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Nowadays, you may have heard of smart lighting, either by a friend you already use, either because you saw an article in a newspaper, magazine or even on the internet, or just because you entered a store where you saw some of these articles on display.
What is smart lighting?
Light bulbs can now be powered and managed by an app on your smartphone, just like other connected devices. And smart lighting, unlike regular bulbs, lets you decide the brightness and light temperature of each lamp, making it easier than ever to set the perfect mood at home.
How does smart lighting function?
Smart bulbs are wireless lamps, meaning they are all wirelessly connected to the interface between the bulbs and the internet, a central device called smart hub. You can monitor smart lighting using your smartphone, tablet or smart assistant until linked to the Wi-Fi network.
What’s the benefit of smart lighting?
For smart lights, there are many applications, such as being conveniently powered by your smartphone or tablet. If that makes you think of someone so lazy that they can’t cross a room to turn a key, that’s not the point at all. It means from wherever you are, you can monitor the lights in your home one at a time or in a community.
So, even though you just know when you’ve arrived at your holiday destination, you should turn on a light as a security deterrent. Or if the light you want to turn on is on the far side of a building, to find the switch, you don’t have to stumble across it in the dark, just scream and let a virtual personal assistant turn it on.
Do I need extra equipment?
Extra equipment is required in some cases. Some light bulbs require their own wirelessly linked hub, and others connect directly to your phone. Some smart speakers, including the Amazon echo plus, have a home hub built in.
Can I save money with smart lighting systems?
Usually, smart lighting bulbs are a bit more costly than traditional incandescent bulbs (taking into account the gateway or bridge required to sustain them). They’re a lot more energy efficient, though, and last a lot longer.
Via heat radiation, a 60W incandescent lamp releases 90% of the energy it uses from your electricity bill, while LED bulbs give off almost no heat at all, enabling an impressive, cost-effective lifetime.
Compared to the 1.000-2.000 hours of incandescent bulbs, smart light bulbs can last more than 25,000 hours (over 1,000 days). They’re harder as well, without any delicate filament inside.