As connected lighting networks grow, processing data solely in the cloud presents challenges with latency, bandwidth, and reliability. The solution is the rise of edge computing in luminaires and local gateways. By embedding modest processing power within the lighting infrastructure itself, data from onboard sensors (motion, light, temperature) can be analyzed locally in real-time. This enables immediate, autonomous decisions—such as a light turning on when motion is detected or dimming in response to daylight—without waiting for a round-trip to a cloud server. This reduces latency to milliseconds, ensures functionality even if internet connectivity is lost, and enhances user privacy by processing sensitive data (like occupancy) locally. Edge computing forms a distributed intelligence network, making lighting systems more responsive, resilient, and efficient, paving the way for truly smart and autonomous environments.
