A color-changing LED can set the mood

A few months back I reviewed the Philips Hue Personal Wireless Lighting system and found it to be quite cool, but expensive. The Hue starter system includes three bulbs and costs $200. The bulbs are controlled wirelessly through a mobile app to change color, brightness and turn them on and off. If you liked the idea of the Hue, but would like to start at a price less than $200, you should look at the Lumen Bluetooth Smartbulb. The Lumen (lumenbulb.net, $49 from Amazon) is a single 400-lumen LED bulb that talks to your smartphone or tablet via Bluetooth.

In The Dark About Picking A Light Bulb? This FAQ Can Help

Buying a light bulb used to be a no-brainer. Now it's a brain teaser; the transition to more energy-efficient lighting means choosing from a dazzling array of products. We've long identified bulbs by their wattage, but that is actually a measure of electricity, not the brightness of a bulb. The amount of light a bulb generates is measured in lumens. An incandescent 60-watt bulb, for example, gives off 800 lumens of light. And LED bulbs, which are more energy efficient than their incandescent counterparts, can deliver the same amount of light using as little as 10 watts.

Light bulb manufacturer ordered to pay consumers $21 million

Lights of America, a light bulb manufacturer whose LED bulbs were sold in big box stores, including Costco, Sam’s Club and Walmart, made misleading claims about the bulbs’ light output, life expectancy and brightness, the Federal Trade Commission said Thursday.A federal court in California has ordered the company to pay up to $21 million to consumers after the FTC sued the firm for violating federal law by making deceptive claims. On packaging and in product brochures, the defendants initially claimed their products had a 30,000-hour life and last “15 times longer than 2,000-hour incandescent bulbs.”

Supermarket LEDs will light the way to the cheese

Philips has announced its newest "intelligent" lighting solution to help you navigate around public spaces. The company's last project was all about creating light-emitting carpets to help navigate around airports and cinemas, but this time it's focusing on supermarkets with the LEDs back on the regular old ceiling. Using in-store LED lighting, the system sends information such as special offers to customers' smartphones depending on their location in the store. Customers will have to download a dedicated app in order to take advantage of the system, but they will then be able to use the dense network of LEDs as a positioning grid, receiving information related to their particular position as they wander around picking up groceries.

Philips announces Energy Star certified 75- and 100-watt replacement LEDs

Philips announced Energy Star certification for their second-generation 75- and 100-watt replacement LEDs, along with exclusive discounts on both bulbs at Home Depots nationwide. Combined with the regional utility rebates that come with Energy Star certification, this means that consumers in some parts of the country will be able to purchase the 75-watt replacement for less than $10, with the 100-watt replacement going for just under $15. For the rest of us, the bulbs will retail for $19.97 and $24.97, respectively.

How to choose LED lights

LED lights are now capable of serving a wider range of applications, so doing your homework will help you choose the appropriate fixture. Whether you are using light emitting diode (LED) fixtures in OEM applications or simply to light your work space, the technology offers the latest in energy efficiency lighting options. However, with LED lights now suitable for a wide variety of applications, product quality can vary, and sourcing those that live up to expectations can be tricky – not to mention costly.

Samsung Introduces Several Leading-edge LED Components for Advanced Mobile Devices

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., a world leader in advanced component solutions, introduced a range of leading-edge LED component solutions for use in advanced mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets. Samsung’s new LEDs for mobile devices include two reflector-integrated flash LED packages -- the 3432 1.8t (FH341A) and 3432 1.4t (FH341B), plus a flip-chip flash LED 2016 (FH201A), as well as two side-view LEDs -- the 3810 0.6t (MS062F) and 3810 0.8t (MS082F). The new LED products will be showcased at the Mobile World Congress to be held at Fira Gran Via, Barcelona, Spain, February 24-27 (Hall 2, Booth 2G40).

Sharp announces compact Zenigata LED that delivers tunable CCT

Sharp Devices Europe has announced the Mini-Tiger Zenigata LED family that includes emitters in two different CCTs, which allows the components to produce light over the range of 2700–6500K. Sharp will demonstrate the compact 4.2×3×0.9-mm LEDs for the first time at the Light+Building tradeshow that will begin March 30, 2014 in Frankfurt, Germany. The LEDs will enable tunable solid-state lighting (SSL) products that can enhance health and productivity. While the new LEDs carry the Zenigata brand, the Mini-Tiger products are apparently a departure from the prior Zenigata-branded chip-on-board (COB) LEDs.

