Venture beyond the enormous exhibits of the annual Consumer Electronics Show and one can discover tucked in its corners some weird and wonderful fringe technologies. Example: Panasonic’s CES 2020 booth harbored projects offered by their experimental lab, 100BANCH, including a hanging light fixture capable of producing colorful shadows with hallucinogenic effects using separate red, green, and blue.
If the purpose of the RGB_Light seems primarily colorful and exploratory, 100Banch’s other nearby project, Stand By D, is practical in nature – an automated solution which may aid a country facing mounting challenges posed by an increasingly aging population.
In its standard configuration, the Stand By D has the appearances of a large contemporary desk lamp. Look carefully and one notices the lamp is comprised of two arms tucked tightly together. The smaller arm houses an array of LED lights intended to perform the typical duties of a light while also hiding a camera sensor. Called upon, the lamp monitors the surface of the desk and unfolds, revealing a “hand” mechanism capable of carefully picking up and putting away wayward pieces of stationery or other supplies left out.
While Stand By D’s ability to declutter surfaces automatically may spark joy amongst the organized set, the technology’s greatest potential is in serving households where age, chronic disability, or temporary injuries may prevent a person from cleaning/organizing without discomfort. In the future, homes, workplaces, and public areas may be assigned similar robotic aid, always ready to keep spaces and places neat and tidy.
