SUN@HOME ceiling luminaire receives the "BEST OF DESIGN 2022 Award"

Just before the launch of its Circular pendant ceiling light from the SUN@HOME series, LEDVANCE has been able to snatch a coveted design award for it: SCHÖNER WOHNEN, Europe's biggest magazine for interior design, has given the new luminaire model the “BEST OF DESIGN 2022” award. The decisive factors were the combination of timeless design and innovative lighting technology. The luminaires will be launched on the market this autumn.

SCHÖNER WOHNEN rewards high quality and unique design concepts in the furnishing industry to provide customers with guidance and better information about trends and products. In addition to design, factors such as sustainability, ergonomics and functionality play a role for the editorial team.

With SUN@HOME, LEDVANCE offers a complete range of innovative luminaires that reproduce natural daylight like no other, thus increasing not only well-being but also performance. The portfolio consists of lamps and indoor luminaires for the home office with table, floor and monitor luminaires (e.g. SUN@HOME PANAN Desk TW), as well as wall and ceiling luminaires for living areas such as the living room, bedroom and children's room (e.g. SUN@HOME Moodlight TW). The new products support biodynamic effects similar to sunlight and thus have positive effects on users' own well-being.

Nichia expands the portfolio of its H6 Series

Nichia, the world’s largest LED manufacturer and inventor of high-brightness blue and white LEDs, announced the addition of NFCWJ108B-V4H6 and NFDWJ130B-V4H6 to its H6 Series portfolio, two new COB types with significantly increased output.

It became accepted in the industry that the trade-off between achieving high lumen efficacy and high CRI / TM-30 was difficult to overcome. However, the H6 Series of LEDs capitalizes on Nichia’s 50+ years of phosphors and LED expertise and technology, in combination with TriGain® Technology from Current.

The existing COB-V4H6 Series offers 5W, 9W and 16W class, and is mainly used for light bulbs, spotlights, and downlights. With the addition of 30W and 44W class to the portfolio, these products can now be used for lighting in spaces where high output is required, such as stores and facilities with high ceilings.

In addition to the high efficacy, H6 Series enables the reproduction of colors with high fidelity and beautifully illuminates facial expressions. These key features can be demonstrated in the various indoor spaces where the importance of quality of light is focused including residences, shops, offices, and healthcare facilities. Nichia believes that the adoption of H6 Series, both COB and 757 Series, can contribute to improve the daily comfort of our lives.

Grow Lights Market Will Generate $13,183 Million Revenue by 2030

The grow lights market is predicted to grow at a 28% CAGR to reach $13,183 million by 2030.

Based on installation type, the retrofit category holds the bigger share, and it is predicted to sustain its position in the years to come. This is because of the escalating count of farmers adopting advanced cultivation techniques and the declining prices of these luminaires.

The category of LEDs is predicted to dominate the market in the coming years owing to the surging demand of customers for energy-efficient and affordable grow lights and mounting count of programs of governments to encourage the adoption of these products.

Vertical farming is expected to witness a 29.8% compound annual growth rate, due to the skyrocketing demand for herbs and food and growing numbers of vertical farms, mostly in advanced economies, owing to the absence of fields required for the traditional ways of agriculture.

The largest revenue share is held by the commercial greenhouses category, which will lead the sector during the forecast period. This is owing to the reducing accessibility of land for agriculture, commercialization of greenhouses, mounting acceptance of organic farming methods, and growing demand for energy efficiency in agriculture.

Tiffen Unveils Lowel Tota LED XL Floodlight

Tiffen has introduced the Lowel Tota LED XL daylight-balanced panel floodlight with foldable design and a three-times increase in brightness compared to previous models.

The new floodlight can be used to light a subject or raise the ambient set lighting for both video and photography. The Tota LED XL emits 11,200 lux of flicker-free, continuous light from 216 LEDs. The 8-inch-by-8-inch panel produces a 60-degree beam at 5600 degrees Kelvin +/-200 degrees K, Tiffen said.

The new light has a unique three-section design, making it possible to fold down to half of its width. With a solid metal body that protects the LEDs during transport, the Tota LED XL’s tri-panel design enhances lighting control with the two outer wing sections capable of being splayed flat or folded inward to custom-shape the light emission.

Ams Osram has big plans for small LEDs

Speaking to analysts during a web call to discuss third-quarter results Osram CEO Alexander Everke reaffirmed the eventual importance of micro LEDs to revenue, and stated that production will start in 2024.

Micro LEDs — much smaller than today’s standard LEDs — have been on the roadmap since before Premstaetten, Austria–based ams took over Munich, Germany–based Osram in July 2020. Former Osram boss Olaf Berlein used to mention them, although he was more adamant about nearer-term possibilities for mini LEDs.

Under Everke, the combined ams Osram has been constantly reviewing and recasting the business divisions and product lineup that it took on with the Osram acquisition. It has jettisoned many operations, most recently the remaining LED driver unit and before that Traxon Technologies, a sale that closed this month.

Global automotive lighting market will grow 4% to US$ 32.68 billion in 2022

According to the 2022 Global Automotive LED Product Trend and Regional Market Analysis released by TrendForce, though global automobile sales took a hit from the Russia-Ukraine war and COVID in China, the increasing penetration of LED headlight and the development of smart headlight, logo lamp and smart ambient light among other advanced technologies still bolstered the automotive lighting market in 2022.

