An LED Lamp That Recognizes Your Gestures: No Jedi Powers Required

Good news Star Wars fans. The automatic sliding doors at the grocery store are no longer your only opportunity to experience what life as a Jedi must be like. Dresden, Germany-based design shop Dreiplus has a new under-the-cabinet lamp called the AREA that lets you selectively illuminate and extinguish its LEDs with just a wave of your fingers. Who's living in a fantasy world now?

The Arc Series from Advanced LED Gets $13,723 in the First 24 Hours on Kickstarter.com

Advanced LED recently unveiled its Kickstarter campaign for its new patent pending ARC Series plant light. The revolutionary ARC Series gives gardeners the freedom to focus more on doing what they love, gardening, and less on doing what they hate, troubleshooting problems. The ARC Series uses multiple colors of 50w LED modules, giving users the ability to customize wavelengths to their plants' individual needs while reducing light loss and waste. One of the chief goals of the campaign is to bring manufacturing of this new light back to the US and provide a cost effective solution for home gardeners.
The ARC Series’ unique arc shape design enables a significant cut in the cost of having an indoor garden – by using the Arc Series over filament-based or chemically-based light sources users will see a 65% to 75% reduction energy costs. The Arc Series doesn't generate heat like traditional lighting systems, making it much more suitable for a vast range of environments and urban farming situations.

The Angriest-Looking LED Running Lights

This phenomenon of LED lights is one of my least-liked in current car design. Part of it does come down to the execution, and I can think of several cars that look as though designers were given a crate of stick-on LEDs from a craft store on Friday and told to come up with something interesting by Monday. The Golf R seems to be hit or miss. The first R32 was loved by basically everyone while the second car was panned by basically everyone.

Philips recalls 99,000 LED lamps for shock hazard

Philips Lighting and the Unites States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) have instigated a recall for around 99,000 LED-based replacement lamps sold under the EnduraLED and AmbientLED brands. A limited number of the solid-state lighting (SSL) products have "a lead wire in the bulb's housing [that] can have an improper fitting, which can electrify the entire lamp and pose a shock hazard." A Philips spokesperson said there were two incidents outside the US that prompted the lamp recall although there were no serious injuries involved. The company researched the incidents, identified the root cause, and determined that two batches of lamps were involved.

Streetlights to get brighter, cheaper with LEDs

Renton’s future is looking a little bit brighter. And cheaper. Beginning Monday, the City of Renton will begin replacing its 3,685 street lights with Light Emitting Diode lights that should be brighter, cheaper and more environmentally friendly. Public Works director Gregg Zimmerman said the new lights will save the city about $271,000 per year in energy costs, before debt service is factored in. “You can see this is a really good investment in terms of saving money,” he said

A Soft Squishy Lamp You Can Cram Anywhere

No one wants to be told what they can and cannot do in their home, even when it comes to lamps. So someone has finally found a way to stick it to 'big lighting' with a lamp that you can install almost anywhere. Our deliverer of illumination freedom is an artist named Simon Frambach who created the Soft Light from squishy polyurethane foam, allowing you to cram and squeeze it into any spot.

DOE publishes fact sheet on the lifetime and reliability of LED-based lighting

The solid-state lighting (SSL) industry has come a long way in establishing standards for testing and rating both LED components and LED-based systems, although as the US Department of Energy (DOE) points out, there is still no definitive way to rate system life expectations. There are improved ways to test for and project lumen maintenance, but other failure mechanisms including driver life and system-level color maintenance remain hard to quantify. The new DOE fact sheet on the topic, entitled " Lifetime and reliability," attempts to define all of the standards and projection methods that exist, and where the shortcomings exist in fully defining the characteristics of a SSL product at the system level.

