LED technology has come a very long way since its dim beginnings on electronic interfaces. Now, people are throwing around terms like LiFi, which refers to using LED lighting to transmit data between electronic devices. We use LED lights to heal the body and soothe the mind, to grow food and kill bacteria. While many of the coolest innovations in LED lighting are currently out of reach for normal consumers, there are many products that are very much available that may have slipped by unnoticed. Here are five cool products that you may not have heard of but are going to love.

1. LED Channel Rays

Channel Rays represent some advancements in indirect LED lighting. You can use Channel Rays for cove lighting but also for making things like light boxes. They come in multiple colors and can be used indoors or outdoors. Of course the rated life is generally very high and energy consumption very low. A great new product you should definitely know about!

2. Solar Reading Lights

Back in May we partnered with Unite to Light, a non-profit organization that delivers solar reading lights (Complete with USB chargers) to people living off the grid around the world. These lights provide a safe alternative to using gas to provide enough light for studying at night. Because many populations around the world undergo high stakes testing that determines eligibility for continuing school past the sixth grade, these lights can make a huge impact on young people’s lives and indeed the health of their communities, since poverty is linked to health and education linked to higher incomes. But these lights are great for us in luckier circumstances as well. Take them camping, take them on road trips, take them to the hammock: This technology is clean and makes good sense.

3. LED Tape/Rope Hybrid

You’ve heard of LED tape, and you’ve heard of LED rope, but have you heard of their well-balanced offspring, the LED tape/rope hybrid? This product is really neat because it combines the versatility of LED rope with the flat shape of LED tape to create a product that can do all kinds of things in all kinds of conditions. You can use LED tape rope in the kitchen for energy-efficient under or over cabinet lighting; you can wrap your deck with it; you can slide into coves or under kick boards for indirect lighting, or you can use it in the yard for eye-catching landscape lighting. Efficient and inexpensive, this is a product you should know about.

4. Battery Operated LED Spotlight

This is a solid product that surprises with the power it delivers. This is a motion sensor spotlight that runs on four D alkaline batteries. Because the light turns off automatically, the batteries last a long time while delivering enough power for a light beam of 300 lumens. I like this product so much.

5. Smart Lighting

Did you know that the technology necessary for you to change the color and intensity of your lights with your smartphone already exists and is even relatively accessible? I mean, it isn’t super cheap, but it’s here and available. Perhaps the most exciting thing about LED lighting is that it allow lighting to become more than just a utilitarian thing you use to either carry out functional tasks like walking around without hitting the furniture or enjoy aesthetic things like dimmed lights at dinner. LED lighting now allows for more therapeutic effects from your household lighting. For example, mimicking the natural rhythms of the sun has proven psychological benefits. This is an exciting time in the development in lighting, and smart lighting products that already exist are heralding a new age of beneficial LED lighting.