Lighting the Way to Energy Savings and Job Growth in North Carolina

Rapid declines in the price of light emitting diodes (LED) technology suggest that the next generation of energy efficient lighting – LED bulbs – is on the verge of widespread adoption. LED bulbs will eventually make traditional, energy-hogging incandescent bulbs a thing of the past. In North Carolina, for example, one of the world’s largest LED bulb manufacturers, Cree, recently announced a new bulb that is up to 82 percent more efficient than an incandescent bulb. The bulb sells for about $8 at Home Depot, a price that means the bulb will pay for itself in energy savings in about a year.

Are LEDs Bad For Your Health?

In looking at answers to this question it becomes evident that some LEDs are, and some are not. In order to understand why this is true, it’s important to look at eye physiology and how we can achieve, experience and maintain perfect vision. To start, let’s take a quick look at how your eye works. Your eye is made up of cones and rods that help you see color and light. During nighttime or indoor conditions, your rods are primarily used for vision. Rods are very light sensitive, but are not very good at discerning color. Cones, which helps us focus and see color, only respond to bright light, which is why in low-light conditions we don’t see color very well. Why does this matter in your choice of lighting?

PWC offers credit for LEDs

Geo and Chelsea Livingston use so many energy-efficient LEDs in their 20,000-light Christmas display that their power bill is about the same as when they have to run their air-conditioner in the summer. Fayetteville Public Works Commission officials are encouraging all their customers to make similar decisions. Those who do can get a credit of up to $40 on their power bills. The Seasonal Light Incentive Program runs through Wednesday. Customers have to fill out an application and provide receipts from buying the new lights. PWC customers can get an $8 credit for up to five strands with 100 lights or more. They get a $4 credit for strands with 99 lights or fewer.

Why LEDs Are Conquering Lighting

In December, the Nobel Prize for physics went to the team behind a significant invention: the blue light-emitting diode (LED). While red and green LEDs have been around since the 1960s, figuring out how to make blue diodes bright enough stumped engineers until the early nineties. That advance—enabled by high-quality gallium nitride— quickly led to another. By converting blue light to white, engineers produced the crisp beams now ubiquitous in computer screens and smartphones. More recently, they found yet another application: street lamps. To date, Los Angeles has swapped in 155,000 LED fixtures, a move that has reduced both municipal energy bills and light pollution. Ed Ebrahimian, who directs L.A.’s Bureau of Street Lighting, says the benefits are a no-brainer for cities. “We’re at the tip of an iceberg,” he says. “I think we are going to see a tremendous conversion happening in the next five to 10 years.”

3 Myths Surrounding LEDs

An article in a recent issue of the Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology detailed a study in which the effects of LED light on human retinal cells were examined and concluded that LEDs can harm human eyes. The authors of this article came to this conclusion based on an experiment that exposed human retinal cells to 5 mW per cm2 of light from an LED for 12 hr. This equates to staring at a 100-W-equivalent light bulb from four inches away for 12 hr. Light at that intensity and duration would likely damage anyone’s retinas and is one reason parents tell kids not to stare at the sun. And if scientists ever do discover a real danger from LEDs, future LEDs can be tuned to emit a spectrum of light similar to that from ordinary incandescent bulbs

Panasonic LED signs beam data to phones 5 meters away

Panasonic has developed LCD signs that can beam ID codes linked to ads and other information to smartphone cameras that are 5 meters away or farther.  It's promoting the technology as an advance beyond QR codes, which require users to hold their phones close to a code when scanning it, as well as a high-speed form of communications using light. The Hikari ID technology is based on ID signals sent by LEDs that form the backlight of LCD signage. The LEDs flicker on and off at a rate that is imperceptible to the human eye, but it can be picked up by smartphone camera sensors.

Fujitsu’s high-tech light bulb shines data on objects

Researchers have already figured out how to turn an array of LED light bulbs into a wireless data network. Now they’re using them to “print” invisible data onto physical objects. Brilliant minds at Fujitsu have figured out how to use an LED lamp as a sort of replacement for QR codes. Fujitsu’s lamp sends a stream of zeroes and ones by varying the intensity of the red, green, and blue LEDs. The fluctuations don’t need to be dramatic, either. Small changes work just fine, and they’re virtually undetectable to viewers. It’s pretty much the same way Li-Fi transmits data among devices.

