We can all use an extra lamp, but most lamps are ridiculously bulky, and they’re not particularly versatile. Not a lot of engineering thought goes into lighting, really. The Lumio, however, solves a lot of problems you didn’t realize you had.
Lumio
The engineering on this is very, very clever; it’s essentially a paper lantern modernized with a few new touches. The cover of the book is made of wood, so it’s durable and cheap, and it has magnets built into the covers so you can stick it to any metal surface, or attach it to itself. The “pages” are actually Tyvek, which is pretty much indestructible and easy to clean. The light source is in the spine, a bunch of high output LEDs.
It’s designed to charge off an external adapter and be tucked into a briefcase, suitcase or bag like a book. When you need a lamp, just take it out, open it up, and it automatically clicks on.
Currently, Lumio is up to three times its initial Kickstarter goal, with plans to deliver in summer 2013. If you’ve got a need for a portable lamp, now would be a good time to grab it: It starts at $95.
Lumio [Kickstarter]