Mar 6 2008
Anyone who has ever stubbed their toe getting out of bed or wished there was some way to brighten up their drab living room floor could be saved by a new invention by two engineering students from London South Bank University (LSBU).
Zoe Robson (26) and Leona Dean (34) plan to brighten up our lives when they exhibit their new invention - the Footlume - at London’s Ideal Home Show in March. Footlume is an electro-luminescent rug which lights up when pressure is applied to it. According to experts*, responsive surfaces are the next big thing in interiors for fashion savvy homeowners, and the pair want to be at the forefront of the revolution.
Zoe and Leona met in 2005 while studying for a BSC course in Engineering Design. While there they developed the idea for several products, including the Footlume. They started their own company – Zolo Designs – and won a place on LSBU’s Enterprise Associate Scheme which supports students with entrepreneurial flair. Upon completion of the course they will receive a formal academic qualification in the form of an MSc in Enterprise by Learning Contract.
Commenting on the opportunity to exhibit Footlume at the 2008 Ideal Home Show, Leona Dean said: “We were asked to exhibit on the Future Concepts stand along with other products that are going to shape tomorrow’s homes and lifestyles.
“The product has so many uses. The glow that the rug emits is very soft, and so can be helpful as a child’s night light, to help the elderly to find their way in the dark, or even to light the way to bed after a night in the pub without waking up your partner. It is pressure operated and runs on very little power from re-chargeable batteries, so it can be used anywhere in the home as it requires no installation.
“It can provide ambient mood lighting, or flash in time to music as a talking point at a party. The manufacturing techniques mean that the styling of the product can easily be changed to suit the end user.”