This Company Is Set For Growth Considering the Growth Of LED Lights Market

Various research companies and analysts anticipate the LED lighting market to grow 45% per year through 2019. The market sizeof LED lighting was $4.8 billion in 2012, and is anticipated to reach $42 billion by 2019. This market is projected to grow annually at a CAGR (compound annual growth rate) of 12% from 2012 to 2017. The LED lighting market growth is mainly due to reducing prices, higher luminous and increased interest by the channels in pushing LEDs to consumers, this is providing deeper penetration. Cree (CREE), is one of the leading player in the LED lighting and fixture market maintaining a rich product portfolio with innovative LED lighting solutions. I have tried to explain the reasons for the anticipated growth of CREE, in the rest of the article.

LEDs brighten the holidays, launch fashion trend, refute climate skeptics

A study recently conducted by the National Federation of Independent Businesses confirms what we've known for quite a while – LEDs can provide dramatic savings in energy costs, one of the three largest operating expenses for than a third of all small businesses. And if you're still having trouble refuting the LED conspiracy theories cited by anti-science climate skeptics  and other survivalist/flat-Earther types, you can show them the savings available from many commonly-used LED applications which are documented nicely in a recent article, "LED lighting is one of the quickest ways small business owners can reduce their energy bills", published in Small Business Trends.

Mirvac and AMP Capital’s 200 George Street to go fully LED

Mirvac and AMP Capital’s 37-storey premium grade 200 George Street, Sydney building will become one of Australia’s first fully LED-lit commercial office buildings, the owners have announced. The move is expected to reduce lighting energy consumption by between 30-50 per cent and reduce light replacements to once every 12 years. Mirvac Group executive, commercial development David Rolls said the current T5 lighting technology had plateaued, and LEDs were the future of lighting.

Taking a shine to LEDs

Rudolph, the red-nosed reindeer, had a very shiny nose. And if you ever saw him, you would even say it’s a light-emitting diode. Better known as LEDs, these many-colored, energy-efficient, long-lasting products are electrifying the lighting industry this holiday season. A novelty just a few years ago, LEDs have become so mainstream that they’re nearly blowing traditional glass incandescent bulbs right off the Yuletide landscape. In every category, LED lights are outselling traditional lights 2-to-1, said K.C. Cours, vice president the Englewood, Colorado-based online retailer Noveltylights.com.

Moore'sCloud app-controlled light startup in liquidation

Australian technology entrepreneur Mark Pesce's app-controlled light startup Moore'sCloud has been wound up, with the company going into liquidation on November 20. Notice of the company's liquidation, which Pesce said was voluntary, was published by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission on November 26. Pesce, an inventor, entrepreneur, author, educator, and self-proclaimed futurist, held a position as the company's founder and chief executive officer.

5 Lighting Trends Reflect the Age of LEDs

Catering to a new young generation of globe trotters, the past year has seen the launch of a plethora of portable lighting designs that can move with us from place to place. One such design is the cordless ‘M’ Lamp by British designer David Irwin for Brooklyn-based Juniper Design. Untethered by a power source, the ‘M’ Lamp is powered by a lithium battery that provides 18 hours of light on a single charge. It’s made from lightweight aluminum and Irwin explains that the compact cordless design is a modern interpretation of the archetypal 19th century miner’s lamps that were used in Northeast England. Hang it from the ceiling or rest it next to the bed, the flexible ‘M’ lamp is designed to adapt to an array of environments and situations.

Surface state engineering to achieve white LEDs with carbon nanomaterials

White-light-emitting diodes (W-LEDs) have many advantages over forms of lighting – incandescent, fluorescent and halogen – and this solid-state lighting technique is bound to make major inroads into the commercial and household markets. Conventional W-LED fabrication uses phosphors, which depend on scarce and expensive rare earths, or in a more recently developed technique, on quantum dots. Unfortunately, the toxicity of the elements used for efficient quantum dot based LEDs – CdS, CdSe, and their Pb containing counterparts – is a severe drawback for many applications. 

