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Thomas Edison is credited with the invention of the electric bulb in 1878, though it is known that many have worked on this invention. Yet we still do not know who to credit with the phrase – Let there be light. Whoever made this metaphorical statement may not have envisaged the progress lighting has made over the centuries.

From conventional incandescent bulbs to smart and energy-efficient LEDs, the innovations in lights have taken the most unexpected journey. Automated smart lighting systems in conjunction with smart switches and gadgets have upgraded our life making it effortless and enjoyable. Today, lighting controls linked to mobile apps can match ambient lighting to our moods including the music that we are presently listening to.

Here are a few trends that are propelling the lighting industry.

Voice controlled lights

Whether you want to simply switch the lights on and off, dim the entire room or change the light color, smart lighting solutions allow you complete hands-free control over your lights. Voice-activated lights respond and act on just a command. You can change the mood and ambience from bright lights for work, colorful party modes to cozy dim movie time with a single word. Intelligent lighting systems are equipped with key elements of convenience, connectivity and interoperability, enabling devices to seamlessly communicate with each other. Multi-functionalities are intelligently linked using sensors and actuators.

Li-Fi

Light is not just a source to brighten up your home, it has also become a data technology – Light Fidelity (Li-Fi). Like Wi-Fi technology, Li-Fi is a wireless communication technology that uses indoor LED luminaires to wirelessly transmit and receive data at very high speeds, resulting in a fast, reliable user experience. This light-based bi-directional communication system is all set to transform our indoor spaces into efficient places where data can be transformed using the available lighting sources. Since light cannot cross walls, Li-fi offers added security as it cannot be hacked from the outside of your house.

Human Centric Lighting (HCL)

Revolving around the long-term impact of light on humans, HCL is also known as circadian lighting, tunable lighting or color tunable lights. It is an innovative LED color tuning technology where the hue of white light can be tuned to appear warmer (more yellow) or cooler (blue) simulating the color of daylight as the day progresses from sunrise to sunset. In harmony with the earth’s illumination cycle, HCL improves circadian rhythms by tuning artificial indoor lighting in residential and workspaces to emulate the intensity and color temperature of sunlight to increase comfort, improve mood and overall well-being.

Antiviral Lighting

The pandemic has placed a new focus on light’s ability to destroy viruses, fungi and bacteria. This newfound application is going to be a game changer. Known as anti-microbial or germicidal lighting, this new era of eco-friendly LED lights powered by UVC sterilization technology sanitizes the places we live or work and improves the level of hygiene in daily life. This is a technology that is finding widespread acceptance.
Hope this short introduction to trends illuminates your mind to the immense potential of lighting beyond the scope of mere illumination. Our lighting design team would be more than happy to help you discover and exploit these trends.

For years, Electric Way, an indoor and outdoor lighting supplier in Dubai, has been retrofitting and revamping spaces with smart innovative luminaires. Our wide range of residential/ industrial lighting, and electrical solutions are customized as per the needs of modern-day homes and offices. We also supply versatile lighting control systems, dimming systems and DALI LED drivers for your varied architectural lighting requirements. Feel free to reach out to us on +971 4 817 0777 or email sales@electricway.com to redesign or retrofit homes and offices with intelligent lighting fixtures.