A bright future for toy

By Yan Zhen  |   2008-6-25  |     NEWSPAPER EDITION

A LOCAL university student has invented an energy-saving light-emitting diode toy lamp which can change its shape and design, officials at the East China Normal University announced.

The lamp, invented by Yao Yi, an undergraduate student at ECNU's engineering design department, won the first prize in the Philip Lamp Contest, one of the city's top awards for lighting.

But a lack of professional support is holding back production and marketing, the student inventor said.

Very different to conventional toy lamps with bulbs and shades, this invention has a circular base with more than 40 small LED lights covered by a smiling balloon.

When the balloon is inflated it changes the lamp's shape and brightness.

The award-winning invention lacks the resources to go any further. "As a contestant, I carried out every step of the lamp's design and manufacture by myself," Yao said. "But a strong professional support team is now needed."