Most lightbulbs require you to screw it in so that it can create a connection between the base and the light fibres. But what if you could power a lightbulb without touching it?
This is the idea behind Swedish inventor Simon Morris' latest creation, Flyte. "FLYTE is a levitating light, which hovers by magnetic levitation and is powered through the air. With FLYTE, we've set the lightbulb free" Morris says in his Kickstarter campaign. The device uses a series of magnets to float in the air. A built-in inductive coil powers the bulb, which means that the device won't require any batteries or replacement parts. However, the device does cost $250.
The technology that powers Flyte is fairly standard and not revolutionary, but the idea of lighting your room up with a levitating lightbulb sounds really cool. But who is going to buy such an impractical device?
"It's an expensive lamp for sure, especially since it doesn't look like it would do an amazing job at lighting up a whole room. However, that's not why anyone would be interested in it. Levitation still seems like genuine magic in the world of technology, and staring at this thing seemingly defying gravity would be utterly hypnotic," Gizmodo reported.
Morris is currently trying to raise $80,000 for his lightbulb. The first 60 backers could acquire a Flyte for $230, while all other backers would pay $250 for the product. Morris hopes to deliver the device by October 2015, and he's also offering a $149 "Maker's Kit" that will let entrepreneurs and DIY types use Flyte's base kit to build something cool.
