by Team Luxee
The Luxee light is there for all the moments that you’re somewhere else. Manual or automated, remember the moments, not the technology
Does being wirelessly operated, smartphone controlled, or able to change color really transform a regular light into a smart light? Wouldn’t it be better if there was a light that could know you and adjust to your lifestyle?
LUXEE is the ultra-adaptive smart ceiling light that can be automatically controlled from its own memory – or manually from your smartphone or regular switch.
Circular, singular, and spectacular, LUXEE is here!
We enjoy experimenting with the latest gadgets and gizmos just like everyone else. But when it came to smart lights, we noticed that after just a matter of weeks the wife and kids had already stopped using their phones and gone back to the regular light switch.
So we got thinking, how can lighting embrace the latest scientific advancements in mobile communications and technology, yet keep the family engaged for longer than a fortnight? The answer…just forget it!
Who wants to be opening apps and searching for controls each time they leave the house in the morning? Convenience should be hassle free. LUXEE has a pattern recognizing algorithm to adjust according to you preferences, allowing you to focus on what’s more important. Whether that be getting to work on time in the morning or putting the kids to bed at night.
And of course you can manually override LUXEE at any time. Simply press turn off the ‘time line’ feature within the light settings and then LUXEE is yours to ride.
Who said that we can’t have fun in the office? Cell phones have an array of sensors and we wanted to utilize all of them to develop a range of practical – or just fun – features.
Blow a kiss at the dinner table and watch her delight as the room gently dims for the perfect smooching invitation.
‘The Hokey Pokey’ is back and smartphone compatible! Forget opening your phone, just give it a twirl and it’s all good. Disclaimer: this function doesn’t work so great if your one of the energetic sorts.
From pre-programmed presets with the optimal lighting for regular household activities (such as cooking, gaming, studying, watching TV, etc) to the option of customizing your own (like ironing, knitting, yoga, or whatever!!), create your list of favorite light settings and skip the need for future flicking, sliding and all searching. This is like when we went from analog to digital TV. Forget the dials and bring on the simple buttons!!
At the heart of everything is the LUXEE driver. Through a variable power control of 0-48W, LUXEE is able to offer dimming and color changing that is central to many of our functions.
LUXEE’s driver is built to balance affordability with quality. Our ATmega128 CPU utilizes a low-power AVR 8-bit Microcontroller and offers the performance that satisfies all of the requirements for efficient control. To make it wireless we adopted Wi-Fi, partly but not exclusively cause of its distance control. We’ve developed a patent pending C# algorithm which is written for the Marvel LBWA18HEPZ chip. This means that our driver does everything we want, without incurring additional costs by paying for features which don’t get used.
LUXEE utilizes LED technology, giving a 30000 hour life-span. That’s triple the standard CFL bulb life-span. Altogether LUXEE has 96 LEDs and offers a color temperature range of 3600-5800K. LUXEE is also totally symmetrical, which is the best for most effectively diffusing light and eliminating glare.
LUXEE can be connected from 2G upwards or 802.11b/g Wi-Fi. Each device holds a separate IP, and current tests have worked stably with 10 devices on a single router. We secure your data transmissions with military-grade 128-bit AES encryption.
The LUXEE Project is multi-disciplinary; utilizing unique programming techniques to craft the finest embedded system, server & app interface. In terms of languages, we’ve used: C (driver firmware and app API); .NET C# (web/server API); Object C (iOS app), and Java (Android app). We’ll look to compile and publish our document and open API shortly after product delivery.
We’ve decided to not reinvent the wheel, but have kept the LUXEE app as simple and intuitive as possible. Developed to work on for Android (4.0+) and iOS (7.0+) we’ve got all key features working and will be planning for beta-testing to start around 1-month after this campaign has closed. That’s late-May 2015. You’re welcome to participate!
STEVE ZHANG – Hardware and PCB Engineer. Man of patience, Steve has 10 years’ experience in electronics and engineering. Steve has always held a passion for new devices, and started to build his own radios and TV’s from just 15 years old. Acquainted with factory negotiations, Steve assumes responsibility for circuitry schematics and PCB design in accordance with CE and UL certification requirements.
WILL HE – App developer. When not thrashing out on Clash of Clans Will wields his 6 years’ experience in Android.2se and j2ee to assume responsibility for our android app programming. The fine craftsmanship & usability that our app exudes is thanks to the efforts of this team member.
LIUXU – Backend Programmer. Despite a 2 hour commute each way, Liuxu is always the first to arrive at any team meetings. Liuxu is responsible for server-side web logic and integration of front-end development. He further contributions include testing & debugging duties throughout the LUXEE ecosystem.
SUPPORT: We also have a several advisors and friends helping out with hardware and software design and debugging in order to make LUXEE work as stably as possible.
This is where we need you! There’s a tremendous difference between having a prototype and a product. We need your help to get from 0 to 1! The core challenges we need to overcome are:
– Help us with beta-testing. As mentioned above, we’ll be looking to start beta-testing in May 2015 and your voice is wanted and appreciated.
– Certification is costly, expensive and where many Kickstarter projects slip up. We’ve already made a start with searching for agents to do CE, FCC, and UL. This is a pre-requisite for customs clearance into America, Australia and many other countries. So getting advice and moving on certification early in our project will assist us with timely delivery.
– We will be freight shipping from our China factory and using a fulfillment warehouse. We’re including AUSTRALIAN SHIPPING FREE! But as shipping from China tends to be prohibitively expensive, we need your help to achieve our goals and overcome this obstacle.