Ledzworld's New AR-111 Ultra Dimmable LED Lamp

Ledzworld announced it has added a sleek and sophisticated ultra-dimmable AR-111 LED lamp to its product line--the world's first true retrofit sized premium 850 lumen, single light source AR-111 LED lamp. The company's AR-111 Platinum Ultra Dimmable LED lamp offers manufacturers, installers and designers a relentlessly tested, cost-competitive, efficient, and impeccably designed replacement for outdated halogen bulbs.
"A large number of current luminaires on the market with integrated LED light engines look bulky, but Ledzworld's unique AR-111 Platinum Ultra Dimmable LED has the appearance and characteristics of a sophisticated track-luminaire while efficiently delivering 850 lumens," said Jan Kemeling, Founder and Chief Sales and Marketing Officer of Ledzworld. "The aesthetic appearance makes the lamp ideal for spaces owners aim to impress guests in--hotels, lounges, restaurants, museums, hospitals as well as a variety of other applications."
The 16W AR-111 Platinum Ultra Dimmable LED is a premium single-source LED lamp with a CRI of 80 and is also available with a CRI of >90. The lamp features Ledzworld's unique Chameleon Driver--a technological breakthrough that adjusts itself to make a perfect electrical fit with a wide variety of the possible combinations of commonly used drivers and dimmers. The Chameleon Driver first detects the transformer type, then analyzes its waveform, and finally adjusts itself to create the perfect electrical fit with that particular transformer.
The Chameleon Driver contains the company's innovative cooling technology labeled as Controlled Thermo Regulation (CTR). The CTR provides an intelligent temperature-control monitoring system and acts as a watchdog--continuously measuring the ambient temperature inside the driver compartment using a built-in thermal sensor embedded into the Chameleon Driver chipset. When the lamps are overheating due to usage inside fixtures without sufficient airflow, the driver regulates the temperature by slightly dimming the lamps to guarantee that they will always operate reliably in a large variety of fixture designs.
The diamond-cut optics of Ledzworld's AR-111 Platinum Ultra Dimmable LED lamps are designed with the company's Reduced Glare Optical Technology (RGOT). Utilizing RGOT, the AR-111 Platinum Ultra Dimmable LED delivers a 25 degree or optional 40 degree beam angle.
Available in three color temperatures (2700K, 3000K, 4000K), the AR-111 Platinum LED has a patented removable outer ring that allows for flexibility in matching the lamp with the application or fixture color. The lamp comes with the company's three year, continuous usage warranty.

Who Invented the Light Bulb?

The story of the light bulb begins long before Edison patented the first commercially successful bulb in 1879. In 1800, Italian inventor Alessandro Volta developed the first practical method of generating electricity, the voltaic pile. Made of alternating discs of zinc and copper — interspersed with layers of cardboards soaked in salt water — the pile conducted electricity when a copper wire was connected at either end. While actually a predecessor of the modern battery, Volta's glowing copper wire is also considered to be one of the earliest manifestations of incandescent lighting.

Elk Grove explores LED future for street lamps

Elk Grove neighborhoods could soon glow under LED light if leaders move ahead with a plan to replace traditional street lamps with the energy-saving technology, joining other cities that are switching to save money and electricity. City public works officials are still penciling out costs, but if Elk Grove council members approve the project by the end of the fiscal year, it could go out to bid by early summer, said Richard Shepard, Elk Grove’s public works director. Work would start around August and could be completed by year’s end.

Read more here: http://www.modbee.com/2014/02/16/3194138/elk-grove-explores-led-future.html#storylink=cpy

Chinese Plan Calls For Massive Growth In LED Technology

The race for overall light-emitting diode (LED) production is on, as the new, energy-efficient lighting technology gains momentum worldwide. LEDS are quickly becoming a widespread and less-expensive alternative to incandescent and florescent lighting. Last month, Taiwan's Digitimes reported  Japan should remain the world's largest LED market in 2014, with a global share of 25.6 percent – followed by North America (23.1 percent), Europe (20.3 percent) and China (16 percent).

Will That $25 Light Bulb Really Save You Money?

You’re familiar with the situation. You go to the store to replace a couple light bulbs that burnt out and you’re faced with an entire aisle of options: incandescents, LEDs, CFLs, halogens. Which one do you buy? There are many factors that will influence your decision, but you’ll probably go for the one that will offer the best economic value. You’ve heard that the most expensive ones will last longer and use less energy, but it’s important to consider all of your options. Will you really save money paying $25 for a light bulb?

