Balancing Magnetic Switch Lamp

Newton's Cradle meets abacus meets the first day of creation in these balance lamps with magnetic switches. Li Zanwen created the desk lamp design with a pair of magnetic wooden balls on strings at the center that attract and hold one another suspended in their field when "latched" together. Even cooler, this action also triggers the light's internal switch, flicking it on when the balls are both hovering, and off when you pull the bottom ball away.

The magnetic balancing act won Zanwen a 2016 Red Dot Best of the Best Award, and now the lamp is widely available from various overseas manufacturers who are likely not sharing a cut of their profits with Zanwen. Newer iterations of the lamp have also emerged, including rechargeable rather than wired versions, and those made with metal frames and magnetic balls.

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