Enrg Introduces Exclusive Speaker LED Bulb in India

This easy-to-access and user-friendly bulb just needs be plugged into a regular Bulb holder and plays music through any Bluetooth enabled devices like mobiles, tablets or laptops. Both the light and speaker operate independently. So turning off one doesn't affect the other or vice-versa. No additional installation or software is required to operate these LED Speaker Bulbs.

Silicon Allotrope With Quasi-Direct Band Gap

In a fundamental discovery, scientists at the Carnegie Institution for Science in Washington, District of Columbia (US), have synthesised an entirely new, solar-friendly form of silicon that could revolutionise solar technologies and other optoelectronic applications.

Due to silicon’s indirect band gap, the diamond-structured semiconductor has previously not been suited for applications such as LEDs or certain PV devices. However, Carnegie’s allotrope of silicon has a quasi-direct band gap that falls within the desired visible range for solar absorption, a first-time feat.

How to use the Nexus 6's hidden notification RGB LED

There's always a lot to learn about any new handset, and when it comes to the Nexus 6, there's not only a new device to get to grips with but also a new operating system in the form of Android 5.0 Lollipop. But it turns out that the Nexus 6 has a little secret up its sleeve. You might have thought that the latest phone in the Nexus range didn’t have a notification LED, but in fact it does – it's just hidden. It's not used by default, but there's nothing to stop you from making it work yourself.

Playbulb Color: The Bluetooth enabled multi-color light bulb and speaker

The world is becoming more connected by the day, and nowhere is that more obvious than in the different "smart" devices that are available inside your home. While some devices are obvious candidates for connecting, such as your television with a Chromecast or Amazon Fire stick, it's clear that the "Internet of Things" is definitely starting to creep into our daily lives.

That's why I was intrigued when MiPow offered up their latest device, the Playbulb Color, for review. The device is billed as a multi-color LED light bulb with an integrated speaker that plugs into a normal E26/E27 socket and is controlled via Bluetooth.

The 110 Year-Old Light Bulb That's Never Been Turned Off

The oldest lightbulb in continuous use was installed before the Wright Brothers took flight, is 110 years old, and is still as beautiful as the day she was born. In fact, it's likely the oldest electrical device in continuous use period. Take a moment and consider just how much the world has changed around this one, singular device.

New type of silicon could find use in solar cells and LEDs

You probably wouldn't be reading this if it weren't for silicon. It's the second most-abundant element in the Earth's crust as well as the key to modern technology – used in the integrated circuits that power such electronics as computers, mobile phones, and even some toasters and refrigerators. It's also used in compound form in building, ceramics, breast implants, and many other areas. And now the ubiquitous element may have a plethora of new applications, thanks to a team of Carnegie scientists who synthesized an allotrope (new/different physical form) with the chemical formula Si24.

Finally light bulb's Tesla tech gives LEDs a worthy rival

Ever since I improbably started blogging occasionally about light bulbs, I've been waiting impatiently to get a look at the first product from The Finally Light Bulb Company. This start-up company from Cambridge, Massachusetts has decided to bring a Tesla-era lighting technology into the consumer space. The tech is known as induction or electrodeless lighting. Induction tech is pretty closely related to fluorescent lighting: a magnetic field excites gases in an enclosed tube. Those gases generate UV light, which strikes the phosphor coating on the tube, causing it to glow. (I'm probably butchering the details, so go here for more info.) Induction lighting has been used for years in industrial and commercial settings, where its reliability and efficiency are appealing, but the fixtures have been much too large for use in the home. The folks at Finally have worked to miniaturize induction lighting radically, so an entire assembly will fit into the space of a conventional A19 light bulb.

What Can LED Lights Really Do For Your Skin?

Can simply sitting under a colored light for a few minutes actually transform your skin? LED light therapy devotees claim that it can do everything from eliminate acne, calm rosacea and eczema, prevent wrinkles, and heal scarring. And unlike lasers, LEDs promise to be completely painless. Given that most cutting edge beauty treatments seem to involve some sort of discomfort, LEDs sounded too good to be true. I headed to the Rescue Spa in Philadelphia to check it out for myself.

