Visitors to the recent Furniture Fair in Milan had the chance to witness something quite revolutionary in lighting. The four working prototypes presented by Philips looked more like artistic sculptures than traditional luminaires. Each variation - tabletop, floor-standing, wall-mounted and a hanging chandelier - consisted of tantalizingly thin, aluminum 'light blades'.

But it wasn't just the appearance that was different. The light sources used in each version were a combination of conventional LEDs and organic LEDs (OLEDs). The OLEDs, which are not much thicker than a credit card and can therefore be used in a multitude of interesting new ways, were used on the flat surface of the blades, with LEDs integrated into the thin edges.

These concepts represent an exploration into how this emerging OLED technology can be applied. In addition, their whole form language - together with the amazingly simple and gesture-based way in which they are operated - was specifically designed to reflect and emphasize the properties of the light being created.

+ Read the full story on how these unique propositions were created.