THIS CLOUD BRINGS LIGHT
Floating lamp also reacts to sound
A “floating cloud” as an indoor lamp? That’s the idea Richard Clarkson had in mind while experimenting with various artificial floating lamp designs over the years, ranging from uncomplicated lampshades to immersive installations acting as audiovisual interpretations of a thundercloud.
Teaming up with magnetic levitation specialists Crealev, the New York-based designer’s Floating Cloud uses components embedded into both the base and the cloud that makes it hover roughly 2.75 inches (70 mm) off its base. While it levitates, its LED-illuminated light source changes colour as it responds to voices, music or other sound sources.
The cloud itself is comprised of a hypoallergenic polyester fibre, with an embedded 6,600 milliamp hours (mAh) lithium ion battery hidden inside.
The Floating Cloud marks Clarkson’s latest interactive cloud projects. In 2014, he conjured up a large hanging thundercloud, which incorporated a Bluetooth speaker that used motion sensors to set off thunderous rumbles and flickers of lightning, whenever movement was detected in a room.
One drawback of his past designs, reports tech site New Atlas: These still needed to be tethered to the ceiling by a cord.
While the notion of bringing an outdoor atmosphere to a home’s interior sounds appealing, this levitating, cloud-shaped ambient lamp will set consumers back a whopping US$4,620.