Lightning Switch
Encyclopedia
Lightning Switch is a wireless
and batteryless remote control
switch technology manufactured by PulseSwitch Systems, a member of The Face Companies group of Norfolk, Virginia USA. It is most commonly used as a wireless light switch
.
requires no outside source of electricity
. Each time the transmitter button is pressed, the transmitter converts the mechanical energy supplied by the user's finger into electricity to power a radio transmission to a receiver/relay through the use of a piezoelectric generator (brand name: Lightning) originally invented by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. This technology is described in the 2005 issue of NASA Spinoff magazine.http://www.nasatech.com/Spinoff/Spinoff2005/ch_5.html
(PATH) coordinated by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development
.
Lightning products were studied by HUD consultant Newport Partners, LLChttp://newportpartnersllc.com/technologies/pulseswitch.html of Davidsonville, Maryland USA.
Lightning Switch won a 2006 NOVA Award,http://www.cif.orghttp://www.cif.org/nom2006/Nom-17-2006.pdf the highest international honor for innovation in the construction industry.
In October 2007, NASA cited the employment of the Lightning piezoelectric generator in the Lightning Switch as one of the top 20 spinoff technologies produced over the previous five years, based on factors such as quality of life, economic benefit, and value back to NASA.http://216.71.30.251/NASA20.pdf
In March 2008, the Lightning Switch was chosen as the winner of the 2008 SPIE Smart Structures Product Implementation Award.http://www.spie.org
Wireless
Wireless telecommunications is the transfer of information between two or more points that are not physically connected. Distances can be short, such as a few meters for television remote control, or as far as thousands or even millions of kilometers for deep-space radio communications...
and batteryless remote control
Remote control
A remote control is a component of an electronics device, most commonly a television set, used for operating the television device wirelessly from a short line-of-sight distance.The remote control is usually contracted to remote...
switch technology manufactured by PulseSwitch Systems, a member of The Face Companies group of Norfolk, Virginia USA. It is most commonly used as a wireless light switch
Wireless light switch
A wireless light switch is a light switch that commands a light or home appliance to turn itself off or on, instead of interrupting the power line going to the light fixture...
.
Energy harvesting
The Lightning Switch transmitterTransmitter
In electronics and telecommunications a transmitter or radio transmitter is an electronic device which, with the aid of an antenna, produces radio waves. The transmitter itself generates a radio frequency alternating current, which is applied to the antenna. When excited by this alternating...
requires no outside source of electricity
Energy harvesting
Energy harvesting is the process by which energy is derived from external sources , captured, and stored for small, wireless autonomous devices, like those used in wearable electronics and wireless sensor networks.Energy harvesters...
. Each time the transmitter button is pressed, the transmitter converts the mechanical energy supplied by the user's finger into electricity to power a radio transmission to a receiver/relay through the use of a piezoelectric generator (brand name: Lightning) originally invented by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. This technology is described in the 2005 issue of NASA Spinoff magazine.http://www.nasatech.com/Spinoff/Spinoff2005/ch_5.html
Technology
The Lightning Switch is featured in the 2007 Concept Home in Omaha, Nebraska, part of the Partnership for Advancing Technology in HousingPartnership for Advancing Technology in Housing
Partnership for Advancing Technology in Housing is a "public/private sector initiative." The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development is responsible for its management. Its activities are coordinated by HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research...
(PATH) coordinated by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development
United States Department of Housing and Urban Development
The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, also known as HUD, is a Cabinet department in the Executive branch of the United States federal government...
.
Lightning products were studied by HUD consultant Newport Partners, LLChttp://newportpartnersllc.com/technologies/pulseswitch.html of Davidsonville, Maryland USA.
Lightning Switch won a 2006 NOVA Award,http://www.cif.orghttp://www.cif.org/nom2006/Nom-17-2006.pdf the highest international honor for innovation in the construction industry.
In October 2007, NASA cited the employment of the Lightning piezoelectric generator in the Lightning Switch as one of the top 20 spinoff technologies produced over the previous five years, based on factors such as quality of life, economic benefit, and value back to NASA.http://216.71.30.251/NASA20.pdf
In March 2008, the Lightning Switch was chosen as the winner of the 2008 SPIE Smart Structures Product Implementation Award.http://www.spie.org
Sources
- Case Study written by Newport Partners, LLC for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, December 2006
- NASA Spinoff 2005 (published 2006)
- Constructor magazine, November/December 2006
- Construction Innovation Forum archives
- 2008 SPIE Smart Structures Product Implementation Award Ceremony; March 12, 2008; San Diego, CA
External links
- Lightning Switch Website
- NASA Spinoff 2005
- Partnership for Advancing Technology in Housing (PATH) Website
- Newport Partners Case Study on Lightning Switch
- Construction Innovation Forum's NOVA Award Website
- NOVA Award Description of the Lightning Switch Technology
- Constructor magazine article on Lightning Switch, November/December 2006
- Electronic Design article on Lightning piezo, June 21, 2007
- Fine Homebuilding article on the PATH Concept Home and The Lightning Switch, February/March 2008