Lighting Trends

With the way our economy is looking these days, it's no wonder that people are constantly seeking new ways to save money. There's no doubt that winter is fast approaching and that means high oil & gas bills. Cutting back on electricity use during the colder months is one way to counterbalance the higher gas bill. One way to do this, as I've discussed in previous posts, is to use LEDs and CFLs instead of incandescent light bulbs. While both types of bulbs cost more initially, they wind up saving you money in the long run.

Now, speaking of a long term investment, imagine buying a lamp that you KNOW will out last you, your children, grand children and probably your great grand children! Incomprehensible, right? Well, one designer thinks he's created a floor lamp that will last for over 200 years! Gravia is a conceptual LED lamp lit by gravity and human power.

As originally reported by Sawf News, Gravia won second place in the 2008 Greener Gadgets Design Competition. Designed by Virginia Tech student, Clay Moulton, Gravia's design is seemingly simple from the outside but is really anything but! Standing a little over 4 feet tall, Gravia is a cordless, noiseless technological masterpiece! With a little help from the owner, Gravia's hourglass-like mechanism powers a rotor-like device which in turn powers 10 high-output LEDs. According to Moulton, Gravia's light output is between 600 and 800 lumens (about equal to a 40 watt incandescent bulb over a period four hours).

According to Moulton's projections, with 8 hours of use 365 days a year, the lamp will last for more than 200 years. Amazing! Lights out until next time!

Photo Credits - Clay Moulton