Holiday lights: RGBs and LEDs and smart lights, oh my

Clark Griswold would be proud. Thanks to advances in lighting technology, holiday-light decorators across the country have a lot to choose from when it comes to creative ways to deck their halls for the holidays this year. You can forget about white incandescent lights and animatronic reindeer. Think lasers. Think smartphones. And hundreds, if not millions, of color choices. You may already be knee-deep in programming a light show that astonishes (or annoys) the neighborhood. But if you're just getting started down that road, here's a primer.

Mercedes previews their next-generation LED headlights

Audi and BMW have already moved on to laser headlights but that hasn't stopped Mercedes from developing the next-generation of LED headlights. According to the German automaker, the company will soon begin producing headlights which feature 84 LEDs. This doesn't sound terribly exciting but Mercedes points out the CLS currently has 24 LEDs and the additional LEDs will provide better illumination.

Affordable connected lighting system for those who want smarter lights

Philips have been trying to revamp your home lighting for some time now. First there was the attempt to inject a hint of colour into things with the Living Colours lamps, which allowed you to change your lighting to suit your mood. Then came Hue, its connected lighting system that not only gave you the option of colour but also hooked it up to your home wifi network so users could control lights from outside the house. No more returning home to an empty, dark house; a smartphone app or web login gives you complete control. And since its launch, Hue’s app has added even more options to take into account features such a geofencing and alarms.

Energy Focus is lighting the way with LEDs

After losing money for at least 15 years, Energy Focus decided to focus its energy on a particularly powerful customer: The U.S. Navy. Now the Navy is spending $15.6 million to replace some of its fluorescent tube lights with Intellitube LEDs made by the Solon-based lighting technology company. They cost more than fluorescents, but they're more efficient and they last longer — important qualities when you're in the middle of the ocean.

BMW’s ‘Light & Charge’ integrates street lamps with EV charging for anywhere energy

One of the biggest concerns in the world of EVs is range anxiety. You can have the most efficient, powerful, stylish, and comfortable car in the world, but it’s not much use if it can’t get you where you need to go. Companies like Tesla are committed to the distribution of high-speed superchargers throughout the world, but BMW, who is currently enjoying rising success of the electric i3, has announced plans to expand its own charging network. The German brand unveiled the ‘Light & Charge’ prototype at the Eurocities energy conference in Munich last week, which marries street lights and EV charging stations for the sake of anywhere energy and decreased range worry.

LEDs the Fast-Rising Heroes of Efficiency

Light-emitting diodes, or LEDs, once were the stuff of electronics geeks rifling through circuit board component drawers at Radio Shack. They were the blinking lights on computers and stereo systems signifying that the power was on, and the soft red glow of a calculator display back when President Jimmy Carter was putting solar panels on the White House. Today, LEDs are the rising heroes of energy efficiency around the world. 

Country Club Plaza is being lit up this year in LEDs

The Country Club Plaza has decided that energy efficient LED lights are ready for the big time.
When the switch is flipped for the 85th annual KCP&L Plaza Lighting Ceremony this Thanksgiving, 85 percent of the bulbs will be LEDs instead of the traditional colored lights that people have been accustomed to seeing. An LED — which stands for light emitting diode — emits light when a diode is activated, while an incandescent bulb uses power to heat up a piece of wire to provide the light. The standard Plaza holiday bulbs use 10 watts each, while the more energy efficient LED bulbs use 0.46 watts each.

Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/news/business/article3590955.html#storylink=cpy

Princeton creates a custom 3D printer that prints quantum dot LEDs from scratch

When you think of 3D printing, something like the MakerBot probably comes to mind — just another contraption that can build physical objects out of plastic, or sometimes metal if you’re lucky. However, many scientists are interested in utilizing the tenets of 3D printing and additive manufacturing to construct small electronic devices completely from scratch, such as the a new type of LED built by researchers at Princeton University. Using a custom 3D printer, this team was able to fabricate quantum dot LEDs composed of five different materials. They say this is the first time anyone has accomplished such a task.

