No device can really replace the feeling of being outside in the sunshine, but a good smart light could perhaps make spending time indoors more pleasant. Sunn Light is a smart and powerful LED light that changes its level of brightness automatically throughout the day to mimic the natural rhythm of the sun in your exact area.
There are two sizes of Sunn Light: the smallest measures 48.6 cm (19 in), contains a total of 240 LEDs, and outputs a maximum of 3,300 lumens, while the larger measures 60 cm (24 in), features 330 LEDs, and outputs up to 5,500 lumens. Both can be hung on a wall like a picture frame or professionally fitted, and you can install essentially as many Sunn Light units as you'd want (at least 100). Once paired with an iOS or Android device via Bluetooth, a Sunn Light detects its latitude and longitude, and mimics the natural rhythm of the sun in that area.
In addition, shaking a paired smartphone at night will activate Sunn Light's "midnight mode," which offers just enough illumination to navigate your way to the bathroom without waking anyone else up. Handily though, once paired, a Sunn Light will keep in sync with the sun for a year, so it doesn't require constant contact with your smartphone for its basic functionality.
Once set up, Sunn Light slowly begins glowing early in the morning, so as to mimic a sunrise, and can wake you up like Philips' Wake-up Light and lots of other similar products out there. As the day progresses, the brightness automatically increases to emulate the afternoon, before it fades later in the evening. You can also program it to match another location's daylight hours, if you'd prefer a little more sunlight than would be on offer in your area, or as an aid to try and get over jet lag.
The free companion app is compatible with Philips' hue and the LIFX, and will integrate into those lighting systems. A Sunn Light rep told Gizmag that both the hue and LIFX can be programmed to behave in the same way as the Sunn Light, and mimic the sun's rhythm with the app.
Sunn Light has already surpassed its Kickstarter goal of US$50,000, and as of this writing has seven days left to run. The cheapest pledge point that should, with luck, eventually snag you a smaller unit is US$289, including shipping in the US (shipping worldwide is extra). Delivery is estimated for April, 2015.
Check out the pitch video below for some more information on the Sunn Light.
Sources: Sunn Light, Kickstarter