"Showrooming" and Magnetic Levitation
Other than on Kickstarter, I usually don't have much first-hand exposure to consumer products utilizing innovative technology. However, LeviTECH Lab's electro-magnetic levitation lamps are something that must be experienced first hand.
I'd like to think of these as the Lava Lamp 2.0. At first glance, you wonder how its done. Like a little kid tampering with a toy, I found myself doing the same; poking, prodding, and asking how. At first touch, you could feel the suspension and magnetic push between the base and body. Here's how it works.
The lamps are comprised of:
a suspension body.
a magnetic base.
The suspension body encompasses a receiving coil and a luminous body. The magnetic base is provided with a transmitting coil. The transmitting coil in the base then sends an AC signal to the receiving coil levitated above.
If this wasn't enough, the receiving coil above converts the AC signal by the transmitting base, supplying electric energy to the luminous body to emit light without any external power supply.
Aside from the aesthetic appeal and head-turning technology, I am really into this product due to the future possibilities and unyielding potential applications.
Showrooming, the practice of examining merchandise in a traditional brick and mortar retail store without purchasing, but instead shopping online to find a lower price, has been a huge trend since the birth of Amazon and ecommerce sites. What innovative techniques can brick and mortar stores like Best Buy, Nordstroms, and many more do to drive more people in the doors? Perhaps maglev technology in the answer.
From a B2B perspective, imagine the retail applications of using this technology in point of purchase (POP) displays. Whether its floating luxury items like watches, electronics such as cellphones, tablets, or floating mannequins that entice window shoppers with new products, magnetic levitation has tremendous applications than can revolutionize the retail industry.
Imagine walking through Bloomingdales, a retailer that is known for innovating the retail experience, and a display of merchandise catches your eye. Products are no longer static. There is opportunity to create a go-to solution for retail that can enhance the consumer shopping experience.
Or perhaps partnering with production houses when filming promotional advertisements. Imagine new high resolution camera shots of Carl Jr's. newest burger elegantly rotating in midair. No more strings.
Upon further research, I discovered only one other competitor in the world utilizing magnetic levitation in B2C/B2B products. Crealev, a Netherlands-based firm has been creating products under a different patent.
Nevertheless, this is an awesome product and developing emerging business applications will be exciting. Maybe we're not too far off from Minority Report after all...Back To The Future! Stay tuned for a LeviTECH lamp being featured in The Big Bang Theory. Thanks Sheldon.
