The proposed effort in this Innovation-Corps project develops a LED-based product to replace fluorescent industrial lighting. The ubiquitous linear fluorescent T8 light bulb generates over 3300 lumens, while the brightest LED-based replacement generates less than 2500 lumens. However, customer desire for an adequate LED-based T8 replacement remains strong, and a bulb that can exceed the 3300 lumens brightness barrier and offer good light quality can capture much of the market. To address this market demand, the team proposes to experimentally validate a lighting architecture based on mercury-free, low-cost, off-the-shelf components that can exceed 3300 lumens brightness, match or improve upon the color temperature and color rendering index of current linear fluorescent lamps, while exhibiting a spatially uniform emission pattern.
The team's proposed lighting architecture enables a LED-based, drop-in linear fluorescent replacement with greater power conversion efficiency across the entire visible spectrum compared to typical white LED technologies, while providing a more eye-pleasing light quality. Importantly, the proposed design utilizes commercially-available, highly efficient, and highly tunable luminescent dyes that enable unrivaled spectral engineering and adaptation for numerous specialized markets (e.g. hydroponics, museums, etc.), while allowing the component / supply stream to become completely independent from the fluctuations in the price and availability of rare earth elements.
Current LED-based products primarily target the Edison socket / incandescent market, while all available LED-based linear fluorescent replacements fail to satisfy customer needs with regard to brightness and light quality. Arborlight proposed new solutions to provide both high quality and efficient LED lighting products without the restrictions of traditional form factors. This commercialization potential was enabled by two prior NSF research projects. In this I-CORPS project, Arborlight went through the customer discovery process developed and taught by Steve Blank. We conducted nearly 100 interviews with customers, sales channels, suppliers, strategic partners, investors, and etc. Throughout the project, the team continuously revised the business canvas based on the inputs received from the interviews. During the interviews, the team focused on understanding the needs of the customers and how those needs can be potentially met by the product of Arborlight. Such a process allowed the team to quickly revise the product strategy without the minimal resources and time possible. It also considerably increased the likelihood of commercialization successes. Worldwide, lighting consumes about 19% of all electricity, with similar rates in the EU (14%) and U.S. (22%) – a significant technological opportunity for efficient LEDs to save energy. Although this represents a significant market opportunity, many LED related companies are struggling. The I-CORPS curriculum can allow us to identify a viable market strategy at the earliest possible stage of the company building. As a result of these efforts, Arborlight has successfully incorporated at the conclusion of the I-CORPS program and has received seed fundings to develop LED based daylight emulators. A Phase I NSF SBIR proposal has also been submitted.
