3.02.2007

Idea # 6 or "TubeWorms in Space"


Idea # 6 or “Tubeworms in Space”

This idea uses some of the other proposals that we have already laid out, it’s more of an addition or additional product than a completely separate idea. The idea is to use a large amount of our magnetic “fixture plates” on a several walls and/or floors. These plates are then connected with these flexible light tubes, which can be rearranged very quickly. The tubing material needs to be some sort of flexible translucent conduit that can be molded to a shape and hold that shape, think the flexible French curves we used in school.




“Sidebar --- I wonder if a more interesting idea would be to use those fixtures as the light sources and the tubes just carry the light from one point to the other, like….tubes. This could mean we could chain some effects. I.e. one point of light starts at one fixture moves through the tube to the connected fixture, THEN it appears and another fixture giving the impression that we are not looking at several tubes connected on a wall but one very long one that circles through the space. --- end sidebar”

The magnetic plates could function not only as the outlet but as the switch for the whole system, (lets not forget the competition is called lightTOUCH) and by touching various plates we could influence the color and or movement of the light in our tube system.

-----branching thought warning!!---

In keeping with our ideas of a light that you could take and go (the one with the battery/capacitor in it) These tubes have the same function, if a point of light is moving through a tube when it is removed from the system, it becomes “trapped” aimlessly wandering in the separated tube until it is released into the system. Perhaps even that point of light can respond to touch input on the tube connections, so the light could be influenced in a separate tube and then when reintroduced to the system would influence or affect the entire system. This is similar to our ipod/light idea where positive viruses would corrupt and spread across the network of devices. Except in this system we do not have the problem of product adoption, as it’s a closed system within the home you buy the entire network not just a singular device.


So in short some of these ideas apply to what we were talking about last night and some don’t, I do dig the idea of the light that is removed being influenced or changed outside of being connected to the fixture.

Perhaps this would be a good point to include the notes from our meeting last week…


It sounds like we are reaching a consensus on the idea of easily swappable connection for our fixture/lights. Our product or idea is the plate on the wall (or the plate that plugs in, or the one in the ceiling) that allows us to attach these various light fixtures for take and go ability. We’d like any fixture; be it tube, ball, parametric form, etc; to have some means of storing energy so that when removed from the plate these fixtures can continue working. We’ve described this as similar to the idea of taking a candle or lantern outside in the past, it is interesting that, that sort of thing was so integral to our lives not that long ago, the lanterns and candles were the actual fixtures in a home! And now that action is completely lost, perhaps to our detriment. We’ve toyed with the idea of making fixtures that could connect to the plates from various points not just a single connection, so even the orientation of the object would be left to design of the user.

Things we still need to decide:

*I think we need to present one good example of this fixture and then show that we are proposing several iterations.

*We need to decide on some sort of translucent material as well a form for the fixture.

*We need to decide on a light type (LED, incandescent, fluorescent, halogen, neon etc.) LED probably provides us with the best option as far as battery life is concerned.

*The plate still needs to be designed, and although the Mac power cord was the inspiration lets stay away from borrowing to liberally from its design.

*That’s all I can remember at the moment: add or comment as you guys see fit.

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