional panels emit diffused light which is ideal for internal lighting and can even be rendered in a flexible format. Nor do they require reflectors to direct the light. And they work on regular sockets.
The Early Future lamp will provide a veritable bridge between abstract design and functional lighting. At the moment, it bears a rather heavy price tag, but this is overlooked as surely such a concept will set the pace for a widespread transition towards energy efficient yet aesthetic lighting.
Via Inhabitat
