The Lamp With No Light Bulb

Why bother with bulbs, when the actual lamp does all the lighting?

If LED lights are bright enough to simulate daylight, why bother with bulbs at all? That's the obvious question asked by Japanese designer Tsutomu Mutoh. He recently shared a virtual mock-up of the Optone Dynamic LED Light.

Tsutomu's creation seems interesting not only because it's supposedly bright enough to light up a room. As an array of LED lights arranged in traditional lampshade configuration, the Optone can also cycle through the color spectrum. Why settle for boring monochromatic lamps, when your lighting can change color or theme on demand? Software also by Tsutomu allows the imagined control over the lamp's colorization.

Of course, Tsotomu's idea shouldn't be limited to the typical lampshade form factor. What about entire areas of this concept technology at work? With LEDs requiring less power than traditional lights, it's reasonable to imagine houses without light fixtures. The walls themselves can provide the light.

You can visit Tsutomu Mutoh's light- and color-oriented portfolio through the link below. The designer is a regular fixture at Japanese design events, but it's unclear if the Optone is slated for any actual retail debut. Well share updates as they come, dear readers.

Tsutomu Mutoh's Portfolio – Optone OBI (YouTube)