The top portion of the lamp floats above the lighting unit below, making it look like a cross-section was chopped out. In the video (below), the demonstrator swipes objects between the two sections to show that it is indeed floating, and they even spin it around a bit, which I would do non-stop if I owned one. The lamp uses the latest in LED technology, giving off a bright light that can be easily adjusted to the desired brightness to suit any mood.
The technology behind the hovering lampshade, developed by Crealev, is probably what you imagined: magnets. Light-Light uses electromagnets, coupled with an advanced controller, to steady the floating portion and keep it from flying off to the side.
Crealev offers a host of levitation modules that can hold various weights at different heights. They even have a video on their Vimeo channel where they demo a floating mannequin, which would definitely be enough to lure me into any store.
Don’t get too excited, though: These lamps certainly don’t come cheap. They go for €980, which is roughly $1,350. Although, if I could afford to pay that much for a partially levitating lamp, I definitely would.
The lamp is simple and classy looking, and the completely self-contained levitating device is hidden out of sight, creating quite a fascinating illusion. I just worry about what would happen when the power goes out. Would the lamp crash down to the ground, potentially destroying your $1,300 investment, or have they thought to add a backup battery to gently float it down in the case of a power failure?
On a side note, French artist Nils Guadagnin used the same technology to recreate a presentational rendition of the hoverboard from Back to the Future. Sadly, you can’t ride on it, but it sure looks like the real deal.
[Light-Light via @chriscoyier on Twitter]
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