Best buy LED light bulbs

The lights are about to go out on the last of the incandescent bulbs. Popular 60 and 40 watts will be no longer be manufactured come January. But resist the urge to run out and hoard! Consumer Reports' latest tests show energy-saving bulbs are better than ever. Most people rely on about 50 light bulbs to brighten their living space. And you may be asking, "Why buy energy-efficient bulbs if my old incandescents are going strong?" "Incandescent bulbs are really only cheap if you never turn them on. They cost about eight dollars a year to power. And that's compared with only $1.70 for an LED or CFL," said Celia Kuperszmid Lehrman, Consumer Reports.
The lights are about to go out on the last of the incandescent bulbs. Popular 60 and 40 watts will be no longer be manufactured come January. But resist the urge to run out and hoard! Consumer Reports' latest tests show energy-saving bulbs

Bacteria-Powered Light Bulb Is Electricity-Free

Bacteria is experiencing a boon as of late. Just recently, microorganisms have been used to make a better sunscreen. Another bright idea comes from scientists who are using bacteria as the key ingredient in a biological light bulb that requires no electricity. Created by three undergraduates at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, the so-called Biobulb will include a genetically engineered species of E. coli bacteria, the kind living inside the intestines of humans and other animals. Normally, these bacteria don’t glow in the dark, but researchers plan to introduce a loop of DNA to the microbes that will give them the genes for bioluminescence. The bacteria will glow like lightning bugs, jellyfish and bioluminescent plankton.

The Global Ultraviolet (UV) Light Emitting Diode (LED) Market to Grow at a CAGR of 44.3 Percent

Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "Global UV LED Market 2012-2016" report to their offering. One of the key factors contributing to this market growth is the increasing adoption of UV LEDs. The Global UV LED market has also been witnessing the emergence of eco-friendly LEDs. However, issues relating to the commercialization of UV LEDs could pose a challenge to the growth of this market.

Larson Electronics Releases High Output Explosion Proof LED Flashlight with 5 Modes

LarsonElectronics.com has announced the addition of the EXP-LED-RL-FX5R Explosion Proof Rechargeable LED Flashlight to its growing line of portable and handheld explosion proof lighting equipment. U.L. and ATEX approved for hazardous location lighting, the EXP-LED-RL-FX5R is Class 1 Division 1 certified and an ideal portable lighting solution for operators in hazardous locations who require more than just a simple flashlight.
The EXP-LED-RL-FX5R Explosion Proof Rechargeable LED Flashlight is a highly versatile and rechargeable LED lighting solution for hazardous location operators who require Class 1 Division 1 compliance as well as durability and high power. This powerful yet light weight LED light is built from impact resistant ABS plastic and fitted with a shatterproof LEXAN lens to provide high durability and easy handling. This versatile explosion proof LED flashlight is equipped with a set of forward mounted LEDs for standard operation, and a group of three rear-facing LEDs for signaling and location beacon operating modes. The forward-facing LED lamp assembly on this explosion proof flashlight is adjustable to allow operators to either use the light as a standard flashlight, or set the light down and angle the beam as needed for temporary work area illumination or simple hands free lighting. This rechargeable flashlight has 5 operating functions which are controlled by a single trigger switch and are activated simply by repeatedly depressing the trigger. Operators can toggle through all the operating modes with one hand easily and quickly without fumbling with confusing settings or switch positions. Some of the ratings and approvals for this light include intrinsically safe, Class 1, Div 1, Groups A, B, C, & D, and UL 913 certification. The EXP-LED-RL-FX5R has a 10 hour runtime on a single charge of its integral 6 VDC nickel metal hydride batteries and offers the convenience of rechargeable operation with the power and versatility of multiple operating modes, making it ideal for law enforcement, gas and chemical plant operations, ship and railroad based operations, mining, and petrochemical plant operators.
“The EXP-LED-RL-FX5R explosion proof rechargeable LED light is one of the very few lantern style options with both LED and Class 1 Division 1 ratings,” said Rob Bresnahan with Larson Electronics’ LarsonElectronics.com. “Gas utility operators will find this LED light particularly useful.”
Larson Electronics’ carries an extensive line of explosion proof LED lights, hazardous location lights, intrinsically safe LED lights, portable explosion proof lights and intrinsically safe LED flashlights. You can view Larson Electronics’ entire line of explosion proof lighting at LarsonElectronics.com. Larson Electronics’ can be reached directly by calling toll free, 1-800-369-6671 or 1-903-498-3363 for international inquiries.

