Working almost like an iPad cover/stand would, the ORY lamp is a nifty little flat-packed number that you can slide right into your backpack and carry wherever you need. Upon arriving at a dark setting that requires tabletop illumination, the sheet cleverly folds into a two-way tabletop lamp that shines light downwards and forwards, letting you easily light up a space for work, reading, dining, etc.
The nifty little Ory lamp (named for its origami abilities) assumes the shape of a flat sheet of faux leather, making it ridiculously easy to slide into backpacks, briefcases, or folders. It uses two powerful COB (Chip on Board) LEDs that sit flat within the lamp’s design, and comes with crease-lines that allow the flat leatherette sheet to transform into a tubular structure with two offshoots (sort of like two banana peels) that sport the LED strips facing downward. Switch the lamp on and the LEDs cast a bright direct light onto a tabletop surface. Flaps on the sides of the LEDs act as lamp-shades, preventing the direct glare from the LEDs from hitting your eye, while focusing the light downwards towards an otherwise dark tabletop surface.
Designer: Il-Seop Yoon
As interesting as the lamp may look visually, its internals are just as awe-inspiring. The lamp’s folding/flexing design still manages to cleverly integrate all the necessary electronics in, while still remaining deceptively flat. The lamp runs on a mobile phone Li-ion battery, giving it a slim construction, and even sports a wireless Qi-charging coil on the side, allowing you to fold the lamp up and place it on a wireless charger to juice up its battery. The absence of a traditional charging port, according to designer Il-Seop Yoon, allows the Ory lamp to be water-resistant too, so a couple of drops of rain (or a knocked-over cup of coffee) won’t do anything to the lamp.
Metal plates inside the lamp’s design give it structure while also providing the creasing necessary for the lamp to flip and fold. Moreover, I wouldn’t be surprised if they acted as a heat sink too, dissipating any of the thermal energy generated by the LEDs.
There aren’t too many technical details (or pricing) on the Ory, given that it’s currently just a proof of concept. Although, I’d really like to see the lamp hit production soon!
