Is Your Carpet Trying to Tell You Something?

No, this is not a joke. Carpets that direct and inform you are coming to an airport or office building near you. They light up with information, pointing you in the direction of conference rooms, rest rooms, food courts or the nearest exit over the wing of the aircraft you’re flying in.

This is, of course, not science fiction but it is the direct result of a cutting-edge Dutch electronics company, Philips, joining forces with another Dutch firm better known for its aesthetics, Desso carpets. The result is carpeting that lights up to create moods, signs, directions or any other kind of message you would like embedded into it.

The way The Philips and Desso Carpets™ solution works is a layer of LEDs are placed beneath a special kind of light-transmissive carpet. The super-thin LED units come with protection from liquid spills and other hazards. The LEDs can be arranged into any message you desire so that the embedded light in the carpet acts as a sign on the floor instead of a sign on a wall. Installation is relatively easy but does require planning and professional help.

Both Philips and Desso believe their system will get more notice than wall signs because people have a tendency to look down, rather than up when walking.

The companies have designed their LED carpeting to interface with most building management systems so they can easily be controlled and monitored.

This simple idea is beginning to show up around the world and promises to streamline the way we move through our public spaces. Be on the lookout for it in hotels, conferences centers, arenas and most places where people gather.

Is your carpet trying to tell you something? It sure is, and it’s high time we looked down and started paying attention to it.

Konica Minolta Sensing recommends the LS-100 Luminance Meter and CS-100A Luminance and Color Meter for precise and reliable photometric measurements of all light emitting surfaces from flat panel TVs to LEDs in carpets.

Photo via geek.com