DOE Issues Proposed Rule for Metal Halide Lamp Fixtures

The Department of Energy did not waste any time in taking a first step toward fulfilling its commitment to issue long-overdue energy-savings standards: US DOE recently issued a proposed rule for metal halide lamp fixtures. While metal halide lamps aren’t a common household name, chances are you’ve seen them before. Metal halides are the bright white lights typically housed in dome shaped fixtures that are common in high ceiling applications, such as gymnasiums, big-box stores, and warehouses, as well as in outdoor lighting fixtures.

Brazilian mechanic creates light bulb using water, bleach and a bottle

Brazilian mechanic is bringing light to the masses. With just a plastic bottle, water, and bleach, Alfredo Moser has found a way to produce a light that is up to 40 or 60 watts — stronger than some light bulbs. "It's a divine light,” the inventor told the BBC. “God gave the sun to everyone, and light is for everyone. Whoever wants it saves money. You can't get an electric shock from it, and it doesn't cost a penny."

SLO City LEDs the way to streetlight efficiency

By the end of August, city residents will find the nighttime streets of San Luis Obispo a little brighter, and the future a little greener. Thanks to a public-private partnership approved by the City Council in December, the city is now replacing its antiquated fleet of high-pressure sodium lamps with brighter and more energy-efficient light-emitting diode (LED) lamps. The change is expected to save the city close to $1 million a year, the equivalent of 778,710 kilowatt hours, as well as an annual reduction of roughly 408,050 pounds of carbon dioxide.

More Proof of Dual LED Flash on iPhone 5S

Another day, another leak showing off parts from the upcoming iPhone 5S. This time Nowhereelse.fr showcases the top glass piece from the back of the device. Pictured in black, this piece clearly shows a larger, pill-shaped hole for the LED flash, right next to the camera lens hole. The revised shape seems to confirm that Apple will include a brighter, dual-LED flash in the next iPhone.

Piezo-phototronic nanowire LEDs can scan your fingerprint

By leveraging a new type of LED technology, called piezo-phototronics, researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology have created a high-resolution nanowire array that has a truly astonishing number of potential uses, ranging from fingerprint readers to touch-sensitive robot skin to e-paper that allows you to sign your own personalized signature. In the future, this might be the perfect technology to implement a fingerprint reader in Apple’s iPhone 8.

Cree, Lumileds, and Nichia spar on LED future at The LED Show

A session that focused on future advancements of LEDs for general lighting kicked off The LED Show with little agreement between Paul Scheidt of Cree, Erik Swenson of Nichia, and Chad Stalker of Philips Lumileds. The first topic on the agenda at The LED Show conference in Las Vegas questioned whether LEDs could continue to advance at the same rate in terms of lumen output and efficacy as they have in recent years. The presentations, however, focused more on how to meet solid-state lighting (SSL) system quality and cost goals with different LED technologies.

Dimming multiple LED strings enables color-tunable luminaires

In many solid-state lighting (SSL) applications, such as architectural, area, and downlighting, color accuracy is very important. Moreover, an increasing number of products support dynamic color tuning — to set the white point or CCT and/or to enable dynamic full-color products. LEDs are ideal light sources for achieving a precise color. The color of LED lighting can be changed by mixing different colors of LEDs, such as red, blue, green, yellow, and white. When mixing LED colors, one or more strings of LEDs needs to be dimmed to realize the desired color mix. There are different methods for achieving LED dimming, so let's consider various dimming techniques used in LED color mixing.

