The first element in the home to get smart has been lighting. Many years ago, companies such as Philips pioneered internet connected lighting with the Hue. Back then, we didn’t know the need for smart lighting. But here we are today, when this segment is getting mainstream with each passing day. So when I encountered the lifestyle product – Dyson Lightcycle – I was curious to know what it’d be like. Here’s my review after using it for a few months.
A smart home involves the marriage of intelligence and consumer electronics. It’s where internet connected appliances meet smart decision making. The result is convenience. Devices control themselves without the need for additional user intervention. If you have a smart coffee-maker, it would brew your morning drink the moment you’re up. Now how it gets that information or input could differ, but it could be via your smartphone, or a smart bedroom, so to speak.
The cool tech
To begin with, there’s design and product tech like I’ve never seen before on a light. Dyson claims it will last you 60 years. I’ve no way to tell you for sure if that’s true, but we have no reason to believe otherwise. However, any defect in manufacturing, however miniscule, could result in an aberration. Nonetheless, here’s a cool innovative design that ensures continuous cooling of the LED light so that overall life is extended. There’s one aspect of this light, two actually, that I don’t like. But I’ll come to that later.
The Dyson Lightcycle uses a combination of 3 warm and 3 cool LEDs to illuminate your work space. Image: Dyson
The Dyson Lightcycle uses a total of 6 LEDs. 3 of them are warm, and three cool. A unique sealed copper railing fixed above the LEDs dissipate heat away from the LEDs that adds to the life of the lamp. Inside the sealed copper railing is a drop of water. With the heat dissipated, the drop vaporises and flows to the other end of the tubing due to the mild elevation.
A sealed copper pipe ensures a long life by dissipating heat away from the LEDs. Image: Dyson
As the vapor condenses into droplets, capillary action draws them back towards the lamp, thanks to gravity. This process repeats continuously resulting in a lamp life of 60 years. Couple that with a 32-bit microcontroller that monitors GPS data to set color temperature and brightness levels based on daylight.
The smartness
Among the various features that make the Dyson Lightcycle smart is the algorithm that powers it and the play with data. The Lightcycle gives you the option to set the brightness and color via the app, or a touch sensitive slider switch just above the lamp. There are two sliders, and all you need to do is slide your finger on each of them to set the desired brightness or temperature.
Above the lamp are two sliders you can use to alter brightness and color temperature levels. Image: Dyson
In case you didn’t know, temperature here refers to the color between either warm, white and cool. The temperature levels vary between 2,700 kelvin (warm) and 6,500 kelvin (cool white). It also offers a brightness level between 100 lux and 1000 lux. In addition to light, the Lightcycle also provides a USB Type-C port in case you need one to charge devices.
What could be different
Coming to the two aspects of this light that I preferred was different. To begin with, I’d only buy a reading light that swivelled. Now when it comes to the Dyson Lightcycle, swivel it does, but like a robot. Or an equation. It only knows the X, Y and Z axis – if you get what I mean. You could technically move it across any point around it, over the course of its height. 360 degrees all around, from the top to the bottom. But no matter what you do, you’d only get light thrown downwards. It’s a reading light, what more would one ask for.
Through years growing up, I’ve always preferred a light that lets me see around. If a pencil rolls off the table and it’s dark around me, I should be able to find it at least, without having to switch on some other light in the room. Something as simple as that.
The other aspect that I really hope changes, is the weight of the whole setup. It’s not exactly mobile to say the least. It weighs around 9lbs or a little over 4 kgs. So if you want to move desks, you have quite a bit of carrying to do.
Should you buy it?
If you’re affluent and care about signature lifestyle products then yes. It has a modern design language that could go with the aesthetics of your modern home. If you’re looking for a practical solution to your drawing table, then probably not. Xiaomi recently announced its own desk lamp for about 3 percent of the price of a Lightcycle. Moreover, it swivels enough to suit your need. But sadly, it can’t do any of the decision making for you the way a Lightcycle understands you. Rs 39,900 is the price of innovation.
