Like most teenagers, Simon Morris wanted to have his own hover board (provided they made this in his lifetime). Such was his desire that it led to an obsession with magnetic levitation. It was not long before he started building his own hover board prototypes with magnets. His family and friends were highly amused.
He finally created his first magnetic hover board prototype that did work, but was not technically “rideable”. With unbridled enthusiasm, he began expanding his magnetic levitation to a form of craft where he started working with brands like Nike and Urban Ears. He helped them build magnetic levitation installations for products ranging from headphones to shoes to speakers.
His passion for technology led him to throw some of it in the mix. So, he began to experiment with wireless power. He drew inspiration from none other than the experiments that Nikola Tesla began in the late 1800s. The result was a completely new way of looking at light that came forth in the form of Flyte Levitating Light.
According to Morris, wireless power transfer transmission has been around since the time of Nikola Tesla. The makers have combined Tesla’s technology with magnetic levitation and have opened up a whole new world of possibilities. The wireless power module transmits about 5V and is absolutely safe and harmless. This invention is a way of making Tesla and Edison friends.
Flyte has been designed in Sweden and does not need any batteries. It powers light in the air via induction. The base is made out of sustainably- sourced oak, ash, or walnut, and the light bulb uses LEDs that are energy efficient and are rated at 50,000 hours. This means that the levitating light will keep your desk or study illuminated for 12 hours each day for 11 years!
It looks extremely simple, but Flyte packs a punch. It is an impressive blend of art and science. To turn the unit on or off, you will have to touch the surface of the wood base. It has a capacitive touch sensor embedded under the wood surface.
If you want to design your own Flyte, fret not! The device comes with an optional “Maker Kit” that has a base and a magnet with four ultra-bright LEDs that are powered wirelessly via induction. This device has been created after years of research using magnetic levitation and induction technologies. The makers have been in touch with manufacturers and are ready to start producing Flyte. But, they are falling short of funds to make this dream a reality. As a result, they have turned to Kickstarter to raise the money. The makers have moved out of the prototyping phase and are now ready to bring Flyte to the consumers. Flyte costs about $299 and you can buy one from http://www.flyte.se