LEDs to replace bulbs across Andhra Pradesh

The Andhra Pradesh state government has signed an agreement with the Centre to replace the conventional bulbs, tubelights and solar vapour lamps being used for streetlights with with Light Emitting Diode (LED) lamps  in Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram, Srikakulam and  10 other municipalities. As per initial estimates, the AP government will be able to save at least Rs 7,000 crore if it can replace the power consuming lights being used in streetlights and the  domestic, industrial and commercial sector with LEDs. They consume almost 50 per cent less energy than than solar vapour lights.

Ornamental plant seedlings grown with LED lights at Purdue

Purdue University researchers’ success in using red and blue LEDs as the only source of light to grow ornamental plant seedlings indoors has led to a new phase of determining whether they can reduce production time with more colors. The research is important because most seedlings are grown in greenhouses in the late winter and early spring, a time when sunlight with enough growing power is low, especially in northern states. Seedlings need to grow at that time to meet spring and summer sales of bedding plants, so supplemental lighting from electric lamps is typically needed.

The End Is Near For Incandescent Light Bulbs

Shoppers who get ready for their annual trip to buy light bulbs due to the end of daylight saving time may be in for a surprise this year as traditional incandescent light bulbs begin to disappear. To help its customers through this transition, Meijer has partnered with GE Lighting, America's most trusted lighting brand, to create a new shopping experience to help its shoppers navigate the many options as they prepare for the longer winter nights.

"Even though we've known for a while that incandescent light bulbs are being phased out, customers have been lulled into thinking the old school bulbs are not going away because they have remained on shelves," said David Hart, electrical, plumbing and home environment buyer for the Grand Rapids, Mich.-based retailer. "We're now approaching the point where the supply is disappearing, so we're trying to help our shoppers understand the multiple new options in a category that's become much more technologically advanced."

Meijer is the first retailer in the country to partner with GE on this type of program, which required a complete remodel of the retailers lighting aisle. Not only can customers choose between Halogen, CFL, Covered CFL and LED, they will also have access to detailed information through displays and TV monitors to help them make a decision on what's best for them. It may seem like a lot for something as simple as light bulbs, but light bulbs have changed.

"We know the light consumers love, and we've reinvented and perfected energy-efficient lighting, like CFL and LED light bulbs, to emulate incandescent light," said John Strainic, general manager, consumer lighting for GE in North America. "By collaborating with Meijer, we are able to make the lighting aisle experience simpler and more intuitive. Switching to energy-efficient lighting, like LEDs, requires consumers to change the way they've lit their home for more than 100 years, and we need to help guide them to better understand why LED lighting is the best lighting option; and, ultimately, help them grasp that LED is where lighting is headed."

Light bulbs are a popular item with Meijer customers this time of year. Meijer traditionally sees light bulbs sales increase by up to 40% in the weeks surrounding the end of daylight saving time.

Ford saves stricken plane using LED headlight technology in epic ad for new Mondeo

Ford Motor Company is releasing an action-packed pan-European TV ad created by 'The Fast and the Furious' director Rob Cohen, with the company's new Mondeo's LED headlights guiding a plane to land on a darkened airstrip. The campaign will initially break on social media and is designed to showcase some of the smart technologies featured in the new Mondeo.

Lighting and sensor provider Excelitas up for sale

Excelitas Technologies Corp, a provider of lighting and sensor components to the health and defense sectors, is exploring a sale it hopes will value it at at least $2 billion, including debt, according to people familiar with the matter. Excelitas' owner, private equity firm Veritas Capital Fund Management LLC, is preparing to launch an auction for the company with the help of investment banks Goldman Sachs Group Inc and Rothschild, the people said on Wednesday.

Dial up the brightness with these 100W replacement LEDs

The lighting aisle at your local hardware store has seen a lot of changes over the past few years, with incandescents getting phased out in favor of more efficient options. That's led to a rapid rise in LED options, including some increasingly affordable bulbs in the 100W replacement category. LEDs like these used to cost $50 or more, but today's crop won't cost you even half that. Here are five you might want to consider, along with full reviews to help you split the hairs between them.

