Custom Clock With LED Filament Hands

This beautiful analog LED wall clock features some great design. A custom PCB acts as a hub for all the LED filament spokes. 

The onboard brains come in the form of an ESP32, which means it can keep extremely accurate time via NTP. WS2811 LED controllers provide the 12 volts required for each filament and make individual addressing a breeze.

Leviton Viscor delivers SSL with UV-A continuous disinfection technology

The Leviton Lighting brand Viscor has announced the integration of ultraviolet (UV) LED technology into the Visioneering line of LED luminaires, enabling the solid-state lighting (SSL) products to combine continuous disinfection and visible light delivery. 

Specifically, the LRTH-DFX troffer-style luminaire radiates the UV-A-band (315–400-nm) energy that has been shown to deactivate or kill bacterial pathogens such as MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) and E. coli (Escherichia coli).

Leviton will target healthcare applications with the new products, and those facilities need such technology to fight HAIs (healthcare-associated infections). We covered that need in a UV feature back in the spring. Leviton also said it would target the education market and even commercial office spaces with the new products.

Spectrum display uses many LEDs

You would think the hard part about creating a spectrum analyzer using a pint-sized ATTiny85 would be the software. But for tuenhidiy, the hard part was fabricating an array of 320 LEDs that the little processor can drive. The design does work though, as you can see in the video.

Review: Govee Lyra floor lamp

Govee already has a ton of smart RGB lighting options on the market, and now they’ve added the Govee Lyra floor lamp, a freestanding lamp with a long LED lightstrip encased in an aluminum frame, where every LED can be a different color, or even a different shade of white.

Automotive Lighting Market to reach USD 51.4 billion by 2027

According to a comprehensive research report by Market Research Future the global automotive lighting market is projected to reach USD 51.4 billion by 2027 from an estimated USD 40.1 billion in 2019, at a CAGR of 7.1%.

Automotive lighting is made up of signaling and lighting devices that are incorporated or mounted on the rear, front, top, and sides of vehicles. These lights improve the driver's vision of both the vehicles and the road. They enable pedestrians and other drivers to observe the position of the vehicle, presence, size, direction of movement, and so on.

The key elements driving the market for lighting equipment are an increase in concerns about road safety and government lighting restrictions. Furthermore, factors such as increased disposable incomes and improvements in lifestyle and transportation requirements are contributing to an increase in vehicle production, which, in turn, increases demand for automotive lighting.

Smart lighting pioneer Gooee filed for administration

 

Once the leading voice for turning lights and the lighting network into chip- and sensor-equipped data collection and analysis systems, Gooee filed for administration in London, according to documents seen by LEDs Magazine on record at Companies House.

Founded in April 2013 as Moistmedia and changing its name to Gooee in May 2014, the enterprising group under the leadership of Neil Salt successfully permeated the idea that the value of luminaires could go well beyond lighting.

However, its innovative ideas did not translate into enough deployments for a sustainable business.

Vyv's LEDs going aboard cruise ships

The antimicrobial lights made by Vyv are going to be placed on cruise ships following a group of new international deals.

Under contracts with four companies — MJM Group, LightPartner Lichtsysteme GmbH & Co. KG, Middleby Corporation, and Delta Contract SpA — the lights will be installed throughout the ships in areas including galleys, lounges, food service, elevators, office spaces and more.

Vyv makes non-ultraviolet LEDs that kill microbes that grow on surfaces. A recent study showed the lights are also effective against some viruses, and the company plans to continue that research.

Asahi Kasei and Nara Medical University Confirm 226 nm UVC LED Efficacy Against SARS-CoV-2 and Verify Reduced Effect on Animal Skin Cells

Asahi Kasei announces the results of joint research with Nara Medical University regarding the efficacy of 226 nm ultraviolet-C (UVC) LEDs in the inactivation of the coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) that causes COVID-19, and its effects on animal skin cells.

This is the first study in the world conducted with LEDs of this wavelength, and the results confirm that the 226 nm UVC LEDs are able to quickly inactivate SARS-CoV-2 while having significantly less effect on animal skin cells than 270 nm UVC LEDs.

Crystal IS has commercialized Klaran UVC LEDs in the 260–270 nm wavelength range, and is now supporting the advanced research by Asahi Kasei to reach shorter wavelengths. Recently, Asahi Kasei’s Corporate Research & Development was able to create 226 nm UVC LED prototypes, and tests were conducted for these LEDs regarding their efficacy for inactivating SARS-CoV-2 as well as their effects on animal skin cells.

Florida making changes to bridge lighting policy

The Florida Department of Transportation is making changes to its rules regarding decorative bridge lighting.

