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Mnuca Floating Lamp
A lamp that lights up when floating, and turns off when resting.
Design Team
Oli Wheen - Designer and Creator
A closer look at the lamp
Smart sensing allows the lamp to light up when floating and turn off when resting. A solid-state magnetic sensor hidden beneath the surface of the wood senses whether the bulb is floating or resting and switches the light on or off accordingly. This creates an on/off switch in mid-air.
At the heart of the lamp is a uniquely stylized bulb. The bulb structure, made entirely out of wood, provides a warm glow to any space, gently diffusing the light from the energy-efficient LEDs inside. Super-strong neodymium magnets allow the bulb to float effortlessly in equilibrium, without consuming any power.
Design Philosophy
Focusing on build quality and avoiding the need for a mechanical switch improves the lifespan of the lamp; switches and buttons are often the first points of failure in many products as these undergo the most wear and tear over the years. Whilst improving longevity is a great benefit for the consumer, it has also been a core aspect of the design process as a longer-lasting product is naturally more sustainable as it reduces future buying. The main structure, base, and bulb are all crafted from FSC certified sustainably sourced birch plywood.
The lamps will also be manufactured in Brighton, England. Manufacturing locally reduces the carbon footprint of each lamp as it avoids the need to ship the lamps from a foreign manufacturer to a local distribution center. It also means that product quality can be guaranteed as this can be monitored without delay.
Who am I?
Hi, my name's Oli, I'm a robotics engineer and a product designer with a passion for merging technology with natural materials. I've spent the last two years of evenings and weekends developing the Mnuca floating lamp, all the way from early 3D printed prototypes, through multiple design iterations, custom PCB manufacturing, material testing, and final user experience trials.
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Comments
Very cool
I feel like the "no switch" argument is a bit weak. I do not think using magnets is A) more sustainable B) more reliable. The floating light/globe/sneaker thing is getting a bit old.
I know certainly from my background in robotics we would always try to reduce the number of mechanical components as these are almost always the first points of failure. I'd say it's universally accepted in industry that a solid-state approach is more reliable than mechanical but if you have a reason why you disagree I'm happy to discuss!