LEC supplies LED lighting for UNESCO-recognized Moroccan capital

LEC Lyon has announced an LED lighting project in the historic city of Rabat, the Moroccan capital that was recognized as a world heritage site by UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) in June 2012. Moroccan lighting specialist Electrimar handled the design that is based on a mix of warm-white and red solid-state lighting (SSL) products from LEC Lyon. LED-based lighting is increasingly finding use in UNESCO sites in part because of concerns over light pollution and the need for low-energy usage in older structures with dated infrastructure. For example, we have covered the Schréder project at the Grand Place in Brussels.

LED-Powered Strobe Series

CHAUVET Professional has elevated one of the industry’s most popular classic effects – the strobe light -- to advanced levels of performance and functionality with its new LED-driven Strike strobe series. Combining the powerful output of SMD LEDs with rugged, roadworthy die-cast casing, the series features two models -- Strike 324 and Strike 882 – that are ideal for touring and production applications.
Designed to fit a wide spectrum of rigs and venues, the Strike 324 is shaped like a low-profile par can and contains 324 white 1-watt SMD LEDs, while the Strike 882 is configured like a panel and equipped with 882 white 0.5-watt SMD LEDs. Thanks to the power and efficiency of their 6,400K LEDs, both models produce incredible brightness while consuming significantly less energy than conventional strobe lights of comparable output, offering the ability to run on standard voltages of 110-240V and to link multiple units together on the same circuit. Featuring an extremely wide beam angle of 120°, the Strike 324 emits 206 lux at 5 meters, and the beefier Strike 882 a whopping 664 lux at 5 meters.

In Canada you can’t buy incandescent light bulbs, but you can buy crack pipes

Canadians can’t purchase incandescent bulbs, but they can buy crack pipes out of vending machines. As of this year, Canadians can no longer buy 75-watt and 100-watt incandescent light bulbs. The Conservative Harper government banned the light bulbs, making it so the entire country can no longer buy them once supplies run out. This, however, is just the first phase of the incandescent bulb ban as 40-watt and 60-watt bulbs will be banned at the beginning of next year.

Newport News replacing LED lamps in traffic signals

Drivers in Newport News have said for at least two months that traffic signal lamps at several intersections in the city are not bright enough to see in the morning and afternoon. Crews began replacing incandescent lamps in the city's 261 traffic signals seven to eight years ago with light-emitting-diodes (LEDs) in an effort to improve visibility and decrease utility costs. It was among hundreds of cities across the nation to make the switch. Studies have shown LEDs are brighter than incandescent bulbs and use less energy. They also have longer lives, lasting up to 10 years, and manufacturers guarantee them for five years.

Can LEDs help to solve the looming spectrum congestion problem?

A host of research projects in the established field of visual light communications (VLC) is pushing towards the possibility of using the lighting infrastructure to transmit data at several Gbit/s, with perhaps the most promising approach – dubbed Li-Fi (for light fidelity), a subset of VLC – making waves in several ways. The moniker's similarity to its rf equivalent, Wi-Fi, is no accident: proponents of Li-Fi are suggesting it could become as ubiquitous as IEEE802.11. But, to be fair, even the most ardent evangelists accept that it will take quite a while for the technology to mature.

BMW i8 debuts world-first 'laser light'

BMW says it is set to become the first manufacturer to offer a production vehicle equipped with new laser light headlamps. This laser light technology was first presented at the 2011 Frankfurt International Motor Show. While the entry version of the BMW i8 will be equipped with high-intensity LED headlamps, the optional laser boost feature additionally ensures a high beam range of up to 600 metres, doubling the illumination range.

Organic lights hold promise of softer glow

Cost-efficient and eco-friendly, lights powered by light-emitting diodes are taking off but may soon be upstaged by their organic cousins. Engineers have high hopes that OLED (organic light-emitting diode) lights, which are flat and produce a softer light than LEDs, will become a new option in the lighting industry and cultivate the market further. “We’ve been researching them for 10 years and feel that the technology is nearly ready for practical use,” said Yasuki Kawashima, manager of the solid-state lighting application engineering and development department at NEC Lighting Ltd., which makes OLEDs.

LEDs change thinking about the light bulb

Lights are no longer just for lighting. With the development of LED lamp technology, the lowly light bulb is doing more than turning on and off. A lamp can be the centerpiece of an environment meant to improve health, moods and even food. LEDs can create light in multiple colours, generate less heat and use a fraction of the energy of older types of bulbs. And LEDs can be controlled remotely from a PC or smartphone app, as programmable as a television.

Western distributor of energy-efficient bulb from Regina

What’s being called the world’s most energy efficient light bulb is garnering a huge amount of attention online. The inventors of Nanoleaf were hoping for a $20,000 Kickstarter pledge to get their product off the ground, but they ended up raising more than $270,000 on the crowdfunding site. The only western distributor, John Moran, lives in Regina. His involvement with the product began with a simple request to find bulbs for lamps that have been in the family since the 1970s.