Earlier this month, FDOT ordered the rainbow lights recognizing Pride Month shut off on the Acosta Bridge in Jacksonville after officials received complaints and they believed the lights did not meet code.

Certain lights for holidays and other events are permitted, such as Christmas and the Fourth of July.

Automotive-Compliant LED Driver from Diodes Incorporated Simplifies Rear Lighting Designs

Diodes Incorporated has expanded its portfolio of devices supporting automotive exterior illumination with the introduction of the AL5873Q three-channel linear LED driver targeted at simplifying rear lamp cluster designs.

Rated for 125°C ambient temperature operation, this automotive-compliant, AEC-Q100 Grade 1 qualified device meets the demands of next generation vehicle design – while also providing energy and space savings, hence, low overall system costs.

Each of the AL5873Q’s channels can drive up to 250mA, and is set via two reference resistors, which are connected to the driver IC’s REF1 and REF2 pins. Support for two different LED current levels enables more streamlined lighting systems – as the same LEDs can be used in rear lamp clusters for tail and brake lamps. This lowers the bill of materials (BOM) cost substantially.

The AL5873Q has analog and master PWM dimming control functionality, supporting a maximum PWM frequency of 1kHz. The PWM dimming function is pivotal in improving current accuracy when LEDs are being driven at low current levels. The current on each channel is regulated to within a ±4% tolerance, which allows better channel-channel matching in the rear combination lamps. To conserve power, the AL5873Q goes into standby mode if no PWM signal is detected.

The AL5873Q has built-in protection features with a bidirectional (input/output) fault pin which flags any faults and allows up to four devices to have their fault pins connected together, so that any faults identified are commonly reported. As part of its protection feature set, an internal junction temperature monitoring circuit reduces the LED current if its defined threshold temperature is exceeded. In addition to this thermal foldback, thermal shutdown and LED string-open/-short protection mechanisms are also included, as well as input undervoltage lockout.

De Nora to acquire UV Technologies Division from Calgon Carbon Corporation

De Nora, a global leader in the delivery of sustainable technologies, has announced the acquisition of the UV Technologies Division from Calgon Carbon Corporation.

The deal includes municipal and industrial water ultraviolet disinfection brands RAYOX, SENTINEL and C3 SERIES UV, as well as the products, brands and assets of Hyde Marine, a world leader in UV ballast water management systems.

The acquisition, which was signed on June 7 and is expected to close on July 1, brings together the strong delivery track record, expertise and capabilities of De Nora and CCUV.

CCUV introduced one of the first advanced oxidation processes (AOP) UV systems to the market. UV AOP technology is capable of treating several contaminants that are not easily removed by other technologies.

The acquisition will allow De Nora to accelerate worldwide efforts to combat these contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) and “forever chemicals” increasingly found in water supplies alongside its Capital Controls ozone AOP solutions.

An experimental look at Paleolithic cave lighting

A recreation of three common types of Paleolithic lighting systems (torches, grease lamps, and fireplaces) illuminates how Paleolithic cave dwellers might have traveled, lived, and created in the depths of their caves, according to a study published in the open-access journal PLOS ONE.

The authors conducted their experiments at Isuntza 1 Cave in the Basque region of Spain. Their replicated lighting was based as much as possible on archaeological evidence found in similar Paleolithic caves, and included five replicated torches (made variably from ivy, juniper, oak, birch, and pine resins), two stone lamps using animal fat (bone marrow from cow and deer), and a small fireplace (oak and juniper wood).

They found that the different lighting systems all had diverse features, suggesting their likely selection and use across different contexts. Wooden torches made of multiple sticks worked best for exploring caves or crossing wide spaces, since they projected light in all directions (up to almost six meters in the experiments), were easy to transport, and didn't dazzle the torchbearer despite having a light intensity almost five times greater than a double-wicked grease lamp. Torch light lasted for an average of 41 minutes in this study, with the shortest-lived torch burning 21 minutes, and the longest burning 61 minutes.

The torches tended to function irregularly and required close supervision when burning - though they were easy to relight via oxygenation (moving the torch quickly side to side). The authors found the main torch disadvantage was the amount of smoke production. In contrast, grease lamps worked best for lighting small spaces over a long period -- with a light intensity similar to a candle, they were able to light up to three meters (or more if larger or multiple wicks were added). Though grease lamps weren't well-suited for transit due to their dazzling effect and poor floor illumination, they burned consistently and without much smoke for well over an hour, complementing the use of torches. The authors made one fireplace, a static system, which burned very smokily and was extinguished after 30 minutes. They note that the location was likely not appropriate due to air currents in the cave.

