A component for establishing electrical contact between at least one functional element and a textile or the like. The component includes a main body, which accommodates at least one electrical component and/or one functional element, and includes connection elements for establishing electrical contact with electrically conductive regions of the textile or the like.

A knee gear for protecting a knee from external impacts and illuminating a path of a user. the knee gear can be wrapped around the knee using straps. The knee gear includes one or more lights to couple to a cover member or an elongated pad of the knee gear.

Lighted headgear are provided that include removable self-contained light modules. The self-contained light modules can include a housing that contains one or more light sources and a rechargeable power source. The housing may include a protruding engagement portion for removably securing the self-contained light module to a cap portion of the lighted headgear.

The invention relates to an embodiment in which the textile component comprises at least one flexible thread that can be woven. A plurality of semiconductor columns are attached in or on the thread and are configured to generate radiation. Furthermore, a plurality of electrical lines are located in or on the thread, by means of which lines the semiconductor columns are electrically contacted. An average height (H) of the semiconductor columns in a direction transverse to a longitudinal direction (L) of the thread is at most 20% of an average diameter (D) of the thread.

Systems and devices for temporarily disabling an assailant or other target using disabling flashes of light from a light-emitting device. A tactical lighting system also includes protective eyewear that is paired with the light-emitting device and configured to shutter in synchronization with the pattern of disabling light flashes to protect the wearer’s eyes while disabling an assailant or other target. In one embodiment, the tactical lighting system is modular, with each module being functional independently of the other modules.

An illuminated eyewear includes a lens support including a frame with a pair of rims and a bridge that is attached to and extends between the rims. A first temple is attached to one of the rims and a second temple is attached to another one of the rims. A pair of lenses is mounted to the frame wherein each of the rims engages one of the lenses. A light source is mounted on the lens support and illuminating perimeter edges of the lenses when the light source is turned on.

Color changing systems include a color changing article or device that includes a color, text, and pattern changing hardware. Smart devices or other standalone controllers provide software instructions to the color changing hardware to produce colors, patterns, and text which appear on the articles or devices. A software app running on the smart device or standalone controller initiates a method of changing colors, text, and patterns of apparel, devices, hard goods, and accessories. The color changing systems include fabrics and other materials including LEDs, LED fiber optic fabrics, electroluminescence (EL), bioluminescence, electrochromatics, E-ink, OLED, light guides, printed nano LEDs, photonic ink, and other materials. The systems selectively apply an analog voltage or data stream to the output material to produce an article with a selected color, text, or pattern. A camera or color detector can be used to select colors for display.

There is provided lighted headgear having various configurations, components thereof, and other accessories combined therewith. Also provided are accessories including light modules for use with headgear, clothing, or the like.

Footwear including an external LED-based lighting arrangement is described, where the lighting arrangement is coupled to the outer surface of the footwear and controlled to change the color appearance of the footwear as desired. The lighting arrangement may use individual LEDs, strings of LEDs, or optical fibers illuminated by LEDs. The arrangement may be directly attached to the surface of the footwear, or embedded within a covering that may be removably attached to the footwear.

Techniques for creating, configuring, and employing diffusion light devices are presented. Such light device(s) can comprise or be associated with a light management component (LMC) that can employ sensors to monitor environmental conditions in a defined area of people or vehicles, and a diffusion component that can diffuse or otherwise process light. At a least a portion of the diffusion component and/or a light component can be formed of a fabric that can emit light and/or diffuse light. LMC can enhance function of the light device to manage diffusion of light or perform other tasks to enhance user experience and safety and security of people or vehicles. Based on results of analyzing sensor data relating to the conditions, LMC can determine and facilitate implementing an adjustment(s) to a parameter(s) of the diffusion component or light component to achieve desired emission or diffusion of light.