David Shiller

  Alphabet, the parent company of Google, has spun off its laser-based internet company Taara from its “moonshot” incubator X, positioning it as an independent entity and a potential competitor to Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite network. This move allows Taara to attract external funding and pursue more aggressive growth strategies. Taara employs free-space optical communication [...]

  The DesignLights Consortium (DLC) has released a new NLC-HVAC toolkit to improve collaboration between building operators, lighting professionals, and HVAC engineers. DLC claims integrating networked lighting controls (NLC) with HVAC can save over 20% of the whole building load. The toolkit helps building professionals: Understand the benefits of integrating Networked Lighting Controls (NLC) with [...]

An enjoyable surprise at LEDucation last week was the Avenue Lighting booth. This company has slowly transformed over the past 10 years from a basic residential lighting manufacturer into an innovative, decorative, specification-grade lighting manufacturer. Perhaps the most startling find was their Monaco Collection. This collection of pendants have medium-based sockets, but are delivered with [...]

  Another fascinating find at LEDucation, last week, were multiple manufacturers showing dual-bendable, solid silicone light strips. By dual-bendable, I mean it can bend in both dimensions perpendicular to the long linear run of the strip. Typically, bendable light strips were only bendable in one dimension perpendicular to the long linear run. Tivoli’s VAST-EX and [...]

  I rarely cover line extensions but this one was notable, at LEDucation, last week. The open-center, linear Aira pendant line by Current had a significant number of additional options at the show: 90 degree turns wall mounted light bar that connects to the Aira pendants. accent colors for the cross bars that match the [...]

At LEDucation, last week, a number of 3D printed luminaires went way beyond the visible horizontal layers of plastic shaped into simple pendants. Not only were the shapes far more creative, but on some there were none of the expected horizontal lines of plastic filament showing the build up of 3D printed layers. LightArt One [...]

  The 2025 LEDucation Trade Show and Conference, organized by the Designers Lighting Forum of New York (DLFNY), concluded its 2025 event on March 18–19 at the New York Hilton Midtown. As North America’s largest annual lighting industry gathering, LEDucation showcased the latest in lighting technology and provided a platform for industry professionals to connect and [...]

  The National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) has published C137 TR 1-2024, Lighting Control User Interface Technical Report. It is a technical report, not a formal standard. This technical report recommends user interface elements for lighting controls utilized by end-users and occupants. It is applicable to hardware controls, software applications, personal control apps, displays, and [...]

Image: Helvar 5611 Node Link enables hybrid control of Helvar’s wired and wireless lighting control systems. Hybrid wired and wireless lighting controls combine the strengths of both wired and wireless systems to create a flexible, scalable, and efficient lighting solution. This approach integrates traditional hardwired controls with wireless technology, enabling the best of both worlds [...]