A White Light Breakthrough for Color Kinetics

Boston-based Color Kinetics Inc. has announced that it has achieved a major breakthrough with an LED-based white light technology that uses a non-RGB method of producing high-quality white light that can be intelligently controlled over a range of color temperatures from warm to cool shades of light. This patent-pending technology couples a unique optical design with Color Kinetics' patented Chromacore technology, achieving an LED-based high-quality

Color Kinetics holds several intellectual property filings covering the use of multiple colored LEDs to generate fully controllable white light. Color Kinetics is referring to these technologies as "intelligent white light." Says George Mueller, president and CEO of Color Kinetics, "Chromacore put LEDs on the map as a source of illumination, so we're especially excited to lead the industry in driving the advancement of high-quality LED-based white light technologies."

Mueller envisions Color Kinetics' intelligent white light technology leveraging the advanced control capabilities of Chromacore to give users an entirely new level of flexibility with white light. The firm says its intelligent white light technology is unique in that it can produce a high color rendering index (CRI), resulting in high-quality light across the entire spectrum of white. For example, users would have the ability to select any shade (color temperature) of white light they desire, whether it is cooler tones that make the most of certain retail displays, or warmer tones for more comfortable home lighting. What's more, intelligent white light could be programmed for a variety of effects, including gradually changing shades of white over time (ideal for day into evening lighting) or turning on and off based on the sensing of motion (an energy saver for corporate or public space applications).