Member Article

Bomb artist gets green light

Durham lighting firm Polyphotonix have used their innovative organic lighting technology to help London artist Diego Trujillo create a “300 Year Time Bomb.”

The art installation, which is on display at London’s Royal College of Art this week, explores the influence technology has had on society’s perception of time.

Using Polyphotonix’s organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs), Trujillo has created a glowing green timer that displays the bomb’s 300 year countdown in seconds.

Trujillo said: “200 years ago, people lit a candle when they returned from work and went to bed when it burned out, but technology now has a huge influence on we perceive time.

“If the bomb were found 100 years from now and safely stored for historical significance, by the time it exploded, the passage of time and use of electronics will have changed its nature from a threat to a spectacular display.”

The numbers in the display are specifically designed to require very low amounts of power and the energy efficiency and durability of OLEDs

As solid state devices composed of thin films of organic molecules, OLEDs light up on the application of electricity in a process called electro-phosphorescence.

Richard Kirk, Director of Polyphotonix said: “This is one of the first times OLED technology has been used in an art piece and provides excellent way of displaying how much brighter, thinner, lighter and energy efficient OLED technology is in comparison to more tradition LED and LCD displays.”

With help from Enterprise Europe Network North East, based at Centre for Process Innovation, Polyphotonix has recently accessed over £1m in project funding, including Technology Inspired Innovation and SBRI grants from Technology Strategy Board.

The funding will be used in order to develop new OLED technology for more novel applications.

Richard added: “Not only has Enterprise Europe Network North East enabled us to continue to explore OLED technology for innovative areas such as architecture and automotive features, but, their support has allowed us to become one of the first companies in the UK to develop a platform process capability that will permit the high volume manufacture of commercial OLED’s at a low cost and hence, further grow our IP portfolio.”

The 300 Year Time Bomb will be on display from June 21 until July 1 at Show Battersea, on London Parkgate Road.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Tom Keighley .