Thin Organic Prototypes Design Research Applications with Enduser Recognition

A consortium led by Thorn Lighting is building a full-scale office lighting system using flexible, paper-thin organic light-emitting polymers and a low-voltage DC power grid. The project, called TOPDRAWER, runs for two and a half years and includes partners from industry (CDT, Tridonic, Pilkington) and the University of Durham. The problem is that current office lighting—typically fluorescent tubes or LEDs on high-voltage AC circuits—wastes energy and limits design flexibility. Polymer OLEDs can be printed onto glass or plastic, creating uniform, glare-free light from surfaces that are literally as thin as a sheet of paper. But they are not yet efficient or durable enough for commercial use. TOPDRAWER aims to solve this by developing new high-performing light-emitting polymers, glass coatings that extract more light from the device, and potentially novel anode designs. Running the whole system on a separate extra-low-voltage DC grid (SELV) also improves safety and efficiency by removing the need for multiple power converters. If successful, the consortium will demonstrate a working concept installation in high-profile locations by April 2013. This could accelerate the shift toward energy-efficient, architecturally integrated lighting—where ceilings, walls, or windows themselves become light sources—reducing both electricity consumption and the material footprint of lighting fixtures.