Bright lights are in the bag

Moldable electroluminescent films illuminate the inside of ladies' handbags.

Bayer MaterialScience in Germany (bayerbms.com), has established Lyttron Technology GmbH for the production of electroluminescent (EL) films that light up when electric current is applied. The films provide full-surface lighting without generating heat. Lyttron's technology lets the films mold into any shape. This is a step up from older EL materials that had to be flat.

The first production was for illuminating the inside of ladies' handbags. "The little light in the bag caused a sensation worldwide — we were inundated with inquiries from a range of industries including automotive designers looking for another way to light glove-box interiors," said Lyttron CEO Thilo-J. Werners. "We are also interested in the wide range of lifestyle products such as cell phones."