The authors note that the practical insights and observations gained from their experimental replications are invaluable for a deeper understanding of what it may have been like to access the darkest parts of inhabited caves, especially in order to create art, and emphasize that future experimental lighting studies will be useful in continuing to unravel our ancestors' activities in their caves.

Artificial Sunlight Gets Boost from LED Windows

Constant exposure to artificial light might not be particularly healthy. Unlike sunlight, incandescent lamps and fluorescent tubes do not radiate the full spectrum of colors that humans need to keep their biological rhythm in sync with the Earth’s cycles of day and night.

The lighting industry is working to design systems that can follow humans’ natural sleep and wake cycle. Some of the major players are Circadian ZircLight, Philips, Trilux, and Versa Technology.

A new approach being taken by the lighting industry involves dynamic fixtures that look like real windows, skylights, and doors but that use LED technology. In 2019 Darras and his team invented  manufacturing method and form light fixture that combines window-construction principles with circadian-rhythm LED technology.

 

Outdoor Solar LED Market Size Worth $24.75 Billion By 2028

The use of solar PV cells in urban spaces for outdoor lighting applications has substantially increased over the last couple of years. The increased demand for these products can be attributed to their benefits on the fronts of energy efficiency, maintenance cost, and power cost over traditional lighting. As of 2020, the Europe market, closely following the Asia Pacific market in terms of market size, has witnessed a slight uptick in market demand with favorable regulations and incentive schemes supporting large-scale adoption.

In terms of application, the solar garden LED lights segment is expected to register the highest CAGR over the forecast period. The increasing spending on garden landscape designing in the residential and commercial spaces, to make the gardens aesthetically pleasing, is expected to drive the adoption of solar garden LEDs over the forecast period,

In terms of wattage, the 40W to 149W segment captured the largest revenue share in 2020. These products are gaining popularity due to their attributes such as higher lumen and brightness, which make them particularly suitable for landscaping and street lighting applications.

Twinkly Flex brings neon sign style lighting to smart homes

Twinkly Line is a sticky magnetic strip of exposed LED lights that can be physically manipulated into patterns and shapes to create wall art or placed around items such as TV back panels and furniture. I can do it.

Glitter flex Is a diffused flexible LED light tube that can be adapted to different shapes to emulate retro neon style signs and designs.

While smart lighting isn’t new in the field, the customizable Twinkly ecosystem creates more market choices for people other than other products such as the Phillips Hue series of bulbs and light strips.

Ameren Illinois to replace approximately 10,000 old streetlights with LEDs

Ameren Illinois announced plans to swap approximately 10,000 streetlights containing sodium vapor, mercury vapor, and metal halide with newer, more energy efficient LEDs by the end of 2021.

Replacement of the lights began this May and should be completed by the end of November.

“Energy efficiency benefits everyone by reducing the amount of energy that is produced and expended,” Kristol Simms, director of Energy Efficiency and Innovation at Ameren Illinois, said.

Macroblock and Moonshine Jointly Built Taiwan’s Very First Ultra-fine Pitch LED Wall Virtual Production XR Studio

Macroblock has partnered with Moonshine Animation, a famous artist-centered VFX company based in Taiwan, to build an LED wall XR studio in Taipei, Taiwan. 

The studio is equipped with real-time camera tracking system and high quality 4x4K LED displays of P1.25 (1.25mm pitch) with 3840 visual refresh rate, which allows video shooting at up to 60FPS.  

The latest two projects shot in the LED wall XR studio in May 2021 are VOGUE TAIWAN E-Cover and ASUS ROG Launch Event. Macroblock has been studying virtual production and extended reality (XR) for almost two years. 

Even though the LED displays are gaining popularity and having revolutionary impact to the filmmaking industry, there are still challenges that need to be overcome. In order to gain an in-depth understanding on the users’ requirements, collaborating with Moonshine is a strategic move for Macroblock to obtain first-hand information on users’ feedback on the visual effects of the LED walls and challenges encountered during camera shooting.

$ 6.91 Billion Growth Expected in Global Decorative Lighting Market 2021-2025

The global decorative lighting market is expected to grow by USD 6.91 billion at a CAGR of over 4% during 2021-2025, according to the latest market research report by Technavio.

The decorative lighting market is driven by the growing demand for energy-efficient decorative lighting products. In addition, evolving lighting product design concept leading to premiumization is anticipated to boost the growth of the decorative lighting market.

Consumers continuously look for energy-efficient products that consume less energy, long-lasting, and incur low electricity bills. Governments are also undertaking various initiatives and distinct activities to encourage the adoption of energy-efficient products.

These factors are driving the demand for energy-efficient decorative lighting products. To capitalize on this demand, vendors in the market are introducing a wide range of energy-efficient chandeliers, pendant lights, flush mounts, table lamps, and other products.

