Flexible Electromagnetically-Actuated Optical Micro Light Pipes

The last decade has witnessed a heightened interest in making buildings more sustainable which has been fueled largely by the increase in energy costs and advancements in manufacturing technology. Lighting consumes a substantial amount of this energy that has made it necessary to look for alternative technology that depends more on natural lighting. Researchers at the University of California Berkeley have developed a building block material that channels solar radiation into a building or a device to reduce the dependence on artificial lighting especially during peak time. This novel material consists of coated optical fibers (light pipes) that can be actuated with energy-efficient electromagentic filed to channel the light in any user specified and adjustable inclination and intensity.