LEDs coming out of shadows as cost-saver for cities

A light bulb manufacturer will move into the Little Otter Industrial Park near the town of Bedford. LiteSheet Solutions LLC, a manufacturer of LEDs, or light-emitting diodes, will set up assembly, testing and quality control operations in an existing 4,000-square-foot facility with intentions to establish a more permanent location in Bedford County within the next two years, the county economic development office said

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The Connecticut-based company produces LED bulbs, which are said to be more energy efficient and longer-lasting than regular light bulbs, for retail and commercial applications.

Good riddance to incandescent light bulbs

On Jan. 1, Canada began phasing out inefficient incandescent light bulbs. You'd think the world was ending. The coverage featured stories of people stockpiling the bad bulbs, people interviewed who get migraines from fluorescents and histrionic op-eds calling for a reversal of the legislation. I can't believe I have to say this, but getting rid of incandescent light bulbs is an incredibly good thing. It's the equivalent of phasing out leaded gas, chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) or the Ford Pinto.

LEDs Ripe For Installation

As LEDs continue to improve, convenience store retailers are biting the bullet and signing on for upgrades in order to reap cost saving thanks to both implementation rebates and overall energy cost reduction. Tonawanda, N.Y.-based NOCO Express, which operates 35 locations in Western New York, rebuilt its Getzville, N.Y. location in 2013 and added energy efficient lighting to the new state-of-the art 6,300 square foot store. The Getzville store includes low-watt LED lighting, a refrigeration energy management system, and white roofing for increased light reflectivity. A light harvesting system was installed, complete with 16 skylights, which allow natural light to flow into the store.

How LED street lights mean films set at night in LA and across the world will now be bathed in gray

The cities of New York and Los Angeles have been the backdrop for countless movies, with their iconic skylines lit up on the big screen. But the look that has inspired generations of directors is about to be changed for good as LED street lighting is brought in. While the switch to LED lighting means Los Angeles will save at least $7 million in electricity bills each year, the change iconic city settings seen in films like Collateral will be lost forever. 

LEDs Change Thinking About the Light Bulb

Lights are no longer just for lighting. With the development of LED lamp technology, the lowly light bulb is doing more than turning on and off. A lamp can be the centerpiece of an environment meant to improve health, moods and even food. LEDs can create light in multiple colors, generate less heat and use a fraction of the energy of older types of bulbs. And LEDs can be controlled remotely from a PC or smartphone app, as programmable as a television.

IKEA helps improve lighting at refugee camps

IKEA believes in LEDs so much that it's the only type of bulb the Swedish retail behemoth will sell come 2016. And now through the end of March, the sale of the bulbs will help make the future of children in refugee camps a bit brighter. Claiming that the Brighter Lives for Refugees “will help bring lights and renewable energy into the streets and homes of refugees camps, so UNHCR can help build a better everyday life for refugee children and families,” IKEA Foundation CEO Per Heggenes goes on to add: “The absence of powered light limits everyday activities we take for granted, such as sharing a meal or doing your homework. It impacts safety and security and the ability for families to generate an income."

Outdoor lighting: Spotlight on LEDs

Outdoor lighting is no stranger to revolution. In fact, today it's one of the two most dynamic general lighting market segments for LED adoption. Within the segment, architectural lighting was the early adopter, but the main driver these days is definitely road and street lighting. Historically the largest outdoor segment, it now offers the best prospects for LED development in professional exterior lighting. Road and street lighting is a very attractive market, with EBIT levels generally between 5-15 percent and steady growth despite the economic downturn.

Now That Traditional Bulbs Are Being Phased Out, What's Next?

Ask interior designers what one of the most important components of a room’s design is, and they’ll likely answer, “Lighting.” Not only does lighting work as “the jewelry of the room,” as one designer told me, but the warm glow of an incandescent bulb creates a soft and welcoming pool of light. One designer even swore by using pink bulbs in the bedroom to make her clients look more radiant. I promptly bought several. So when the “war on incandescent bulbs” started several years ago, many designers started stockpiling the precious—and now finite—objects.

Buying guide for LED light bulbs

There are a few things you will need to know before buying any energy-saving bulb. For starters, Energy Star-qualified bulbs meet high standards for brightness, color, and energy use, and the mercury content is capped in compact fluorescents. Before you shop, visit www.dsireusa.org/incentives or www.energystar.gov to find utility rebates, and search online for manufacturer rebates.