For instance, Generation Lighting offers LED products such as Orren Medium LED Chandelier and Ledgend Large LED Outdoor Sconce. Therefore, the rising demand for energy-efficient decorative products is expected to have a positive impact on the growth of the market during the forecast period.

Transfort Installs Solar Lighting for Safety at Bus Stops

A solar lighting pilot program will illuminate about 20 bus stops in Fort Collins, Colorado that are not currently lit from another source, like nearby streetlights or bus shelters.

The new lights are completely solar-powered with a battery storage system large enough to last five days. Riders will be able to activate the light using a push-button placed at an ADA-accessible height. The light will stay illuminated for approximately five minutes.

The solar lights comply with the City’s Night Sky initiative directing light downward and are used only where and when they are needed.

Fluence and Proper introduce advanced LED lighting to rising Midwestern cannabis market

Fluence by OSRAM (Fluence), a global provider of energy-efficient LED lighting solutions for commercial cannabis and food production, and Proper Cannabis (Proper), a Rock Hill, Missouri-based cannabis cultivator and manufacturer, announced the companies’ application of Fluence’s LED lighting solutions throughout Proper’s cultivation facility.

Proper is headquartered in the booming Missouri cannabis market and operates a 90,000-square-foot cannabis cultivation and manufacturing facility. 

When designing plans for its facility, Proper identified Fluence’s LED technology as a priority for the company’s cultivation strategy. Today, Fluence fixtures illuminate 20,000 square feet of cannabis canopy in Proper’s cultivation rooms, enabling the company to improve plant production and produce a variety of medical products under three unique brands.

Litetronics Introduces Versatile New LED Strip Fixture for Commercial and Industrial Settings

Litetronics announces the introduction of its high-performing new LED Strip Fixture, a modern and energy-efficient linear lighting solution that provides high-quality, uniform lighting and the utmost of versatility to a broad range of commercial and industrial applications such as office, manufacturing/warehouse, retail, display, storage, stairwell, and corridor settings.

Litetronics’ LED Strip Fixture is offered in both a standard version available in either 4’ or 8’ lengths as well as a tunable version that features both adjustable color temperature and adjustable wattage, allowing an installer to fine-tune the fixture in the field to best meet the needs of the application.  
Available in 2, 4 or 8 inch lengths, the tunable version offers the choice of three color temperature settings (3500K, 4000K, and 5000K) as well as three unique wattage settings (15 Watts, 20 Watts, and 25 Watts for the 2’ model, 30 Watts, 40 Watts, and 50 Watts for the 4’ model, and 50 Watts, 60 Watts, and 70 Watts for the 8’ model) that deliver powerful light output ranging from 1,950 to 9,100 lumens.  The tunable model further incorporates integrated sensors for occupancy sensing and daylight harvesting, enabling additional energy savings and operating cost savings.

Both the standard and tunable LED Strip Fixtures can be surface, suspension, or t-grid mounted in either a single-fixture configuration or as a continuous row to cover more ground from one power source.  The fixture’s lightweight, two-piece design makes installation quick and easy, reducing overall project time and labor cost, while its high efficacy of 130 lumens per watt and ‘DLC Premium’ rating ensure its eligibility for utility rebate incentives nationwide.

'UV-B LEDs will enhance livestock production'

Sensor Electronic Technology Inc (SETi) and Seoul Viosys, ultraviolet (UV)-focused business units of Seoul Semiconductor, have announced the results of research from Iowa State University that indicates UV-B-band (280–315-nm) energy might enhance pork production.

Many piglet farrowing facilities operate indoors today, and the piglets are not exposed to sunlight, resulting in vitamin D deficiency.

 Seoul and SETi say the results may suggest that other livestock as well as fish, birds, and more might be positively impacted by UV-B exposure.

Nemo Lighting Masters Collection Available Exclusively at YLighting

YDesign Group, an online destination for modern and contemporary design lighting, and Nemo Lighting, Italian design studio, announced an exclusive partnership bringing its coveted Masters Collection to YLighting.com only.

The collection includes works from masters of twentieth-century design such as Le Corbusier, Vico Magistretti, Charlotte Perriand, and Franco Albini, refreshed with elements like modern LEDs for today’s spaces.

The Nemo Lighting Masters Collection includes:

Lampe de Marseille Wall Sconce – Widely regarded as one of the most influential designers and architects of the 20th century, Le Corbusier originally created the Lampe de Marseille for a housing development in 1954. Its distinctive silhouette has since become an iconic symbol of modern design. Its spun aluminum diffuser features two conical ends containing lights that operate independently or in unison. A highly adjustable arm offers added flexibility. Available at YLighting.com.

