Care for a little more room ambience? Let me light a couple of candles...with my smartphone?
LuDela has introduced a high-tech candle that produces a real flame.
The founder of LuDela, 44-year-old Jamie Bianchini of Nevada, says the candle can be lit and extinguished from a smartphone thanks to Bluetooth technology and embedded sensors. The team calls it "Wi-Fire" technology.
"There’s a total of 10 sensors inside of this thing, we’ve kind of over-engineered it in a positive way," said Bianchini.
Some of the sensors are used for safety purposes, he said. The candle can reportedly detect when it's tipping over and extinguish itself by switching on a tiny fan near the wick.
Bianchini says the pillar candle is electric, so there's no gas involved. It also uses wax fillers that feed upwards, keeping the flame at the top.
But more than this interesting product, is the company's social mission. The name LuDela is a combination of Luca and candela, according to Bianchini. Luca is biblical for the bringer of light, and candela is the unit of luminous intensity.
For every candle that is sold, the founder says one solar light will be sent to someone in extreme poverty in Africa.
The reason? The idea for the device was born on the founder's eight year journey around 81 countries to develop a deeper connection to this world.
"Long story short, I almost burned down my hotel room by candle," said Bianchini. The next day, the idea for a smart solution was born.
In Africa, he says he found many people using kerosene lamps for light.
Using proceeds from the candle sales, Bianchini said he wanted to help provide them with a better option.
The LuDela smart candle is available for preorder for $99 and shipments are expected to start in 2017.
"A lot of people thought it was a crazy idea, they didn’t get it 100 percent," said Bianchini. "I -- from the deepest part of my core -- knew it was and is going to be a revolutionary way of people enjoying natural light."