Osram Opto Semiconductors expands its capacity for InGaAlP LEDs

Osram Opto Semiconductors is switching its fabrication of red, orange and yellow light emitting diodes to 6-inch wafers. The German high-tech company is extending the fabrication of all large-wafer LEDs to the indium-gallium-aluminum-phosphide (InGaAlP) material system and expanding its production capacity. The company began switching fabrication of blue LED chips back in 2011. The latest switch involves chips for LEDs intended for an wide range of applications. Red and yellow LEDs are used in virtually every sector: as turn indicators, brake lights and interior vehicle lighting in the automotive sector, in displays, for projection, for signage and for color mixing systems in general illumination.

LED in Road and Street Lighting

In less than a decade, LED technology has created more turmoil in the lighting industry than anything occurring over the previous century. Every professional agrees that what used to be a conservative, well-controlled market is undergoing a massive change, referred to as the LED revolution. Therefore, it's high time to take a close look at what's happening and why, since each General Lighting application, be it indoor or outdoor, has its own way of adopting LEDs.
Outdoor lighting is no stranger to revolution. In fact, today it's one of the two most dynamic General Lighting market segments for LED adoption. Within the segment, architectural lighting was the early adopter, but the main driver these days is definitely road and street lighting. Historically the largest outdoor segment, it now offers the best prospects for LED development in professional exterior lighting. Road and street lighting is a very attractive market, with EBIT levels generally between 5 - 15% and steady growth despite the economic downturn.
It is estimated that LED luminaire revenue will reach $435M in 2013 and peak at $516M by 2016, fuelled by the increased need for energy efficiency. Growth will be driven firstly by tunnel lighting, and then relayed into highway, road, residential and amenity lighting applications starting in 2014. By 2017, market size should decline because of a decreasing replacement market (due to LED-based systems' higher lifetime) and also because of LED Luminaire's ASP.

Cary installing nearly 8,000 LED street lights

The town is replacing nearly 8,000 street lights with LEDs, a move that is expected to save Cary more than $200,000 a year. Like many towns, most of Cary’s street fixtures power high-pressure sodium lights. LED, which stands for light-emitting diode, lights are typically brighter, last about four times longer, use less energy and turn on instantly. Perhaps their biggest draw is that they’re cheaper to run.

How Gravity used 800,000 LEDs to simulate space

Alfonso Cuarón is known, among other things, for his unique approach to cinematography. The tracking shots in the 2006 film Children of Men were one of the primary reasons film geeks got so excited about Gravity so far in advance of its release. A sort of space-box was created — it was lined on the interior by 196 panels, each with almost 5000 LEDs — that was meant to simulate the diffuse lighting of stars and reflected sunlight. This isn’t entirely realistic (the distant stars provide far too much illumination relative to the sun) but the 800,000 or so LEDs help the narrative and look “right” to the audience.

Status of the LED Industry - Forecasts to 2020

Growth of the LED industry has come initially from the small display application and has been driven forward by the LCD display application. In 2012, General Lighting has surpassed all other applications, representing nearly 39% of total revenue of packaged LEDs. Indeed, the LED TV crisis of 2011 (following an overestimation of the market) had the benefit of decreasing LED prices and intensifying the competitive environment. As a matter of fact, LED-based lighting product prices have decreased more rapidly than expected, increasing the penetration rate of the technology.
Yole Développement estimates packaged LED will reach a market size of $13.9B in 2013 and will peak to $16B by 2018. Growth will be driven mainly by General Lighting applications (45% to 65% of total revenue during this period), completed by display applications.
Regarding display and other applications, most products currently on the market integrate LED technology. Saturation mixed with strong price pressure and competition from OLED will make most of these markets decline starting from 2013 / 2014. Contrary to General Lighting, overcapacity (inducing price pressure) has engendered a decrease in market size more rapidly than predicted.
The report presents all applications of LED and associated market metrics within the period 2008-2020, detailing for each application: drivers & challenges, associated volume and market size (packaged LED, LED die surface), penetration rate of LEDs, and alternative technologies (). For General Lighting, a deeper analysis is developed with details on each market segment.

LEDs Light Up Detroit Auto Show

Many of today's vehicles use LED-based center high-mount stop lamps, headlights, and taillights. But the LED penetration has gone beyond such basics. The new Acura TLX prototype, for example, has a row of LED lights on its mirrors. Cadillac places LEDs on the rear decklid of its CTS sedan. Ford has even put them on the door sill plate of its Mustang. And many other manufacturers use LEDs for daytime running lamps, fog lamps, and for eyebrows above the headlights.