A new Kickstarter project created by Phil Bosua following six months of work on dozens of prototypes is aiming to reinvent a technology that essentially hasn’t changed very much in the last 100 years: the light bulb. Sure, we’ve all witnessed the compact fluorescent light bulb trend of late but these units typically produce a color temperature that is too cool (or blueish) for most to enjoy. Furthermore, these bulbs claim to last several years but if my personal experience is any indication, that’s more marketing hype than anything else.
The LIFX (pronounced life-x) light bulb hopes to accelerate LED bulb technology by marrying it with wireless capability to produce an extremely versatile light source. The bulb can be installed by simply replacing your existing bulb in any light-emitting device. Then, you’d download the free app from the App Store or Google Play on your smartphone to create a mood that’s just right for you.
The app can be used to control every LIFX bulb in your house, but it’s not just a simple on / off switch on your phone. Each bulb is dimmable and multi-color to create varying atmospheres that can be used in a number of scenarios. Bosua gives a few suggestions such as using the bulb as a slowly-dimming nightlight for your kids, creating a unique visualization while listening to music and even routing notifications though it.
Each LIFX bulb generates 800 lumens and uses only six watts to do so. And since there’s LED technology in play, users can expect a single bulb to last up to 25 years.
As of writing, there are still 58 days left in the campaign but the team has already surpassed their goal of $100,000 to help with manufacturing and production. A pledge of $69 will ensure you’re one of the first to try out the new light bulbs once they ship in March 2013.