Claritas Floor Lamp – A driving force of Italian industrial design, Vico Magistretti created the Claritas Floor Lamp in 1946 as an answer to post-war living. His first light fixture design embodied the functional simplicity and innovation that would become Magistretti’s signature. Its tripod base rises to an arched metal shade elegantly directing and diffusing light as it is adjusted. Available at YLighting.com.

Potence Pivotante Wall Sconce – While most well-known for her innovative furniture pieces, acclaimed French architect and designer Charlotte Perriand designed the Potence Pivotante in 1938 to be a highly functional and minimal light fixture. The L-shaped sconce is elegant and straightforward, pivoting to direct light where needed from a single sphere lamp at its end. Available at YLighting.com.

Atom swapping could lead to ultra-bright, flexible next generation LEDs

An international group of researchers has developed a new technique that could be used to make more efficient low-cost light-emitting materials which are flexible and can be printed using ink-jet techniques.

The researchers, led by the University of Cambridge and the Technical University of Munich, found that by swapping one out of every one thousand atoms of one material for another, they were able to triple the luminescence of a new material class of light emitters known as halide perovskites.

This 'atom swapping', or doping, causes the charge carriers to get stuck in a specific part of the material's crystal structure, where they recombine and emit light. The results, reported in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, could be useful for low-cost printable and flexible LED lighting, displays for smartphones or cheap lasers.

In the future the researchers hope to identify even more efficient dopants which will help making these advanced light technologies accessible to every part of the world.

Signify lights up European football stadiums

Signify has upgraded the lighting of six of Europe’s top stadiums, perfectly on time for the kick-off of Europe’s biggest international football tournament. 

Switching from conventional lighting to connected LED lighting offers a superior match experience for players and spectators in the stadiums, and for TV viewers at home. The renovations will also provide the venues greater flexibility for bespoke pre- and post-match entertainment.

For each stadium, Signify installed best in class pitch lighting systems using Philips LED luminaires. The LEDs comply with stringent international broadcasting standards which enable flicker-free and super slow-motion replay, ensuring that TV viewers don’t miss any of the action.

In the majority of stadiums, Interact was also installed to enable light shows whilst meeting requirements of international football organizations. Off the pitch, Signify used Color Kinetics LED to add dynamic light shows to the façades and the stands.

Magna Ignites Vehicle Design With Surface Element Lighting Technology

Magna is pushing vehicle design possibilities with its new innovative Surface Element Lighting technology which offers a new palette of options for automotive designers.

First-to-market on the all-electric 2021 Volkswagen ID.4, Surface Element Lighting is contained within a compact package, providing a homogeneous appearance and customizable, affordable LED lighting options for exterior vehicle applications.

At a minimum thickness of just 4mm, individual compact LED panels can be packaged into tight spaces and situated in near-endless configurations. The surrounding frame of the lit element can be modified to create unique 3D panels enabling styling freedom.

Lighting animations are customizable and can be created within individual elements or in groups including: lock/unlock, greet/goodbye, charge indicator, startup and turn signal indicator. In addition, designers have the option to offer consumers a choice of different pre-programmed lighting animations to deliver an even greater level of personalization.

This new technology builds on Magna’s current portfolio which includes lighting solutions that can be found on more than 140 vehicle models today. For more information on our lighting solutions, please click here.

PhosAgro to Increase the use of Green Energy in its Agrochemical Production Chain

During the 24th St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, PhosAgro signed an agreement with TGC-1 to increase the use of green energy in its mineral fertilizer production chain.

PhosAgro is one of the world's leading vertically integrated phosphate-based fertilizer producers in terms of production volumes of phosphate-based fertilizers and high-grade phosphate rock with a P2O5 content of 39% and higher. PhosAgro's environmentally friendly fertilizers stand out for their high efficiency, and they do not lead to the contamination of soils with heavy metals.

The main element of the strategy is to continue efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, including indirect energy emissions generated during the production of electricity consumed by the Company's industrial facilities. At the heart of the climate strategy is a low-carbon transition plan.

LED lighting is widely used at Group enterprises, which has made it possible to reduce lighting costs by 2x–2.5x and to reduce the carbon footprint of the Company's finished products. Last year, the apatite-nepheline concentration plant (ANOF) No. 3 switched to LED lighting, and a similar project will be carried out in 2021.

Online survey takes comments on Dark Sky initiative

City officials of Port Townshend (Washington) are seeking input on a Dark Sky initiative regarding the use of LED streetlights and other possible ways to reduce light pollution.

The city received a $177,460 grant from the state Transportation Improvement Board to replace lights in cooperation with the Jefferson County Public Utility District, which owns and operates the city’s street lights.

