Shining a new light on 2017

We have hardly scraped the surface of the potential in lighting. There are more than 60 billion lights installed in the world and, with ever-evolving technologies, each of these has the potential to enrich life beyond simple illumination.

As data proliferates and enables the integration of technology in day-to-day activities, we are presented with an opportunity to tap into the full potential of lighting to benefit communities and business.

With every light point offering to build a connected, intelligent system that delivers high-quality, reliable illumination and that serves as a pathway for information and services, there is potential to deliver extraordinary value beyond illumination to the users and operators of spaces.

Many of the world’s 60 billion LED light points have the potential to host sensors that collect data. The result of such technology is smarter lighting that encourages productivity and efficiency to not only improve its own application, but to improve the experience across a number of sectors and facets of life.  

At the recent Smart Cities Expo World Congress held in Barcelona, Philips Lighting unveiled a people-centric blueprint for lighting and the Internet of Things (IoT) services in the smart city of the future. We believe we are beginning to see the lighting industry understand how residents and businesses are informing, and can inform, the future of cities.

Looking to 2017, we are progressing towards a period of global advancement in lighting solutions, enabling the development of the smart, connected and interactive world.

Urban applications

Like many countries, Australia is embracing the shift towards smart cities. Lighting is a crucial element to enhance the connectedness of cities, and will have an important role in how Australia develops its major metropolitan hubs.

Typically, the approach to street lighting has been one size fits all. For example, we know street lighting is often too brightly lit for cars, yet we need bright light for pedestrians crossing the street so they can be seen. The potential in connected technologies means that soon we will see sensors that can alter the lighting to improve the experience for both cars and pedestrians and provide cost and energy efficiencies.

In applying new lighting technologies to spaces we connect them in new ways, seamlessly integrating them into a building or city’s IT network. Cities such as Los Angeles, Barcelona and Buenos Aires are leading the way in connected street lighting, paving the way to smart cities. Los Angeles, for example, has upgraded to LED lighting and smart street poles, delivering local Wi-Fi and providing electric vehicle charging capabilities.

With the evolution of technologies across sectors, there is also potential for these connected lighting systems, like the Philips Lighting CityTouch, to integrate with other systems in a building or city. Allowing for new synergies and efficiencies will make use of lighting as an integral part of the new urban digital ecology.

Globally, lighting is an industry where the potential of connected technologies to enhance urban development is being rapidly realised, and 2017 will see pressure on urban development to maintain momentum with this trend.

Commercial applications

In terms of retail and workplace lighting systems, there are a number of key trends currently facing the industry.

For retail, connected lighting will enrich the customer experience and deliver greater customer insights. Technologies allow lights to emit a code that can be picked up by a smartphone, enabling retailers and operators to track movements and wayfinding through a store or a larger space such as an airport. Connected lighting technologies mean that retailers can grasp a true understanding of the in-store path to purchase.

Within the workplace, these lighting systems add a layer of intelligence to the environment which responds and adapts to people’s preferences and needs, enabling personalised and agile workspaces. Outfitted with integrated sensors, each light becomes a point of intelligence that can deliver location-based services, offering the ability to share information on operational status, room occupancy, activity patterns, changes in temperature or humidity and daylight levels.

With sophisticated lighting management software, operators of spaces can monitor and manage the lighting system in real time, while also being able to turn the collected data into actionable insights that can deliver against business objectives.

Personal applications

We have already seen the potential in lighting technologies to create experiences, as evidenced by Vivid Sydney. Looking to 2017 we expect to see more of this, with the audience for events of this nature consistently growing. We may even see a move towards more permanent lighting installations as governments recognise the potential to generate revenue.

On an even more personal level, lighting can be designed to observe and respond to circadian rhythms; it can soothe us, wake us up and make us more focused as required. It can gather data so it becomes more predictive and intuitive, simplifying and streamlining the user experience. We’d expect to see this technology develop even further in 2017 based on personal lighting systems like the Philips Hue.

It’s an exciting time for the lighting industry as we work to add value to lighting solutions for businesses and individuals alike. At Philips Lighting, we look forward to continuing to lead the industry in developing and implementing these technologies.

Image credit: ©iStockphoto.com/Clint Spencer