Rigid LED strip manufacturers underscore improved luminous efficacy

Companies are releasing models with 2835 LEDs to widen reach in the indoor illumination market. They are positioning the line for the switch from fluorescent tubes. China makers of rigid LED strips are adopting diodes with higher luminous efficacy to expand their selections and boost penetration of the indoor lighting segment. A number are tapping 2835 LEDs with up to 100 lm/W and lower attenuation compared with mainstream 5050, 5630 and 5730 versions. Suppliers such as Shenzhen QCG introduced models last year. The company’s 12W units feature 90 lm/W, and come in white, warm white and cool white.

Multicolor smart lamp can display notifications and adapt to your music

Witti Design, the company behind Notti, is a Hong Kong-based startup that made another smart light called Dotti not too long ago. Notti does all thes same things Dotti does, but features a different design. The light is shaped like a strange polygon that looks like a large ice crystal. It’s white until you light it up and then you can choose from as many as 16 million colors, according to Notti.The lamp sports a 3 watt LED that lights up when you want it to.

EP municipality to use LED in all street lamps

The Eastern Province municipality (Saudi Arabia) has announced plans to use energy-saving illumination technologies (LED) in street lamps with a view to cut down electricity consumption. The new technology will allow for controlled consumption of power through a system of computers and remote controls leading to more efficient means of saving energy. Mayor of the Eastern region, Fahad bin Mohammed Al-Jubair, said: "The use of LEDs is one of the most prominent projects provided to the region to reduce electricity consumption by a system of computers and remote controls which will also monitor the contractor's performance and achievements." He added that the new technology will at the same time help to monitor the network and fix problems if and when they crop up.

New lighting system to be installed in Shaw’s Brow car park

Modern, energy-saving LED lights are likely to be installed in Shaw’s Brow multi-storey car park in the centre of Douglas in the near future. The new lights will cost the council £42,000 to fit but a report given to the council said the cost should be recouped within three years because the new units would be more efficient, saving electricity costs. The decision comes after a report compiled for the council looking at ways of improving lighting in Shaw’s Brow car park and reducing power costs.

New Clay Paky Stormy Fixtures Arrive at Main Light Industries

Main Light Industries, Inc., which offers lighting equipment rentals to the professional entertainment business from its base in Wilmington, Delaware, has taken delivery of 34 new Clay Paky Stormy fixtures.  A.C.T Lighting, Inc. is the exclusive distributor of Clay Paky products in North America. Main Light Industries, Inc., which offers lighting equipment rentals to the professional entertainment business from its base in Wilmington, Delaware, has taken delivery of 34 new Clay Paky Stormy fixtures.  A.C.T Lighting, Inc. is the exclusive distributor of Clay Paky products in North America.

Stadiums begin to embrace the advantages of LEDs

For years, sports stadiums have used metal halide lights to illuminate playing surfaces. But now, arenas are turning to LED lights, which have already made inroads in everything from city street lights to Christmas lights. When the San Francisco 49ers were investigating light options for Levi’s Stadium in 2012, LED lighting was still an uncertainty among sports teams. According to a 49ers spokesman, broadcast networks raised concerns about the readiness of LED lights for use in a major stadium. While the team looked at a few LED prototypes, it ultimately opted for the safe and traditional metal halide lights to illuminate the field.

LEDs attract 50% more insects and could damage ecosystems

Blue light-emitting diodes (LEDs) have been receiving positive attention after its inventors were awarded the Nobel Prize in physics last week. They use around 90 per cent less energy than incandescent bulbs and last for 100,000 hours compared with 1,000 hours for tungsten filament light bulbs. But while they may be good for the environment, a new study claims that the discovery may a problem for insects, which are more strongly attracted to the LED spectrum of light.

A Squeezable Light Bulb That Slurps Up Color

In the last couple of years, color detecting sensors have finally become cheap enough that we're starting to see a whole host of interesting gadgets that can incorporate Pantone swatches into their functionality. But we haven't seen anything that looks as fun as the Colorup

Government to offer Rs 400 LED bulbs at Rs 10 soon

Indian households will be able to buy energy-efficient LED bulbs at a steeply discounted price of Rs 10 following a business plan developed by group of government entities along with electricity distribution firms. The move is part of the government's ambitious plan to boost energy efficiency by providing Light Emitting Diode (LED) technology-based lighting solutions at affordable cost.

