LED carpets to light up industry

Philips, the Dutch technology company, has developed what they believe to be the future of flooring - a 'Luminous Carpet'.

Having worked on the idea for a few years, the carpets have already been shipped out to North America following its official launch at the Lightfair International trade show in New York.

The idea of installing carpets that contain LEDs is not a new one - Philips have actually been working on the concept since 2013 when it chose to partner up with Desso, a high-end flooring manufacturer based in Europe.

American floors could be seeing the spread of these carpets as they will obviously prove popular as an alternative to the more traditional standard pile. Airports especially may look favourably upon the Luminous Carpet, with built-in arrows directing travellers to their luggage or gate.

Each carpet is made up of a thin layer of LED lights that are fitted underneath a special layer of 'light transmissive' carpet. When the lights are turned on, the LEDs clearly shine through; when they're turned off, they are hidden from view by the carpet. Philips has conducted its own set of tests that concluded the Luminous Carpet is able to withstand spills, cleaning and heavy foot traffic without LED issues.

The applications for this type of technological carpet could be wide-reaching. As well as holding a directional purpose, the carpet could be used for informative means. A publisher in Berlin that fitted the Luminous Carpet in its main entrance used it to display their website newsfeed. Philips also highlighted potential safety uses, such as fire safety when smoke may obscure the view to other signs.

Philips has yet to announce any other specific destinations for the Luminous Carpet, but there has been interest already from across the globe.