Features and UIs you would like to see in a flashlight?

I had a crazy idea of making my own microcontrolled current regulators for LED flashlights. (There's a thread somewhere over in the electronics forum for anyone that may be interested.) While it may not ever become a real product, I was curious what type of features you would normally want to see in a light besides the normal multiple brightness levels. What do you look for in a one button user interface for a flashlight?

Flashlights should be simple to use. If it's hard to get to, I tend to just not use it. Maybe a simple two or three stage brightness level that can be adjusted if you wanted to would do. I'm not sure if anyone would actually need something crazy as a programmable flashlight, but I guess it's something fun to have. Even the extra features on the HDS light seems a bit excessive to me. (Click 10 times to access mode X).

Your thoughts?

-Dacali

I think three light levels with selectable output for each level. For myself I would want a dim level for use at night similar in output to a Gerber Infinity Ultra. A brighter setting for general use and a maximum for when I need a lot of light.

With my CR2 Ion I have two levels but I find that I want access to three levels to meet all my needs. I have access to three levels by switching between primary and rechargeable batteries but that is cumbersome.

With my HDS I use minimum for walking around the house at night, secondary for a low power level to read books, primary at roughly 10 lumens for navigating outside and general use while retaining long runtime.


10 click to get into programming mode is very cumbersome. I've had my
HDS for almost 11 months now and I am just starting to get comfortable with the 10-click access to the menu. The advantage to 10-click is there is no possible way to accidentally enter the menu system. Perhaps five clicks?

I have never used strobe or sos or any of the other special modes of my HDS light.

I would say a three stage with selectable power levels for each stage would meet most peoples needs.

Brian

I think the FluPIC is great like it is now...

It's not regulated yet, can you make that happen ?

Cheers !

Thanks your replies! I think three levels would probably be a good balance too. What do you think is the best way to access the three different levels? I thought the HDS was fairly straightforward, but simplier is better!

Theoretically, making a regulator board with the FluPIC UI is possible, but I'm just designing the whole thing for my personal learning experience and enjoyment right now. I'm not planning on making production boards and competing with the other great vendors here! I'm an engineer--not a business person!

The code for the microcontrollers would probably be fairly straighforward to actually program and implement it, and the design of the buck/boost isn't exactly rocket science. I just wanted to show that it is possible to have an efficient intelligent buck/boost driver for LEDs.

-Dacali

Dacali,

My wish board will be a boost board size of AAA ARC or sandwich board(aleph compatible) that has multiple brightness(operated by power on and off(like pop or flupic), not nececcarily from a seperate momentary button) that can use 1-2 1.5v cells(or even single li-ion rechargable friendly) with high efficiency(90+% ?)....

Hope this board will materialize some day!

AuroraLite, it may be awhile before someone comes up with a microcontrolled solution running from one alakline or NiMH battery. It is possible for two of those cells or a single Li-Ion battery though! The problem is you need a minimum voltage for the microcontroller to work, and the lowest I've seen so far is 1.8V. I haven't looked very hard though.

Unforunately, my design will probably never get that small. I'm using discrete components instead of an integrated circuit. I just couldn't find a buck/boost IC that had good efficiencies that would run with the input voltages I wanted so I decided to come up with my own.

I thought the POP and FluPIC were microcontrolled LDO regulators though?

-Dacali

Dacali said:

I thought the POP and FluPIC were microcontrolled LDO regulators though?

Click to expand...

Yes, they are.

Unfortunately the HDS is the only multiple level light I have. Someone in another thread https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/114338
in the ARC forum was talking about the UI for one of Mr Bulk's lights in that it was simpler.

For the last few months my dream light has had these elements:

• CR2x2 -- side by side
  Small and comfortable in any pants pocket -- at home or away.
• One button UI just like Photon Freedom. Because of the way I use lights I prefer the PF UI to the HDS EDC UI (it's just a personal thing)
• Lux III at ~495-505nm.
• Must have PWM to maintain constant color throughout all output levels.
• I want a beam with the same characteristics as the HDS EDC. A tightish hotspot without much spill that can still be usefull at low output levels, like the EDC.

I normally use the dimmest light for the job or the dimest setting(s) on a multi-level light. The way I would use it a set of cells would last a long, long time and I'd still have the much higher output as an option if I really needed it.

I've got the wants for this one pretty bad... :sigh:

Hi Sub Umbra - well, I have number 1 in progress. 3 levels. Not fully regulated though, it just would not fit in the version I am making. UI is pretty simple - rotating knob. I am using a Lux V vs Lux III - not enough light for my taste.

Maybe after this one is finished there will be some electronics out which are a bit more compact.

HarryN -- Have you got a thread started on your new light, yet?