The LED bulb has been with us for decades, but it's been on a long journey from humble, utilitarian origins as automotive and gadget light to sophisticated lighting fixtures in high-end design. With lower prices and higher efficiency than before, LEDs are looking like the wave of the future for general lighting. They're not there quite yet. But that's about to change.

　　LED已经问世十几年了，但这种灯泡一开始只是作为一种实用性工具，比如汽车和电器的灯泡，过了很久才用来做为高端设计的复杂照明设备。随着LED灯具价格的降低，发光效率的提高，它已经被视为未来照明的主流设备。虽然目前这一幕还没有变成现实，但这一切或许即将发生改变。

　　The market for LEDs for general purposes is expected to quadruple in the next five years according to McKinsey and Company. While for many that will mean simply replacing incandescent bulbs in existing lamps, designers showing at New York's recent Design Week have different ideas. Taking advantage of new possibilities provided by LEDs' compact size, low heat, range of color temperatures, and flexibility, as well as lower pricing and standardization in manufacturing, designers are exploring new territory beyond the traditional bulb-and-shade format and redefining what it means to be a lamp.

　　据麦肯锡公司（McKinsey）预计，未来五年，LED普通照明市场的规模将达到现在的四倍。虽然对于大部分人来说，这一点仅仅意味着把家里的白炽灯泡换成LED灯泡，但是在最近纽约设计周上，设计师们却向人们展示了更多别具一格的创意。LED灯有着体积紧凑、发热少、色温范围广、功能丰富以及价格便宜和便于标准化生产的特点，因而设计师可以利用这些特点突破传统灯泡的光影模式，重新阐释灯具的意义。

　　Seed Lamp by Nervous System. "3D printing allows us to create a complex organic form and the compact size of LEDs was key."

　　Nervous System设计的“萌芽灯具”系列：“三维打印技术能令我们创造出复杂的有机体造型，而LED紧凑的体积是这一切的关键所在。”