New LED carpeting by Philips will make sure you never get lost in a building again

Electronics leader Philips and global flooring specialists Desso have announced a unique partnership which will see the two companies roll out a new carpet featuring energy-efficient LEDs for the purpose of serving as floor-based messaging devices for today’s foot peddler. 

The duo have patented the world’s first LED-lit luminous carpet, and the new material could see immediate integration in public venues where it would be used for guiding people around buildings, enhancing the ambience of the interior of buildings, and helping de-clutter cluster areas by making information visible only when needed. 

The idea behind the technology is to replace existing signage with engaging floors that attract a person’s visual senses; specifically, the eyes’ natural inclination to seek out light.

It also works rather seamlessly with a person’s tendency to stare at the floor while walking.

“This light transmissive carpet solution is designed to engage directly with people’s senses and the eyes’ natural inclination to seek out light,” said Ed Huibers, Marketing and Sales Director, at Philips Lighting. “The technology takes advantage of people’s tendency to be guided by the floor when moving through and interacting with space. It brings information, direction, inspiration and safety via the carpet you walk on.”

Also commenting on the story, Desso CEO Alexander Collot d’Escury: “We know people spend 90% of their time indoors and our vision linked to this is to create innovative flooring solutions that contribute to people’s health and wellbeing. This new solution developed with our partner Philips, meets this need and offers exciting ways to enhance the interaction between the interior space and its users.”

The first markets to see this technology will be Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. An official product name will be announced in 2014 as part of the full go-to-market launch.

In the meantime, the two companies are finalizing details on pilot projects that will be launched in several key markets.

Story via philips.com