Ex-Tesla and NASA Engineers Make a Light Bulb That’s Smarter Than You

[bonnie]

It's rumored that they'll have my house outfitted with them in time for Party at Picnic Creek, for those who want to see in person. They'll be raffling some bulb sets off, too, for party goers.

 

[bredi]

I can't believe I'm finding this solution in a car forum! (ok, Tesla is not just a "car"...) I have been programming Hue bulbs to change based on the time of day via all sorts of approaches since they were available. Including Automation systems and IFTTT and a multitude of apps with unpredictable results! At home and my office (which requires accurate lighting), I may have over 50 hue bulbs! SMH. I never found a solution like this.

This is great! Anyone want to buy some hue bulbs?

 

[FlatSix911]

Alba is sold as a starter kit with two bulbs, for $150... not sure if this product has a ROI in my lifetime.

 

[bredi]

The ROI comes back in it's health benefits for many.

 

[Johan]

I can't believe I'm finding this solution in a car forum! (ok, Tesla is not just a "car"...) I have been programming Hue bulbs to change based on the time of day via all sorts of approaches since they were available. Including Automation systems and IFTTT and a multitude of apps with unpredictable results! At home and my office (which requires accurate lighting), I may have over 50 hue bulbs! SMH. I never found a solution like this.

This is great! Anyone want to buy some hue bulbs?

Just curious, may I ask why being at the proper color temperature so important to you? To match ambient lighting at all times and if so, why? Are you photographing with a mixture of natural + artificial light? I know myself how nasty it looks when the relative white b is off.

 

[NigelM]

I can't believe I'm finding this solution in a car forum! (ok, Tesla is not just a "car"...)

Oh, I don't know....some ex-Tesla people and the two first angel investors being long-term Tesla owners.

 

[bonnie]

Alba is sold as a starter kit with two bulbs, for $150... not sure if this product has a ROI in my lifetime.

Amazon shows the Philip Hue set (2 bulbs + hub) selling for $135. I'm happy to get the motion and light sensing with each bulb, plus the additional security/convenience for another $15. It all comes down to how you'd use the bulbs. If you think of them as just light bulbs, probably won't get the ROI.

 

[NigelM]

Amazon shows the Philip Hue set (2 bulbs + hub) selling for $135. I'm happy to get the motion and light sensing with each bulb, plus the additional security/convenience for another $15. It all comes down to how you'd use the bulbs. If you think of them as just light bulbs, probably won't get the ROI.

In the store right now Starter kit price is now $99 incl 2 x BR30 bulbs or $89 incl 2 x A19 bulbs.

 

[bredi]

Just curious, may I ask why being at the proper color temperature so important to you? To match ambient lighting at all times and if so, why? Are you photographing with a mixture of natural + artificial light? I know myself how nasty it looks when the relative white b is off.

Hi Johan,
Yes, on a professional level and personal. Im in post production for film and video. ON set, getting lighting is most important, but in post production we have to make sure colors and luminance is also accurately perceived. Unfortunately, unlike technology such as Apple's colorsync for print and monitors, there hasn't been much in the way of standards for film and television. There are some players trying to do this now. And I was at an event getting a primer on the process. Even so, lighting, plays a huge role in this, as I suspect you know, you can calibrate all you want, but if the lighting is different in the rooms, colors are perceived differently. One's brain does it's best to compensate all the time too.

Personally, working in dark rooms all day, takes its toll on your bio rhythms and melatonin production. Specifically sleep. So I attempted to mimic sundown, sunrise etc, even daylight while indoors. Something usefull for some months in Norway perhaps? ;P

Stack looks to address this in its core product. I'm surprised other manufactures haven't see the light. smh.

 

[Johan]

Hi Johan,
Yes, on a professional level and personal. Im in post production for film and video. ON set, getting lighting is most important, but in post production we have to make sure colors and luminance is also accurately perceived. Unfortunately, unlike technology such as Apple's colorsync for print and monitors, there hasn't been much in the way of standards for film and television. There are some players trying to do this now. And I was at an event getting a primer on the process. Even so, lighting, plays a huge role in this, as I suspect you know, you can calibrate all you want, but if the lighting is different in the rooms, colors are perceived differently. One's brain does it's best to compensate all the time too.

Personally, working in dark rooms all day, takes its toll on your bio rhythms and melatonin production. Specifically sleep. So I attempted to mimic sundown, sunrise etc, even daylight while indoors. Something usefull for some months in Norway perhaps? ;P

Stack looks to address this in its core product. I'm surprised other manufactures haven't see the light. smh.

Thanks for the details. I would love these lights in my home. Unfortunately it will be a while until they become available for European plugs and voltages.

The two features I think seem most valuable are 1) color temperature adjustment and harmonization and 2) the ability for a collection of lights, typically downlighting in a ceiling, to adjust each lights individual power so that the room is evenly lit (i.e. less bulb light closer to a window, more further away, but if a dark sky passes by the lights seamlessly adjust.