In addition to location and distance apart of current streetlights, the city also is considering if lights should be dimmed by 50 percent and the appropriate lighting level and spacing for new residential subdivisions, according to the website.

Lithonia Lighting Celebrates 75 Years

 

The Lithonia Lighting brand celebrates 75 years of providing products and services to its customers and the electrical industry.

The story began in 1946 when Sam Freeman founded the Lithonia Lighting Products Company. Operations began with just two employees working out of a 2,000-sq.-ft. garage in Lithonia, Georgia, which at the time was a small town of about 1,500 residents located outside of Atlanta.

Initially, the business involved finishing and assembling metal parts and first year sales were $287,000.

Today, Lithonia Lighting offers customers an industry-leading selection of quality LED lighting products in nearly every category. These include commercial indoor and outdoor lighting to industrial, life safety systems and residential lighting, for a diverse array of market applications ranging from commercial office to education, healthcare to retail, and from manufacturing and warehousing to parking garages and pedestrian walkways.

Lighting Hydrogels Via Nanomaterials

Hydrogels are commonly used inside the body to help in tissue regeneration and drug delivery. However, once inside, they can be challenging to control for optimal use.

A team of researchers in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Texas A&M University is developing a new way to manipulate the gel — by using light.

Light is a particularly attractive source of energy as it can be confined to a predefined area as well as be finetuned by the time or intensity of light exposure.

Light‐responsive hydrogels are an emerging class of materials used for developing noninvasive, noncontact, precise and controllable medical devices in a wide range of biomedical applications, including photothermal therapy, photodynamic therapy, drug delivery and regenerative medicine.

Lake Havasu to refurbish lighting of London Bridge

The historic street lamps atop London Bridge will remain but Lake Havasu City (Arizona) plans a lighting refurbishment to replace the bulbs and wiring in 700 lights under the sidewalks along both sides of the bridge, according to the Daily Independent.

The work will be done in time for the 50th anniversary in October of the bridge's dedication after its arrival and reassembly in the tourist town along the Colorado River.

But the refurbishment includes software that will give the city the ability to easily change and program the lights.

Turning off building lights at night cuts bird collisions

Turning off building lights at night can save migrating birds from crashing into buildings, a study based on decades of research has shown.

Scientists found that on nights when half the windows of a large building in Chicago were darkened, there were 11 times fewer bird collisions during spring migration and six times fewer collisions during autumn migration than when all the windows were lit.

Birds use unique exploratory skills. Building lights, especially on overcast nights, can bewilder them, leading them to fly in circles. Some may crash into buildings if they recognise plants or trees reflected in the glass.

Harbor Bridge LED lighting could soon come down

The Harbor Bridge (Corpus Christi, Texas) LED lights could soon come down, with City Manager Peter Zanoni saying the longer they are kept, the more risk they become to the public.

The city manager says the old lights could possibly fall onto oncoming traffic, and while the new bridge has been pushed back, it will have a state of the art lighting system.

The lights were only expected to last about five years; it has now been more than 10.

OSRAM announces the sale of the North America-Based Digital System

ams OSRAM announces the sale of the North America-Based Digital System (DS) business, which primarily manufactures lighting control systems, electronics and drivers, to long-time customer and partner Acuity Brands.

A leading U.S. industrial technology company, Acuity Brands is acquiring the Digital Systems business in the US, Canada and Mexico, which currently have about 1100 employees.

ams OSRAM North America Digital Systems business develops and manufactures lighting components including drivers, LED light engines, electronic ballast and connected components and is one of the largest LED lighting driver companies in North America. LED drivers are a crucial component of every luminaire and enable smart and embedded technologies to make lighting and controls more available, reliable, and open for broader access. The acquisition of ams OSRAM’s LED drivers and team expands Acuity Brands capabilities and its advanced LED driver portfolio.

Signify Launches New and Future-Ready Philips Hue App

Signify launches the fourth generation of the Philips Hue app. Rebuilt from the ground up, tThe Philips Hue app has been designed as the foundation for the future of smart lighting. New technologies improve app performance both in overall function and in communication with your smart lighting system, while also delivering an intuitive and enhanced user experience.

The app’s transformation is visible as soon as you open the redesigned Home tab. In this tab, users are now able to see all their lights and scenes in one glance with Tile View, making it possible to quickly control lights and set scenes without the need to navigate between different screens.

The Home tab in the new app also features a Hue scene gallery, which allows users to easily discover and preview the collection of Philips Hue scenes, handcrafted by the brand's lighting experts. Another addition to the Home tab is the much-requested ability to switch between multiple Hue Bridges quickly. Users that have different homes in the same app, or separate Hue Bridges for different areas of the home, will now be able to control their smart lighting faster than ever before.
 
