Electroluminescent Lumilor coating transforms any surface into a lamp

Thanks to advances in LED and lasers, an emphasis on lamp design is a rapidly growing trend. But what if any or all of a car's surfaces, inside or out, could become lamps at the flick of a switch?

That question has been partially answered by Darkside Scientific. The US firm has developed and patented an electroluminescent coating technology that generates light when an electrical current is applied to it.

Called LumiLor, the coating is applied with a conventional spray gun as used in a professional car body shop, then sealed with a clear top coat. The surface looks completely normal until a current is passed through it, which causes it to light up.

The coating can be applied to plastic, wood, glass and carbon fiber, and is flexible enough to be used on compound curves of almost 180 degrees. Colors include white, green, blue and orange, and the coating can be wired for effects including strobing, sound activation, and pattern sequencing.

LumiLor was originally conceived for aftermarket customizers, giving motorcycle tuners an authentic Tron Light Cycle look. However, it seems to present some compelling ways of giving cars unique light signatures, adding extra luminescence to emergency service vehicles, or adding a new dimension to a show car.

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By Tom Phillips