RadTech Releases UV LED Technology eBook

RadTech, the non profit trade association for UV technology, recently released an eBook detailing technology and market opportunities for UV LED technology. The eBook covers topics such as market developments, operation and output measurement, diode evolution and manufacturing, and the chemistry of UV curable materials. - See more at: http://www.woodworkingnetwork.com/wood-market-trends/woodworking-industry-news/production-woodworking-news/RadTech-Releases-UV-LED-Technology-eBook-218903781.html#sthash.l5AvjOtH.dpuf

Universal Display raises forecast on higher LED demand

high-end of its previous forecast helped by higher license fees and more orders from flat panel display makers such as Samsung Display Corp. Shares of the company were up 20 percent in after-hours trading after closing at $29.37 on the Nasdaq on Thursday. LED supplier Universal Display Corp said it expects full-year results near the

The Emerging Market for LEDs and General Lighting

Over the last several years, the emergence of light emitting diodes (LEDs) as a leading form of lighting for residential, commercial and industrial applications has steadily gained acceptance. While still prohibitively expensive on a cost per watt or lumen basis, LEDs are expected to reach parity with traditional forms of lighting (incandescent, flouresent and halogen) sometime around 2015.  However, because LEDs have lifetimes up to 50 times longer than the standard bulb, they naturally appeal to a wide variety of commercial and industrial applications where fixed costs are high. Replacement for general lighting by LEDs if often views as the largest and last bastion of traditional lighting.  Governments are legislating changes which seek to ban or phase out inefficient and chemically toxic technologies.   

Wembley Arena shows how LEDs change the emergency lighting landscape

Emergency LED lighting from GDS and its ArcSystem can become a functional and integral part of the house lighting system in public venues such as the Wembley Arena in London. GDS (Global Design Solutions) has announced that the famed Wembley Arena in London now relies on 44 Arc eight-cell LED fixtures for emergency lighting. But the efficiency and functionality of solid-state lighting (SSL) will allow the arena to utilize the emergency lighting as a functional cog in the overall house lighting

Cree Launches $99 LED Street Light

Cree already passed one lighting milestone earlier this year, offering a warm white light-emitting diode (LED) bulb for less than $10. The LED company is now taking another step in low-cost, high-quality LEDs for another sector: street lighting. The XSPR LED residential street light will sell for as little as $99 while using more than 65 percent less energy, according to the company. The new street light ideally replaces high-pressure sodium fixtures of up to 100 watts, according to Cree, and can offer payback in less than one year.

Optronics Uses GloLight Technology to Create New High-Style LED Lighting Category for Light- and Medium-Duty Trailers

Optronics International, the nation’s leading manufacturer and supplier of light- and medium-duty trailer lighting, announced that it will soon begin shipping 14 new GloLight-equipped LED lamps. A GloLight solution is now available for all light- and medium-duty trailer applications, and the eye-catching lamps will begin enhancing newly manufactured vehicles and retail shelves within approximately 30 days.
The uniquely different LED lamps establish a new high-style lighting category in the light- and medium-duty trailer marketplace. Until now, OEMs, retailers and trailer owners alike had just two lamp categories to choose from: incandescent and LED. Drab, traditional incandescent lamps are quickly giving way to new, longer-lasting LED lamps, but the visual presentation of trailer lighting has remained essentially limited to these two styles for years.
Trailer owners often like to personalize their vehicles, and Optronics’ patent-pending GloLight optical diffusion technology has created a new genre of lamp that stands out from anything else on the road. The FMVSS 108 compliant lamps combine light diffusing material that gives them a distinctive, smooth, brightly glowing appearance on one portion of the lens, contrasting with dual-function LEDs with traditional bright spots of illumination on another.
“The uniqueness of the new GloLight lamps puts them in a class of their own, and one that will drive foot traffic, retail sales and higher margins,” Brett Johnson, president and CEO of Optronics International, said. “This product will have a positive merchandising impact on a broad array of retail trailer lighting planogram strategies.”
Optronics is supporting its retail channel partners by enabling the lamps to sell themselves, with stand-alone, interactive “try me” packaging that allows consumers to experience the unprecedented visual appeal created by the GloLight lamps. The push-button-activated packages are available for the TLL112RK flush-mount, six-inch oval LED lamps and the TLL190RK waterproof, universal LED combination tail lamps. The lighting sets include two lamps and applicable mounting hardware.