In the new app, users will no longer set routines — they will set automations instead. The former Routines tab is replaced by the new Automations tab, which offers more advanced options for customization, enabling users to easily personalize their smart lighting.

One of the most requested and anticipated updates is also now available: multi-user geofencing. When using a Coming home or Leaving home automation, the Hue app now checks whether anyone else is home before running the automation. So, when the person controlling the automation leaves the house, any household members also using the Hue app that are still at home will not be left in the dark.

UV LED market expected to reach USD 1044.709 million by 2026

The UV LED market was valued at USD 348.9 million in 2020, and it is expected to reach USD 1044.709 million by 2026, registering a CAGR of 20.1%, according to new research.

The UV LEDs witness rapid adoption and become viable alternatives due to their lower energy consumption than mercury bulb lamps. The overall heat generated by the UV LEDs is considerably low. The UV LED lamps reaches a maximum of 40°C, whereas mercury lamps heat up to more than 60°C.

Further, the European Commission periodically reviews RoHS exemptions. Currently, mercury lamps are planned to be expelled under RoHS, owing to their environmental effects. This factor leads to significant power savings and a higher ROI in the long run.

Further, with the recent outbreak of Covid-19, the UV LED market is witnessing a significant surge in demand due to its usage in disinfecting the surfaces and germs killing properties. In many countries, such as China and the United States, are using UV lamps to clean the surfaces and prevent people from getting infected. According to photonics media, Covid-19 has increased the demand for UV LEDs that disinfect spaces.

Asia-Pacific is anticipated to gain significant market growth during the forecast period. Vendors based on Japan and China are making major investments in line with the expanding applications of UV LEDs such as disinfection and sterilization, in addition to their expansion activities.

 One of the major vendors, Nichia Corporation, Japan, in April 2019 launched its 280 nm UVC NCSU334A "deep blue" ultraviolet-outputting LED, which is intended to address the mass-market needs for air sterilization and water purification by using the solid-state lighting. Moreover, the company had considerable success with its UVA LEDs’ innovation and development, specifically designed for resin curing applications.

Moreover, coating companies in China are investing heavily in intelligent manufacturing. The international brands and the domestic players are joining the new wave of investment. In February 2019, the Hubei province announced that ShenzhenUV-ChemTech LTD and Yihua announced to invest CNY 8 billion to construct the world’s largest UV curing material project. In this project, 20 thousand ton (per year) of photoinitiators, 100 thousand ton (per year) of LED curing coatings, and 80 thousand ton (per year) of monomer resins will be produced.

Arkansas School District to Save Over Six Million Dollars with Solar and Energy Efficiency Upgrades

Farmington School Board approved a $3,881,804 Energy Savings Performance Contract with Entegrity, an Energy Services Company headquartered in Arkansas. Upon completion, the project will reduce the school's annual energy and maintenance expenses by nearly $300,000. The school district plans to use the annual savings for teacher raises and retention, which would be the school's first raise in five years.

The full scope of work includes district-wide LED lighting, HVAC replacements and tune-ups, water conservation measures on school fixtures, an emergency back-up generator, new stadium lighting, and more.

Entegrity will also implement multiple onsite solar arrays and manage the sites with Regenerative Agriculture practices that use a combination of wildflowers and prairie grasses. The project will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by an amount equivalent to burning 3,258,507 pounds of coal.

Lighting manufacturer forms new business to build COVID-zapping UV products

A Seattle-area lighting manufacturer has entered the market with a line of UV lighting products that it says can kill viruses and keep people safe — just as schools and businesses prepare to welcome students and workers in a post-pandemic world.

The company, Safeology, spun out of Electric Mirror, which manufactures luxury lighted mirrors and medicine cabinets for the hospitality industry. 90% of the hotels in Las Vegas have installed Electric Mirrors products, said Teresa Wenta, the company’s global executive director of marketing.

The company’s most recent product is an upper-room system that attaches to the ceiling and sends beams of UV-C light parallel to the floor, creating a virus-free zone above the heads of the people in the room. As air circulates in the room, the light disinfects it.

New member of Samsung’s 3030 mid-power LED portfolio offers improved lighting quality

Samsung has announced the LM301B EVO family of 3030 (3×3-mm) LEDs with enhanced packaging and phosphor technology that improve light quality and specifically enhance red spectral energy for warm tones and excellent color rendering.

The new Samsung LEDs push both performance and light quality — improvements that would allow the mid-power LEDs to usurp high-power components in general illumination indoor applications and also industrial applications.

Samsung is offering the LEDs across the range of 2700K to 6500K CCT. The company will also offer the LEDs integrated on Level 2 modules for quick time to market. Q-Series EVO modules target indoor and educational applications. H inFlux EVO modules target high-ceiling applications including factories and warehouses.

