Royal Philips kicked off celebrations of the one hundredth anniversary of Philips Research at a special stakeholder event in Eindhoven. Since the development of its first light bulb, the company is focusing on innovations that matter to people, such as technologies that will make healthcare more affordable and accessible, energy-efficient LED lighting solutions that will improve people’s wellbeing and make the world more sustainable, as well as locally relevant consumer appliances and services.
“Research-driven innovation is the lifeblood of Philips,” said Henk van Houten, General Manager Philips Research. “We are passionate to invent, partner and apply technology to help people succeed. By formulating ambitious innovation goals that relate to the key challenges people face, we inspire our scientists and partners to co-create impactful solutions that matter to people.”
Recognising the value of scientific research to the development of new products and technologies, Anton and Gerard Philips, the founders of the company, created Philips’ research laboratory, the Natuurkundig Laboratorium (NatLab) in 1914 in Eindhoven, the Netherlands. Led by renowned physicist Dr Gilles Holst, the laboratory’s research focused on discovering new sources of light, as well as radio and electron technology.
Reportedly, Philips has one of the world’s largest corporate research organisations. Philips Research operates globally and is spread across six international locations in North America, Europe and Asia, with Eindhoven in the Netherlands serving as its headquarters. In 2012, Philips invested more than Euro 1.8 billion in research and development. A significant percentage of this is invested in the corporate research organisation.
More recently, Philips’ research expertise has contributed to innovations such as the AlluraClarity interventional X-ray system that achieves excellent visibility at low X-ray dose levels for live guidance of minimally invasive procedures; the world’s most energy-efficient LED lamp breaking the 200 lumens per watt barrier and the AirFloss oral healthcare technology from Philips Sonicare.
Today Philips is focusing on digital solutions and experiences. The Philips hue personal wireless lighting system, the Philips Smart Air Purifier and a range of connected patient monitoring solutions combined with advanced clinical decision support tools to enable remote and bedside monitoring, testify how Philips is leading in innovating in the digital world to find new insights and bring value and meaning to people.
EH News Bureau
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