Change Colour Schemes the iBulbs Way

Light doesn’t just enable us to see; it also provokes an emotional response. Light plays a large part in how a person feels too. Light reaching the retina isn’t only processed by the rods and cones (photoreceptors) but also by the retinal ganglion cells. Signals are sent to the SCN (suprachiasmatic nucleus) of the hypothalamus which is our body clock. The information is sent from there to the pineal gland which uses this information to regulate the body temperature and produce hormones.

I am sure many of you will have experienced the effects that higher light levels or colour temperatures have on alertness.

Coloured lighting can have an effect on emotional health and well-being. Moods can be altered with different hues of light. Every colour has properties which can evoke our emotions. Our emotional response to colour is an immediate one and different colours have their own associations. For instance violet and blue are normally associated with the cool fluidity of water, air and sky. Orange, Yellow and Red are associated with the warmth of fire and the sun; Red can even have an effect on body temperature, making it rise and creating a feeling of warmth. Green is associated with the restfulness of nature and Blue is reputed to have a calming effect.

Imagine a world where you can change your colour scheme at the flick of an iPad or iPhone. Sounds impossible? Not any more; thanks to the innovation of Philips the electrical people. The amazing light bulb, aptly named the Hue contains 11 LED’s in 3 different colours – Red/Orange, Lime and Royal Blue enabling a potential 16 million colours to be displayed.

It’s almost as simple as putting the bulb in the light socket but not quite. The Hue has an internal WiFi control chip which is powered via a normal lighting socket. A control box is connected to the home WiFi network which allows the bulb to communicate with an app.

The app for Philips’ Hue has four pre-programmed lighting settings. Philips researched in depth the physiological effects that different levels and colours of lighting have on the body. The Android app features Light Recipes which they claim can improve consumer’s lives. The GPS sensors on your iPhone can automatically turn off the lights of your home when you leave and turn them on again when you return thanks to new innovative software.

The iPhone or iPad is used to control lighting levels and colours via the app. The bulbs are priced at £49 each but a pack of 3 and the WiFi control box can be purchased together for £179.00. They are only available from the Apple Store or Apple.com. The bulbs should last around 15 years

© Susan Bailey 2012 All Rights Reserved