 

[bredi]

Thanks for the details. I would love these lights in my home. Unfortunately it will be a while until they become available for European plugs and voltages.

The two features I think seem most valuable are 1) color temperature adjustment and harmonization and 2) the ability for a collection of lights, typically downlighting in a ceiling, to adjust each lights individual power so that the room is evenly lit (i.e. less bulb light closer to a window, more further away, but if a dark sky passes by the lights seamlessly adjust.

Interesting. Seems like the hardware for sensing this might already be in the product.

 

[Johan]

Interesting. Seems like the hardware for sensing this might already be in the product.

I believe so. At least if I recall correctly from reading some of the prototype customer stories that they had a while back. Again, if I remember correctly it was a guy with a restaurant (rib place?) who mentioned this feature. I'll go look later today if I find the time, or maybe NigelM or bonnie can chime in?

 

[NigelM]

Thanks for the details. I would love these lights in my home. Unfortunately it will be a while until they become available for European plugs and voltages.

The two features I think seem most valuable are 1) color temperature adjustment and harmonization and 2) the ability for a collection of lights, typically downlighting in a ceiling, to adjust each lights individual power so that the room is evenly lit (i.e. less bulb light closer to a window, more further away, but if a dark sky passes by the lights seamlessly adjust.

So, wireless certification for Europe is already in process and Stack expects to have universal voltage by the end of the year. It's highly likely that either Stack will be available directly or Stack-enabled bulbs via a license partner within the EU very soon after.

The two features you like are indeed core elements of the Stack feature list. I've also set mine up via IFTTT and Amazon Alexa to respond to voice control so I can just ask for additional bright light whenever I need it.

 

[BozieBeMe2]

Great News, albeit, some what late in the scheme of things for our home.
Our home is run by a Z-Wave home controller and devices. A steep learning curve at first but well worth it!
We have control over most of the home by using the web and the smart phone.
We can see, by cameras, who is at the door, who unlocked the door and the system is only limited by imagination.
The great part of this new device, Stack, is the fact that the motion sensors, dimmers and hue controller, are built in.
Plus, no need to program it !

 

[bonnie]

 

[Vitold]

I love it when someone comes in and disrupts a market. There's no reason GE or Phillips couldn't have seen this problem and solved it during the incandescent-to-LED market transition, but they didn't. And now Stack is going to eat their lunch.

Maybe I'm missing information...The only differences between alba and hue that I see is that is has a motion sensor which you can add through homekit, and hue has better CRI rating. It's hardly disruptive, more like evolutionary.

 

[bonnie]

Maybe I'm missing information...The only differences between alba and hue that I see is that is has a motion sensor which you can add through homekit, and hue has better CRI rating. It's hardly disruptive, more like evolutionary.

Yes, you are missing quite a bit .

The motion sensor (and ambient light sensor) is present in every Stack bulb - nothing needs to be added through a kit. Unlike the other offerings on the market, you don't have to set up anything. If you just replace your existing bulbs with Stack, they immediately start adjusting light dependent upon light levels & adjusting hue for time of day. Of course you can also access through an app - but the bulbs start learning your habits (similar to a Nest thermostat) and eventually you don't even think about it anymore.

There are some applications with a large user group, soon to be announced, that solve a couple of very large problems.

Because the bulbs work with a mesh network, you only install one hub - no need for multiple hubs to ensure coverage. The bulbs *talk* to each other.

There's more, but I just arrived home . Suffice it to say I was familiar with Hue and other bulbs in the 'smart bulb' category. But when I saw this technology, I about pinned down the team and demanded to invest. Hue and the other bulbs are a subset of what Stack does. Good products, but because of the tech, have a fairly narrow lane. Those limits are removed with Stack.

 

[bredi]

... one would have to put a motion sensor next to each bulb or room and then program a trigger event as well as to sense the lack of occupancy/motion to turn off. Additionally, I have yet to find a solution in the home automation sector that also has a light sensor and meter.
Evolution is certainly not incorrect by any means. (Though, I'm still learning about the product.) It indeed appears to have evolved with more hardware features that the software integrates out of the box. I look forward to getting some.

 

[bonnie]

Stack has just announced that it will offer access to motion sensing algorithms and ambient light sensor technology to third parties, under a program called "Stack Enabled." In Effort to Speed Smart Lighting Adoption, Stack Shares Its "Code"

 

[SageBrush]

9.5W x 24h/day = Wh/day. 228Wh x $0.30/kWh = $0.0684/day. $60 - $12 = $48. $48/$0.0684/day = 701 days.

Garden variety LEDs are way below $12 today, and dropping fast. And while 30 cents a kWh is known in the US, the average rate is ~ 12 cents. And lastly, LED efficiency is improving. 100 Lumens/watt at your local Walmart is not too far off.

My biggest concern with smart bulbs though is that people who actually care about the cost or waste of use can just flip the damned thing off. Bonnie mentioned a couple examples where the smarts enable a use that a dumb LED cannot fill, but I'm really skeptical of a market case based on money savings.