What Is Smart Lighting?
If something Self-Monitors, Analyses, Reports, and is a piece of Technology, it is known as ‘SMART’. Smart devices are becoming increasingly popular in today’s interconnected world, including smartphones, smart TVs, smart fridges, smart speakers, smart home technology, and, of course, smart lighting.
The scope of smart lighting covers everything from smart light bulbs to a smart plug, as well as everything in between! Smart lights can be connected to compatible devices, typically a mobile device or computer, and are usually operated through a desktop or smartphone app.
Depending on your WiFi router and software version, most smart bulbs can be connected to smart homes that are on the same WiFi network. This allows you to use voice-controlled smart home technology like Google Assistant and Alexa to operate your smart lighting by voice commands.
When it comes to smart lights and smart LED bulbs, there is a multitude of smart features you can benefit from. This includes:
Colour Control
Change the colour or colour temperatures of your light bulbs from your smart device, whether you want to go from a cool white light to a warm glow, or bright red to pale blue.
Colour control is very effective with your mood lighting at home and for lights that serve a variety of purposes throughout the year in retail settings.
Switch Control
No more standing up to flick the light switch on and off! With smart lighting you can use a single switch on your smart device, known as a smart switch, to turn your lights on and off, or you can even schedule in commands for the future.
This can be particularly useful for people who are less mobile. Also, for times when you are going on holiday but want it to look like you are at home, this feature is perfect.
It can also help you to reduce your energy consumption, electric bills, and carbon footprint as you will never have to panic about accidentally leaving the lights on ever again! Just load up your app and take a look - and if you have left them on, you can switch them off remotely with a simple tap of a button.
Dimming
Not only can you turn your lights on and off, but with compatible devices, you can also dim the lights to create a romantic atmosphere, cinema vibes, or to get your body ready for bed. To do so, you will need to make sure that your smart lighting is fitted with a smart dimmer.
You can find out everything you need to know about using a dimmer switch on your LED lights in another of our helpful blogs, which you can find here.
How Can Smart Outdoor Lighting Be Used?
Smart outdoor lighting is both a fantastic solution for all home security and practical needs.
There is nothing worse than coming home from work to find that you forgot to turn the switch for the outdoor lights on, and so can’t see what you are doing - especially when this means you can’t find the door key! However, with smart lighting, you won’t have to worry about this again.
Your smart lighting can be programmed to align exactly with when it turns dark outside, timed so that you can always see what you are doing on those gloomy mornings and dark nights.
You could also use your smart outdoor floodlights in conjunction with a motion sensor and CCTV as part of a home security system. LED floodlights can be a fantastic deterrent and ensure that your security cameras pick up everything they need.
Easy Ways to Use Smart Lighting in Your Home or Business
Smart lighting is - well - smart! As its processes are largely automated, this means setting up smart lighting in your home or business can be very simple. In some cases, it can be as easy as swapping out your incandescent bulb, halogen bulbs, or other traditional bulbs for a smart alternative.
The ease at which it is to set up your smart lighting depends on the bulb types you opt for. The smart light bulb market is packed full of exciting options for you to choose from, each of which has its own benefits. To help you in your choices, here are a few easy ways to use smart lighting in your home or business.
Optimising Sleep
Having bright lights on before bed is medically proven to suppress melatonin production. This can then affect your body’s circadian rhythm, otherwise known as your internal clock. Your circadian rhythm is what helps you to sleep at night and stay alert during the day, responding to changes in the light.
In order to optimise both your sleeping patterns and your alertness, you should stick to dimmed, warm lighting before bed and brighter, blue-white lights in the morning. With smart lighting, you can programme all of this to happen automatically.
Simply connect your smart lighting to the app on your smartphone. Then, schedule your bedroom lights to turn on at the same time as your morning alarm, begin to dim when you usually get into bed, and turn off at your bedtime.
If your lighting also has a colour-changing function, you can also programme it to glow a warmer colour as it dims in order to get your body ready for a good night’s sleep, then a cooler colour when it turns back on to wake you up in the morning.
Mood Lighting
Smart lighting can create an instant lighting scene at the press of a button. Most smart lighting will have preset functions to represent certain moods, such as relaxed, romantic, and happy. If not, you can play around with the brightness and colour of your lights to create the perfect LED mood lighting for every occasion.
Accessibility
For older people and people with less mobility, smart lighting can be an incredibly useful tool. If you are trying to increase the accessibility of your home or business, smart lighting can allow users to effectively control the lighting from their phones, without having to reach up to physically use a light switch.
This is particularly useful for people who need round-the-clock support. Lights can be operated from the comfort of a bed or wheelchair, eliminating the extra hassle of having to move around. This can increase independence, thus improving quality of life.
Going On Holiday
Many of us panic that, whilst we are away on holiday, our home may be left vulnerable to criminals. However, with smart lighting, you can programme your lights to turn on and off throughout the day, making it appear as though you are at home.
This also means that you never have to worry about whether you accidentally left the lights on. You can just log into your app, load up your linked lights, and switch them on and off from wherever you are in the world, allowing you to fully relax on your holidays.
Smart Home System
Smart lighting can be used in conjunction with other smart devices such as speakers, burglar alarms, CCTV, thermostats, TV, and much more to create a comprehensive and bespoke smart home system. Smart homes can be beneficial both for entertainment and home-security purposes.
High-Quality Lighting at Vision Lighting
At Vision Lighting, we stock a wide range of LED products, from colour-changing bulbs to coloured LED strip lights, sign lights, and floodlights, all of which can be used as an attractive lighting solution.
Our experts are always on hand to offer advice about your lighting needs - even if we don’t possess the specialist parts in-house. To discuss your lighting solution today, just get in touch with Vision Lighting.