This is a very special light. It’s a folding LED lamp that you can take anywhere, stuff into a bag, and use outside. How does it work?
Designed by a studio that is known for its offbeat work (like the ostrich pillow, for sleepy commuters), the Kangaroo Light is a flexible, outdoor light that’s aimed at a huge range of situations. It’s made of 24 triangular silicone blocks that are arranged in a hexagon.
It’s the size of a tablet computer, and is designed to be pretty portable. The triangular elements are connected by the white sheath, which is made of silicone rubber. That means the light is splash and rain proof, while also folding in any number of ways along the creases.
Illumination is provided by LED lights that are arranged on small panels inside each triangle. The developers used Arduino, an open-source software, to customise the light. It can flicker, fade, or glow in a range of patterns.
All this allows the light to be used as a reading lamp, for outdoor illumination, or in any number of interior and design applications. The lights are powered by a 2,5 hour lasting lithium-ion battery, similar to the one in your smartphone.
The triangular components also have a circuit board that allows motion or touch activation. This brings to mind a huge number of uses. Better still, the light can be charged via usb.
There’s also a good reason for the hexagonal shape. This is the result of observation and testing by the developers. Searching for a portable lamp, the designers found out that round objects stuff away easily into bags and packs. The hexagon combined this roundness with the efficient geometry, making the lamp flexible at the same time.
Info and images via the designers, Studio Banana.