DESPITE their vital role, light bulbs don’t often come to mind when we think of cutting-edge technology. That may be about to change, with a wave of tunable LED bulbs that promise to not only keep out the dark, but help us concentrate, relax, read or even improve our sleeping habits. On 30 October, electronics company Philips launched the Hue bulb, which can be tuned using a smartphone or tablet computer to bathe a room in almost any colour of light. The firm is promoting the light as a fun technology, as it comes with features such as changing colour when the phone is shaken, so party hosts can put on their own light shows.
