When Northern Light Technologies entered the market in 1984, cap lamp batteries were bulky, heavy and prone to failures. That year, NLT revolutionized the industry with the Northern Light, the first dry-cell battery featuring intelligent charging technology. This innovation offered a brighter light and reduced weight – and set a new standard in cap lamp technology.
In 2000, NLT debuted the G2, the first cap lamp with a nickel-metal-hydride battery, offering higher capacity and longer run time.
NLT introduced the Eclipse in 2005. This was the first high-quality LED cap lamp, and it also utilized new lithium-ion battery technology.
NLT changed the game in 2010 with the Polaris, the first IS (intrinsically safe) cordless cap lamp on the market. The Polaris quickly became the world’s most popular cap lamp.
The innovation continued in 2012 with Genesis, the world’s first Smart Cap Lamp, which accommodated third-party tags. In 2018, NLT launched another cutting-edge Smart Cap Lamp, the Eagle, which was the first semi-corded cap lamp to accommodate a tracking and/or proximity tag.
More recently, NLT unveiled its Plus Series with Dual-Beam technology, featuring multiple settings and Dynamic Turbo Bright mode.
Today, NLT proudly presents Aries, the latest addition to our family of high-quality cap lamps. Aries continues NLT’s tradition of delivering unparalleled brightness, versatility and ergonomics to meet the needs of mines globally.
As we celebrate this milestone anniversary, NLT remains committed to pioneering new advancements in cap lamp technology.
NLT Cap Lamp Innovations
- 1984 First dry-cell battery with intelligent charging technology (Northern Light)
- 2000 First cap lamp with a nickel-metal-hydride battery (G2)
- 2003 First intrinsically safe two-way messaging in a cap lamp (Messenger)
- 2005 First high-quality LED cap lamp (Eclipse)
- 2010 First cordless cap lamp with LED lighting and a single lithium-ion battery that meets both MSHA and international standards for underground coal mines (Polaris)
- 2012 The world’s first “Smart Cap Lamp,” which incorporates proximity or tracking tags with bidirectional communication capabilities (Genesis)
- 2018 First Smart Cap Lamps to accommodate both proximity and/or tracking tags (Eagle and Falcon)
- 2021 First cap lamp with Dual-Beam technology, including three beam patterns and a Dynamic Turbo Bright mode (Polaris Plus)
- 2024 The world’s smallest, lightest and brightest Smart Cap Lamp (Aries)