Day 3 can be summed up in one word. Wireless. Not controls, but wireless power.
Dr. Hans Laschefski of Alanod showed a prototype of a new system called Primesym, which has copper plating mounted to the back side of a reflector. The copper carries current to the LED arrays, which can be snapped into the fixture, eliminating the need for wires. Dr. Laschefski emphasized that Primesym is still in the prototype stage but offers opportunities for reduced labor through robotics as it eliminates the needs for wires.
Philips threw a great party last night. Sometimes it is best to learn about products and technologies at these social events as the product managers are more relaxed (free beer and wine) and are more willing to give the full story of a product and not just the press release version. One product manager demonstrated a wireless flush mount light. As the light was energized, I removed it from the floor, which immediately turned the light off. As I slowly reinserted the light into the cavity, it turned back on—it actually lit before being fully inserted. The manager explained that Philips was using inductive power technology to power the luminaire. RF frequency created a magnetic field powering the light. Because there are no wires, moisture is no issue. There is no worry about the contractor getting the gasketing correct as there is no gasket. It was explained that this same technology is used by Qualcomm to charge electric vehicles.
Speaking of parties, our friends at Xicato also had a very nice social event. We have been following their XIM Intelligent Module since we first saw it in New York last month. XIM is the same footprint as their other modules (which has had the same form factor for five years), but the XIM has electronics built into the module. Instead of needing a driver, the XIM only requires a simple power supply. Julie Allen, editor of EdisonReport.eu conducted an interview with CEO Menko de Roos, which will be published later this week. We love their new tagline, The Internet of Lights.
Normally we do not like companies who attend tradeshows and do not pay to exhibit. Typically these companies rent a hotel room and try to pull attendees away from the exhibit hall. In the past, we have fondly referred to them as deadbeats. However, yesterday Joachim Schmeiter of Schmeiter LED was walking building 4.0 discussing his new LED T8 lamp that works on magnetic or electronic fluorescent ballasts. We are not sure if this is a real product—or even a real company—but if it is, it is a game changer.
Lufthansa is on strike. We had one appointment cancelled as our client returned to the UK early to avoid the disruption.