Architectural Lighting growing at a CAGR of 5.8%

Amid the COVID-19 crisis, the global market for Architectural Lighting estimated at US$8 Million in the year 2020, is projected to reach a revised size of US$11.8 Million by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 5.8% over the analysis period 2020-2027, according to new research.

Light Emitting Diode, one of the segments analyzed in the report, is projected to record a 6.1% CAGR and reach US$5.6 Million by the end of the analysis period. After an early analysis of the business implications of the pandemic and its induced economic crisis, growth in the High Intensity Discharge segment is readjusted to a revised 5.4% CAGR for the next 7-year period.

The Architectural Lighting market in the U.S. is estimated at US$2.2 Million in the year 2020. China, the world`s second largest economy, is forecast to reach a projected market size of US$2.6 Million by the year 2027 trailing a CAGR of 9.4% over the analysis period 2020 to 2027. Among the other noteworthy geographic markets are Japan and Canada, each forecast to grow at 3.1% and 4.6% respectively over the 2020-2027 period. Within Europe, Germany is forecast to grow at approximately 4% CAGR.

$ 2.32 Billion growth expected in Global Automotive Intelligent Lighting System Market

The global automotive intelligent lighting system market is set to grow by USD 2.32 billion during 2021-2025. However, the market growth momentum is expected to decelerate at a CAGR of almost 5% during the forecast period. The report offers an up-to-date analysis regarding the current market scenario, the latest trends and drivers, and the overall market environment.

The market is fragmented, and the degree of fragmentation will decelerate during the forecast period. De Amertek Corp., HELLA GmbH & Co. KGaA, J.W. Speaker Corp., KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., Ltd., Marelli Holdings Co. Ltd., OSRAM GmbH, Stanley Electric Co. Ltd., Valeo SA, Varroc Engineering Ltd., and ZKW Group GmbH are some of the major market participants.

The increasing adoption of automotive intelligent lighting systems as product differentiators will offer immense growth opportunities. To leverage the current opportunities, market vendors must strengthen their foothold in the fast-growing segments while maintaining their positions in the slow-growing segments.

Royole Introduces World’s First Micro-LED Based Stretchable Display Technology Compatible With Industrial Manufacturing Processes

Royole Corporation, a pioneer in flexible electronics, recently presented new research findings demonstrating the world’s first micro-LED based stretchable display technology compatible with industrial manufacturing processes.

This research shows Royole’s micro-LED stretchable display technology is capable of 130% stretchability, convex bending up to 40 degrees, while reaching a resolution up to 120 pixels per inch (PPI), a resolution threshold capable for use in laptop screens.

The micro-LED technology additionally allows transmittance up to 70 percent, much higher than existing flexible OLED technologies, making it highly applicable for smart solutions requiring transparency, such as for car windshields or sunglasses. To experimentally verify the process and design method, a 2.7-inch stretchable demo panel was implemented in 96×60 resolution.

UK Project LUSS To Develop UVA-based Disinfection System

The Project LUSS (LED based Ultra-Violet exposure for Safe Surfaces) Consortium has been awarded an Innovate UK Grant to develop an economical solution to combat COVID-19 infection in public spaces, with the added ability to also disinfect surfaces of other viruses and bacteria.

MicroLink Devices as lead industrial partner will develop an automatically self-cleaning door panel, exploiting specific UV light, that will kill viruses/bacteria and prevent the spread of infection.

The door panel will be disinfected automatically between uses, reducing the need for frequent manual cleaning and reducing the transmission of viruses/bacteria.

UH researchers' new prototype LED lightbulb emits less of that troublesome blue light

LED lightbulbs offer considerable advantages over other types of lighting. Being more efficient, they require much less electricity to operate.

But LEDs are not problem-free. Questions linger over suspected links between health concerns such as fatigue, mood disorders, and insomnia from overexposure to the blue-tinted light produced by today's standard LED bulbs. Plus, higher prices can prompt lightbulb shoppers to weigh other options.

A University of Houston research team led by Jakoah Brgoch, associate professor of chemistry in the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics and principal investigator in the Texas Center for Superconductivity, is developing an LED bulb that emits most of its energy from the safer violet segment of the visible light spectrum. Instead of just masking the blue light, they are developing a unique class of luminescent materials called phosphors that absorb a violet LED's single-color emission and convert the light to cover the majority of the visible spectrum.

The group is creating phosphors that operate, not with the conventional blue LED chip that nearly every LED light bulb uses today, but with a violet LED chip. This basically moves away from blue to violet as the base source and then converts the violet LED light into the broad-spectrum white light that we see.