Wearable LEDs – Apps with promise

Often when I write about wearable LEDs, I’m doing so in my Lighten Up blog in EDN’s LED Zone, extolling the virtues of slippers, belts, earrings, and other bizarre LED-lit merchandise that you might buy for a geek-type at the holidays. Fortunately, I’ve found some recent intros into wearable LEDs that are much more worthwhile and show an interesting future. While it’s true that they are not ready for prime time, they at least make sense.

CDA plans to swap streetlights with LEDs, again

The Capital Development Authority (CDA) appears to be in no mood to clear the air over inexplicably astronomical electricity charges it is paying to the Islamabad Electric Supply Company (Iesco). For reasons unknown, the CDA is not holding an audit to determine the exact number of streetlights in the capital. Iesco has capitalised on the civic agency’s laxity, evidenced by it charging against 65,000 streetlights even though the actual number is far smaller.

SiC-on-silicon edges closer to LEDs

More than a decade ago, researchers from Australia-based Queensland Micro and Nanotechnology Facility (QMF) of Griffith University were depositing silicon carbide on silicon as part of a venture capital funded programme to develop novel non-volatile memory cells. Come the global financial crisis, funding waned and the project was shelved. The process, however, was not. In 2011, the QMF researchers joined forces with micro-device equipment manufacturer, SPTS Technologies, to develop a production reactor targeted at producing SiC-coated silicon wafers for GaN for LEDs. As Alan Iacopi, QMF director of operations, explains: “Silicon carbide makes a great buffer layer for GaN, but we knew that if the industry was going to take us seriously, we needed a production vehicle to commercialize the technology.”

DOE revises L Prize requirements for LED PAR lamps

The US Department of Energy has made slight revisions to the LED PAR38 L Prize competition including eased beam angle specs and requirements in the origin of components, and the agency announced a new OLED funding opportunity. The US Department of Energy (DOE) has again revised the requirements for the PAR38 LED lamp competition within the Bright Tomorrow Lighting Prize (L Prize) program. Lamps can now have a slightly wider beam pattern and the agency reduced some other burdens on manufacturers. Meanwhile, the DOE also announced a new solid-state lighting (SSL) research funding opportunity coming in the OLED space under the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs.

JCB sheds light on big fuel savings with new LED model

JCB Power Products today announced the launch of a new LED lighting tower which offers customers 50% fuel savings. The brand new LT9 LED model uses the same 3 cylinder Yanmar engine as the standard LT9, along with the latest LED technology. This enables the LT9 LED tower to run for 50% longer than the standard LT9 on a single tank of fuel due to the reduced power requirement for the LED lights
Director and General Manager of JCB Power Products Jonathan Garnham, said: “With fuel costs becoming an increasing priority for our customers, the LT9 LED offers a fantastic solution with its ability to run 50% longer than the standard model. The new LED model is of heavy duty specification and with more durable LED lamps it is the ultimate rental product. “The new LED lighting solution complements JCB’s lighting tower range, giving a choice between maximum lit area with the more powerful metal halide bulb unit and the efficiency and durability of the LED unit.”
The new LT9 LED model is compact and lightweight and weighs just 1100Kg with a full tank of fuel, providing a great lighting solution for multiple site applications.

Ask Umbra: Do the costs of LEDs outweigh the benefits?

My little brother, a pretty staunch environmentalist, just graduated from college and spent the last year of his service-learning job working for the college’s electricity crew. He adamantly insists that while LEDs indisputably save a lot of energy in their usage, the components and energy that go into constructing the LED and its circuit board outweigh the savings — just like the construction of a new electric car uses more resources and energy than it would save over driving a used car. I haven’t been able to find too much on this aspect anywhere and was wondering if you might be able to weigh in.