Control Mood Lighting and More with WiFi Connected Lightbulbs

You've probably noticed (and lamented) that the balance due at the bottom of your electricity bill has gradually risen over the past few years. Energy doesn't come cheap, and while work is being done to source new solutions it's rare to find an innovation that could make a real difference to your energy consumption in the foreseeable future.

Netherlands company NXP has developed a light bulb that uses simple silicon technology to connect to WiFi networks. Controlled from your iPhone, iPad or computer, GreenChip Smart Lighting can give you smarter options for when to flick the switch. Plus, the possibilities for mood lighting are endless.

“The GreenChip smart lighting solution signals a fundamental shift in the way we interact with lights – at home, in the office, even outdoors,” said John Croteau, senior vice president and general manager at NXP Semiconductors. “By bringing together wireless IP connectivity with our energy-efficient lighting and power conversion technologies in a compact, low-cost solution, we are transforming the way we design, control and manage lights. For individual consumers, Smart Lighting means highly personalised, intelligent lighting environments – lights that turn on and off when and where you need them, at the desired level of brightness – while saving power and electricity costs."

The smart lightbulb will cost around one dollar more than ordinary globes, and could be on the market as early as the start of 2012.

[Via Fast Company]