flashlights in 10 years

[raggie33]

i think in 10 years they be completly difent.but i cant even imagine what the diferences will be?

 

[Rothrandir]

i think they will retain they're basic shape, but the powersupplys and bulbs (practically all leds or hid's by that point i would assume...) will be much more effiecient and brighter.

 

[notos&w]

i would like to see a more ergonomic design than the traditional barrel shape, but im not sure how that would work. there are a lot of persons here smarter than me, how would you design a more ergonomic light?

 

[raggie33]

some of us flasahloics may evolve to some light pruduceing super human

 

[Rothrandir]

i think ergonomics in a flashlight are a bad choice, unless they remained symetrical.
with a flashlight, evertyhing is even, so that you can easilly pick it up in any orientation, and turn it on with ease (especially lights with a tailswitch).
adding curves in various locations to appeal to the user while holding it an certain way can be a hinderance if held another way.

 

[PhotonBoy]

Super-efficient LEDs or quantum dot devices will be integrated into a lot of common devices like cell phones/PDAs, TV remote controls, garage door openers, calculators, watches and the like.

AA powered lights with 200 lumens of output will be available.

Many household incandescents will be replaced by higher output LEDs/QDots.

Thin OLED flat panel screens will replace TV screens and monitors.

Governments will be pushing LEDs/QDots to reduce the need to increase the number of expensive nuclear, hydro and thermal generating plants.

 

[AilSnail]

If these dots are more of a point source, then reflectors could be smaller?

 

[hula]

10 years is not that long a time but yes efficiency is probably the key factor that will have increased in this time.
Increased battery capacity will probably have increased noticeably but I don't think we'll ever have what would seem to be ever lasting batteries for obvious reasons.
Regulated flashlights will be more commonplace and be even more efficient. Tactical flashlights will be even more blinding but I wonder if they'll become subject to a form of control like laser pointers?
Watch this space I suppose.

 

[PhotonBoy]

Most of us were running Windows 3.1 and weren't on the 'net back in 1993.

 

[PhotonBoy]

I think the quantum dots could be considered a type of phosphor. Imagine a kind of tapioca pudding applied to the top of a blue LED; the dots are suspended in a binder.

 

[richpalm]

Politically: Our illustrious government will declare big flashlights illegal due to /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/twakfl.gif and tactical flashlights over a certain lumen amount will be subject to the same laws as firearms, being available to LE/military only. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif

Technically: More efficient battery technologies will be developed. Longer runtimes. Luxeon LED's will continue to evolve, becoming more efficient, brighter, cooler to run and cheaper. I don't think incandescent will come to a standstill but LED's will become a household instead of flashaholic thing. More hi-tech gases for incandescent bulbs will be found. Lumen ratings will go up for the same physical size.

Wish list: HID's at the same size and cost of incandescents. HID bulbs that are not "handle like eggs" or will break you. Long runtimes. Good HID's that are affordable and as easy to obtain and afford as the lights we deal with here. (my reason for not having an HID: $$$$)M*g will develop more stuff ,clean house managementwise or go belly-up. (I could care less!)

That's all I can think of for now. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Rich

 

[Bill.H]

We had a big thread on this a while ago, but I can't remember when, or what it was called. Can someone with a better memory than me do a search for it?

 

[Empath]

It was called 10 Years From Now, and ran in the LED forum.

 

[Bill.H]

Thanks, Empath!

I thought it was in here. Well, they say the memory is the 2nd thing to go....

 

[RevDavid]

I would imagine perhaps a variable led light... variable in color and output. Maybe with voice command... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/naughty.gif

"Light... switch to stealth mode."
<Light switches to infrared and your night vision
glasses go from full color to monochrome.>

David <><