About
Kiën Light: Intelligent daylight at your fingertips
€152,579
398
Licht 1 is the new contemporary interpretation of the iconic neon tube that makes you feel good in the morning, lets you sleep well at night and lets you perform at your highest level during the day, and whenever you want.
Licht 1 ensures highest production quality, is locally manufactured in Germany, and is available in three different sizes, three different materials and seven finishes.
Licht 1 is an intelligent modular light system that emulates natural daylight and supports App control for color temperature, brightness and mood presets.
Licht 1 brings the benefits of natural light to your home and work. The rise and fall of your energy level is under your control and so the perfect mood lies at your fingertips.
We’re using market-leading LED lights with a CRI (Color-Rendering-Index) of 90+, meaning our lamp is able to emulate the whole spectrum of natural daylight (between 2700–5000 Kelvin). CRI indicates how truthfully the color is being displayed compared to natural light sources.
While our needs are dynamically changing depending on the time of day, most indoor lighting is not changing with us – it remains static. That is why we have constructed Licht 1 – adapt light to your schedule.
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Download our press kit — it includes our latest press releases in multiple languages and pictures as well as videos in different resolutions.
For further press inquiries, email kickstarter@kien.com
With Licht 1 our lead designer Markus Mai aspired to create a new contemporary interpretation of the iconic neon tube. The diameter is kept as thin as possible - but the inside is equipped with newest technology: advanced LEDs that emulate the whole spectrum of natural daylight, a micro-controller for flicker-free dimming and Bluetooth compatibility.
ALUMINUM
The powder-coated version is available in four colors (black,white, blue and red,). Very noticeable is it’s rich texture and fine matt structure that has been developed and mixed at our manufactory. Each lamp is varnished by hand on demand.
OAK AND WALNUT GENUINE WOOD
We obtain the wood from regional suppliers in Germany. Then we apply an innovative technique for which we teamed up with a sub-division of Technical University Dresden. Several thin slices of veneer are rolled over a aluminum core. Each structure is unique and super lightweight, with a slight 20° spin.
CONCRETE
The one-of-a-kind character of a concrete object is unparalleled. The outcome always seems to hold a secret since it is so strong and yet so minimal at the same time. We had to overcome many obstacles to produce such a design.
Quickly connect multiple lamps to one power unit with our patented cable plugs. Power units can be connected to either ceiling or wall outlets.
Licht 1 is a conceptual modular light system that is adaptable as well as versatile and offers endless possibilities. You only need one central unit that is connected to your power supply. This gives you the freedom to transform your personal space independently of where your power outlets are located.
We have developed an easy-to-use, intuitive app that lets you control single or multiple lamps and even group them together. With the app you can adjust brightness as well as color temperature and set up personal mood and situation presets. The interface of the App is designed equally simple and purist as Licht 1 itself and is reduced to the essential. Our app is compatible with most of the recent Android, iOS and Windows Phones that feature Bluetooth 4.0.
Please Note: Your regular wall switch will always work with our light system — you don't need to use our native app or analog controller. However, we recommend using our app or compatible devices for a full experience.
Senic is also based in Berlin and they have launched a successful Kickstarter campaign with their button Nuimo last year. Nuimo is a freely programmable physical controller that lets you manage your digital devices with a number of touch based inputs. We have developed LICHT 1 to be compatible with Nuimo, so you can utilize touch, gesture recognition and a 360 degree analogue ring to gain haptic control over your light sources.
The installation of Licht 1 easy and intuitive. We have developed a patented cable plug that either connects each lamp to a power unit or to each other, so you just need one power unit for multiple lamps. Moreover, we are utilizing wire suspensions that can be installed using a simple plug-and-play method.
The Baldachin power unit is the brain of Licht 1. All power units will be shipped in the same materials as the lamps (unless explicitly asked for) and integrate seamlessly with your interior. As central unit, it provides and safely converts electricity (high voltage to low voltage) for either one or multiple lamps.
The power unit is child-proof and our plug-and-play solution allows for easy installation in either power outlets on ceilings or to regular sockets in walls. Therefore, the Baldachin power unit can be mounted on ceilings or just placed in the room, in a shelf or on the floor. You don't need to be a technician or engineer to mount the power supply.
Even though we have realized the first set of our goals - producing a working prototype of Licht 1 in three materials and multiple colors as well as developing a working version of our app and launching a Kickstarter campaign – we still have a few obstacles to tackle, like the market entry of Licht 1. With your help, we want to keep on refining LICHT 1 to produce the last light system you will ever need for your home or office.
Moreover, we are working hard on adding more features to our app – depending on what you are asking for on Kickstarter, we will draft a development plan and implement more features.
We are set for the series production of Licht 1, the only thing missing is your support. The funds we are collecting will be spend for the acquirement and testing of LEDs of the next generation, custom-fitted tools, circuit boards, more production material and the manufacturing process of Licht 1.
We want to build an open community of first users that have an affinity for technology and a feel for design. Help us to re-define the light industry and produce a modular light system that adapts dynamically to your needs and generate illumination that will have a positive influence on your well-being.
Risks and challenges
We have been working hard on realizing our dream of creating a beautiful and functional smart light system. Already, we have achieved many of our goals by giving this project all of our dedication and time. Teaming up with experts of various professions and collaborating with experienced partners has enabled us to produce working prototypes.
However, we have encountered multiple challenges along our way and are still facing the last tasks: series production and worldwide delivery in spring of 2017.
Materials:
Our premise was clear from the beginning: to produce a beautiful and functional lamp that meets the highest production standards. We have teamed up with experts of various professions and are manufacturing only with regional partners. Selecting concrete and wood as production materials for our lamp took a lot of planning and testing.
Initially, the industrial concrete we used was prone to forming micro-cracks (common on streets and highways) and it took a lot of our dedication to develop a composition and method that afforded us with just the right degree of flexibility, while also preserving the natural structure and stability of raw concrete.
Additionally, we had to find a bending and processing technique that allowed us to withstand and deflect the generated heat of our high-powered LEDs.
However, we persevered and have now found the perfect natural material in specially processed oak and walnut wood.
Software Development:
To develop a custom firmware for an embedded system, you depend on different manufacturers and technologies. Fortunately, we were able to establish an extensive and reliable network of suppliers from the electronics industry and were able to test a rather broad range of microchips and different technological solutions that have just been introduced to the market. We want to provide you with a light system that is built to last and compatible with the most recent smart devices. Extensive and comprehensive testing sessions led us to reasonable long-term investments and choices that offer the best chance for stability, reliability and longevity.
Certification:
Different parts of the product require different certification processes that comply with CE and FCC regulations. Unfortunately, we do not have control over those processes and cannot guarantee that all will take place in due time. Some of them have very strict requirements and our goal is to meet all of them to be able to ship worldwide.
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Funding period
- (36 days)