Interactive street lamps respond to smoggy weather

An experimental program is under way in Beijing's northern suburbs to develop an intelligent lighting system that will adapt to changes in natural light and visibility.

The program, which is being developed by a branch company of the State Grid, aims to increase road lighting when smog or other conditions reduce visibility on roads, according to a report in the Beijing Evening News on Wednesday.

The project uses sodium light sources for street lamps in Nanfeng Road, Changping district, with the intensity of lighting increasing as the smog intensifies.

The head of the research program said the new system makes use of technology that connects various objects in an interactive and responsive network - a concept known as the Internet of Things.

Once it is implemented, the program could cut the energy consumption of road lighting systems by up to 60 percent, the report said.