The Market For App-Controlled Lighting Is Getting Brighter

The hue lightning system from Philips will soon have some interesting competition. An Indiegogo campaign has started for the Lumen Smart Bulb that can be controlled directly from an iOS app. The LED bulb works with standard E27 sockets and generates 400 lumens of warm white light, which is equivalent to a 60W bulb, but with only a tenth of the power consumption. It is a dimmable RGBW bulb that can create light in any color of the spectrum. And with the companion iOS app, users can choose from four "one-touch" modes. The party mode transforms any space into a dance floor with flashing lights that change color to suit the music playing. Sleep modes simulate a calming moonlight to improve sleep and enhance rest. For those morning haters like me, wake mode starts with a very dim light that brightens to the maximum intensity at the set wake-up time. The brightening process can be programmed to take from 5-15 minutes. Finally, ambient mode helps set the mood for a romantic date using soft, dim light. Here’s a video about the project. Click here if you can’t see it. Unlike the hue, the Lumen is controlled by Bluetooth 4.0. So, users must have a iPhone 4S or later or a third-generation iPad or later to use the system. And you’ll only be able to control the bulb from about 30 feet away. The project has a goal of $110,000 and will ship in April if funding is successful. You can nab one bulb for $49 as an early bird special.

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