Is ‘OLED’ The Future Of Outdoors Lighting?

Imagine a light that uses less energy than LED, can be designed into flexible objects, generates no heat, and won’t attract bugs.

Those are some of the promises of TripLit, which is claimed to be the “world’s first portable OLED light.”

OLEDs (organic light-emitting diodes) are, as the name says, light-emitting surfaces created by sandwiching organic chemicals between layers of clear plastics.

The chemicals produce light when electricity flows through an adjacent conductive layer. The light is diffused, much like you’d see from a television screen in a dark room.

TripLit, made by Los Angeles-based ALKILU Enterprises LLC, uses this technology in its new lighting product, which is currently raising funds on Kickstarter.

The company claims because the light does not produce ultra-violet radiation, it does not attract insects.

Move Over LED?

The product can purportedly provide 30 hours of light on a single charge. It runs off a USB rechargeable battery.

OLED technology is intriguing as it can be flexed into many shapes. This particular product is a flat screen, but future development of OLED lighting could give designers a new tool to make illumination products in non-traditional shapes and configurations.

Will OLED change the face of outdoors lighting? The technology relies on batteries and charging like LEDs. And it’s pricy. The TripLit sells for a hefty $100 on Kickstarter, which is a lot for a simple lantern and due in part to the unique manufacturing process.

But this application of new technology opens a door for some out-of-the-box design. What if tent windows could light up at night? Or maybe other flexible surfaces like sailboat sails or even outerwear? Items like that could come to market if OLED gains momentum.

Sure, this product is pedestrian in design — it’s basically a camp light that is reasonably efficient. But we applaud ALKILU for trying something new in the continual push to make gear better and more efficient for the outdoors.