-By AnnMarie Marano

For a product category that has not seen too many changes or advancements for the better part of 50 years, task lighting is finally starting to get some action.

Increasingly more user-friendly and energy efficient, task lights are now utilizing LED technology, compact fluorescent bulbs, and a level of controls that even includes light intensity and color temperature.

The Leaf personal light from Herman Miller is turned on and off by a simple touch to the product, and the intensity and desired blend of warm and cool light is achieved by running a finger along a groove in the base. It has 20 LEDs, and uses 8-9 watts of power, or 40 percent less than a compact fluorescent bulb.

Another good example of enhanced user control is the soon-to-be introduced "My White Light" series of luminaries from Artemide, which will generate all the tones of white light, from the warmest to the coolest. This spectrum is achieved by combining red, green, and blue fluorescent lighting, all controlled by the user for individual preference.

It seems that LEDs are taking the task lighting world by storm. Due to their small size, they offer industrial designers the ability to redefine the product, experimenting with new materials, shapes, and forms. But some say that the energy efficiency of LEDs is still a few years behind that of the latest compact fluorescents.

Task lights, by nature, contribute to the most energy-efficient workspaces because it's more efficient to light documents and other desk-based items right from the desktop than from the ceiling. But the most efficient workspaces of the future will utilize a smart combination of natural light, task lights, and ambient lights that will be designed to work off of each other, allowing individuals to decide how much illumination they want in their own workstations. Combining lowered ambient light levels with increased task light levels can reduce energy consumption by almost 50 percent while providing users with four to five times more worksurface illumination. Blanketing an office in light is not feasible anymore for any type of commercial LEED project. So moving forward, they will have to consider task lights as a solution.

Aesthetically speaking, the actual form of the task light has not changed dramatically over the years. But new arms are on the horizon, thanks to the fact that electrical components of the fixtures are so lightweight. The new arms will be combined with smaller fixture heads with user interfaces, allowing the light to become part of a workspace without taking up any room.

The incarnation of this evolution can be seen in Haworth's Brazo task light, recipient of the Best of NeoCon® 2007 Best of Competition award. The slender, multi-adjustable arm positions 18 energy-efficient LEDs in a row to cast down light in a linear fashion across a worksurface. And a 360-degree head rotation with 90-degree adjustability allows for maximum flexibility. Also the first task light to offer focus control, Brazo's light spread is controlled by the simple rotation of the glass tube dial at the front of the shade.

So the face might get a lift, but the essence will stay the same. Task lights of the future will be more efficient, but less present, and will work well with cousins natural and ambient light.