The Seil Bag: a bike backpack with turn signals! The Seil Bag consists of a printed circuit board with LED lights attached to a backpack. Equipped with a detachable wireless controller, riders can easily employ various signals such as directional arrows and emergency lights. South Korean Lee Myung Su won a 2010 red dot design award for her creation.
posted by Fizz on Sep 18, 2010 - 45 comments

RONJA is an optical networking device that can be built by nearly everyone, using readily available components and using only free software.
posted by goodnewsfortheinsane on Feb 7, 2007 - 23 comments

Scrolling LED Belt Buckles. My mind runs away with me about what to use those 256 characters to say.
posted by 13twelve on Apr 5, 2005 - 47 comments

Flexgrid. A flexible LED display developed to be imbedded on a dress for the Milan Triennial 2005.
posted by Hands of Manos on Dec 22, 2004 - 27 comments

The end of the light bulb? E. Fred Schubert, a professor at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute "claims to have invented a 99-percent efficient reflector that promises to speed the replacement of light bulbs with LEDs." According to researchers, this could happen within the next five years. The current prototype is bankrolled by the ARPA and The National Science Foundation "recently award Schubert's team a $210,000 grant to create in three years a commercial version of his patented omnidirectional reflector."

"Schubert claimed that lighting accounts for 25 percent of U.S. electrical energy consumption. Since white LEDs emit more light per dollar and generate less unwanted heat, they are potentially a major energy saver." (see EE Times link)

Meanwhile, some of the oldtimers seem to be pretty refractory.
posted by tcp on Jul 24, 2004 - 10 comments

The Vos Pas is an apartment that it's owner has lit entirely with LEDs. More here.
posted by ukamikanasi on Jan 10, 2004 - 18 comments

"Arrr, matey, insecure transaction off the port bow!" Data can be stolen as it is transferred by recording and interpreting the flashing of LED lights on your equipment. Theoretically, then, your data isn't safe within viewing distance of a telescope, unless some engineer comes up with an ingenious workaround.
posted by Hildago on Mar 7, 2002 - 20 comments

The end of Edison's greatest invention. All good things must come to an end, I suppose. This one lasted longer than most of the 19th century's great inventions -- like the steam locomotive.
posted by Steven Den Beste on Dec 12, 2000 - 10 comments