Sixty Watt Colored LED Wall Pack Light Released by Larson Electronics

Larson Electronics announces the release of a new low profile LED wall pack light with an optional red, blue, green, amber, purple, pink and white color output. This 60 watt LED light offers high light output from a compact form factor and is designed to provide a more durable and long lived alternative to halogen and metal halide units.

The LEDWP-600C from Larson Electronics produces a wide flood beam without the high heat, fragile construction, or high energy costs of incandescent lighting. The light assembly consists of forty-five LEDs paired with high purity optics to produce a wide light distribution overpowering that of a 500 watt quartz flood light. This light is constructed of three angled boards that help provide a wider spread. Instead of the light shining forward, the center board is concentrated to go straight out while the boards on the side are 45° offset. The LED lamp assembly is protected by a shatterproof polycarbonate lens which is secured to the housing with a waterproof seal. A ½” waterproof connector provides a secure and sealed power connection point and rounds out this unit’s weather resistant construction.

This LED wall pack is designed to withstand demanding conditions and is waterproof, vapor proof and built to resist the damaging effects of an outdoor environment. Mounting hardware for this wall pack light consists of a stainless steel coated bracket with stainless steel screws to provide secure mounting and resistance to rust and corrosion. The mounting assembly provides 360° rotation and 180° of up and down tilt to allow the user to position the unit as desired once mounted. This unit is designed to operate with voltages ranging from 110V AV to 277V AC, providing versatile power connection options. The LEDWP-600C provides an efficient and highly durable alternative to standard quartz and halogen wall pack lights that produce a longer reaching beam while using only a fraction of the power. 

Korean team makes flexible LEDs with GaAn micro-rods on graphene

A team of resarchers from Seoul National University in Korea have reported growing GaN micro-rods and coaxial quantum-well heterostructures on graphene films for applications in flexible optical devices. Graphene films were grown on copper foil by means of chemical vapour deposition, and then used as the substrates for the growth of the GaN micro-rods, which were subsequently transferred onto SiO₂/silicon substrates.

The Zuli Smartplug shrinks geo-fencing to room-fencing, for precision control of your home lighting system

Most smart-home systems rely on a central hub to manage light switches, wall plugs, door/window sensors, and other devices. Zuli has a different idea: Its smart plugs use Bluetooth LE (Low Energy) to form a mesh network. The network uses your smartphone to determine your location, so it can turn a light on when you enter a darkened room, and turn it off when you leave. The clever concept enjoyed a successful Kickstarter campaign earlier this year, and more recently caught the attention of several seed-round investors, including Logitech.

Sorry Thomas Edison, Here's Why LEDs Are the Better Bulb

Because of the “New Light Bulb Law,” Jan. 1 of this year marked the beginning of the end for America’s most popular source of light — the incandescent bulb. Even though these bulbs have lit homes around the world since the late 1800s, energy-inefficient incandescents are being phased out in favor of new types of bulbs that bring more light for less power. Taking their place is the LED (short for light emitting diode). When LEDs were first introduced, they were primarily used for traffic signals. Now, we see them in lamps, flashlights, cell phone screens, computers, automobile headlights and more.

Bright, Bendy Gallium Nitride LEDs

When it comes to light-emitting diodes, both inorganic and organic devices have found their niches. Inorganic LEDs, which beat organic ones hands down in brightness, energy efficiency, and durability, reign in lighting. Organic LEDs, on the other hand, can be tiny and are cheap to manufacture, so they take the prize for large-area, high-resolution and flexible applications such as displays and wearable sensors. Researchers have now combined the best of inorganic and organic LEDs. They've made bendable inorganic LEDs by growing micrometers-tall gallium nitride rods on graphene.

A guide to selecting power supplies for LED lighting applications

Thanks to their energy savings, long service life, durability and design flexibility they offer, light emitting diodes (LEDs) are rapidly replacing incandescent and fluorescent technologies in both indoor and outdoor luminaires. But choosing the right LED is only part of the design equation. In order for your solid-state lighting design to realize its full efficiency, durability, and longevity, you'll need to choose a power supply with characteristics which closely match the requirements of your application and the LEDs you're using. This brief tutorial offers some helpful pointers on what you'll need to consider during the selection process.