Petzl NAO Headlamp – “Best of What’s New” by Popular Science

CLEARFIELD, Utah (November 19th, 2012) – Petzl, originator of the modern headlamp and leader in Hands-Free Lighting®, has been recognized by Popular Science magazine’s Best of What’s New awards for its most recent innovation, the NAO, with REACTIVE LIGHTING technology. The NAO headlamp is the first to feature reactive lighting technology, automatically adjusting brightness and beam output to the wearer’s needs. Popular Science’s 25th Annual Best of What’s New issue is available now and recipient honors were announced on November 14th.

Petzl’s NAO technology marks a significant leap forward in hands-free lighting, allowing users to focus on the activity at hand – be it studying a map, or spotting a bear up ahead on the trail – as the headlamp adjusts instantly and automatically. Because the NAO won’t output too much or too little light, the headlamp uses the energy stored in its rechargeable Lithium-Ion battery as efficiently as possible, maximizing burn times.

“For 25 years, Popular Science has honored the innovations that surprise and amaze us − those that make a positive impact on our world today and challenge our view of what’s possible in the future,” said Jacob Ward, Editor-in-Chief of Popular Science. “The Best of What’s New Award is the magazine’s top honor, and the 100 winners − chosen from among thousands of entrants − each a revolution in its field.”

Popular Science’s Best of What’s New awards the designation to carefully selected products from the Aerospace, Automotive, Engineering, Entertainment, Gadgets, Green, Hardware, Health, Home, Recreation, Security, and Software categories.

“It’s an honor to be recognized by the experts at Popular Science among the year’s best and most innovative,” said John Evans, Marketing Director for Petzl America. “The NAO marks the advent of REACTIVE LIGHTING for all kinds of recreational and daily uses, and we’re excited about the practical and functional advantages and benefits this new type of lighting can provide.”

About Petzl
Petzl America is the North American headquarters of Petzl, based in France. For over 50 years, Petzl has been developing innovative tools and techniques used by those who work and play in the vertical world. Today, the Petzl brand is closely associated with adventure, exploration, rescue, and many notable exploits in the worlds of rock climbing, caving, and alpinism. In the professional market, Petzl is a world leader in work-at-height, fire and rescue, and tactical equipment and techniques. A family-owned business, Petzl is committed not only to quality and innovation, but also to giving back to the communities that have made them so successful. For more information, visit www.petzl.com.

About Best of What’s New
Each year, the editors of Popular Science review thousands of products in search of the top 100 tech innovations of the year; breakthrough products and technologies that represent a significant leap in their categories. The winners — the Best of What’s New — are awarded inclusion in the much-anticipated December issue of Popular Science, the most widely read issue of the year since the debut of Best of What’s New in 1987. Best of Whatʼs New awards are presented to 100 new products and technologies in 11 categories: Automotive, Aviation & Space, Computing, Engineering, Gadgets, Green Tech, Home Entertainment, Security, Home Tech, Health and Recreation.

About Popular Science
Founded in 1872, Popular Science is the worldʼs largest science and technology magazine; with a circulation of 1.3 million and 6.8 million monthly readers. Each month, Popular Science reports on the intersection of science and everyday life, with an eye toward whatʼs new and why it matters. Popular Science is published by Bonnier Active Media, a subsidiary of Bonnier Corporation.

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