Floating freely above it’s wooden base, the Flyte levitating light hovers as though by magic.
Seemingly defying Isaac Newton’s law of universal gravitation, flyte is actually following all the rules. In this science and art mashup, flyte takes full advantage of Tesla’s ‘magic bag of tricks’.
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How it works
In order to stay floating up in the air, tucked away inside the base is an array of electromagnets. An outer set of magnets attract the bulb’s metal base in order to stabilise the bulb, while the inner ones create a slightly stronger repelling force forcing the bulb to lift off and hover a few centimetres in the air.
Then, in order to function as a light, flyte draws it’s power through a wireless induction charger, which supplies enough electricity for the bulb’s low power LED’s to illuminate. The base outputs around 5 volts which means your smart phone can charge from it too.
Lastly, the light is powered on and off with a capacitor switch, which means you can turn it on by simply touching your hand to the base.
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The setup is available in a range of styles and is crafted in Sweden from sustainably sourced oak, ash and walnut.
Priced at $299, the shatterproof bulb is rated to last for 22 years, which means your paying $13.50 p.year to display your very own piece of science in your living room.
(fun fact: Nikola Tesla spent a brief stint working for Thomas Edison).