At the same time, as the costs of plastics surges, prices of automotive lighting products are holding or even rising. TrendForce expects the global automotive lighting market will grow 4% to US$ 32.68 billion in 2022 as automotive lighting pursues personalization, communication, driver assistance and safety upgrade.

Traditional automakers and EV manufacturers are pushing LED headlight penetration as they hold or boost market share with product differentiation. TrendForce estimates the global penetration of LED headlights in passenger vehicles will hit 72% in 2022, and as high as 92% for EVs.

Biden-Harris Administration Proposes Raising Efficiency Standard for Light Bulbs

The Biden-Harris Administration, through the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), proposed stronger efficiency standards for light bulbs, also known as general service lamps, to conserve energy and cut energy bills for American families and consumers. With this announcement, the Administration has now taken more than 110 actions this year to strengthen energy efficiency standards and save the average family at least $100 annually through lower energy bills in the years to come.

Collectively these energy efficiency actions will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by more than 2.4 billion metric tons and save consumers $570 billion cumulatively over 30 years, and represent a key pillar of the President’s strategy to tackle the climate crisis while lowering costs for families.  

The proposed rule significantly raises the minimum lightbulb efficiency level, from 45 to over 120 lumens per watt for the most common bulbs. Earlier this year, DOE implemented a near-term phaseout of inefficient incandescent bulbs. Today’s new rule will accelerate the transition away from compact fluorescent bulbs as well, toward more efficient and long-lasting LED bulbs that deliver significant savings and that the lighting industry is already embracing. DOE estimates that the new rule, if adopted within the proposed timeframe, will deliver consumer benefits of up to $20 billion dollars and conserve roughly 4 quadrillion British thermal units of energy in the 30 years after its implementation.

The new rule also advances President Biden’s goal to achieve a net-zero emissions economy by no later than 2050. DOE estimates that over 30 years, the proposed standards would result in cumulative emission reductions of 131 million metric tons of carbon dioxide and 903 thousand tons of methane—an amount roughly equal to the electricity use of 29 million homes in one year.

DOE will host a webinar on February 1, 2022 at 1:00 p.m. ET to solicit feedback on DOE’s proposed rulemaking from interested parties. Visit the general service lamp rulemaking page to find out more information about webinar registration and this rulemaking. DOE’s Building Technologies Office implements minimum energy conservation standards for more than 60 categories of appliances and equipment, including furnaces, air conditioners and heat pumps, lighting, water heaters, household appliances, commercial refrigeration equipment, and many more. 

Higher brightness and efficacy make LEDs more affordable for automotive forward lighting

The introduction of new, hyper-efficient automotive LEDs, the OSLON Black Flat X series from ams OSRAM, marks the crossing of a cost/performance threshold. This new LED achieves even higher levels of both luminous flux output and efficacy than earlier OSLON Black Flat products. This enables automotive OEMs to so substantially reduce the amount of material and number of components in a forward lighting unit that the cost of an LED-based headlamp becomes competitive with that of a conventional halogen unit, while offering the superior features, reliability and performance for which LED technology is well known.

The new era for LED forward lighting, which is emerging with the introduction of the OSLON Black Flat X, builds on the successful platform of the existing OSLON Black Flat family of products. OSLON Black Flat LEDs are widely recognized to be the first surface-mount LED light sources to be used in automotive forward lighting. OSLON Black Flat LEDs get their name from the package style: the black package provides for high contrast of 1:200, and the flat surface-mount package can be mounted on a PCB using standard assembly equipment.

The new OSLON Black Flat X is based on the latest version of the ams OSRAM InGaN-based UX3 chip architecture. The UX3 provides more reliability, high optical power output and good thermal performance.

Aluminum nitride–based semiconductorunlocks possibilities for LEDs

A research team at Georgia Tech has created an ultrawide bandgap semiconductor with AlN that can be used at significantly higher power and temperature levels than previously achieved.

Long used as an electrical insulator, aluminum nitride (AlN) might be a key to unlocking newfound capabilities for LEDs, high-power electronics, and optoelectronics — but as a semiconductor. The high thermal conductivity and electrical insulating abilities of the material, an engineered ceramic, suit its current use in electronic devices for heat dissipation.

To achieve the significant conductivity improvements in p- and n-type AlN, the researchers used innovative methods to create the material. Semiconductors begin as pure elements, such as silicon, that scientists then dope with specific impurities to form crystals with targeted electrical, thermal, structural, and optical properties. Here, Doolittle and his team doped AlN with beryllium, long predicted as the best p-type dopant for AlN and GaN, according to their September 2021 paper in Advanced Materials.

Lighting-as-a-Service Market to Reach $11.8 Billion

The global lighting-as-a-service industry is estimated to generate $694.7 million in 2021 and $ $11.8 billion by 2031, witnessing a CAGR of 33.1% from 2022 to 2031. The report offers a detailed analysis of changing market trends, top segments, key investment pockets, value chain, regional landscape, and competitive scenario.

The global lighting-as-a-service market witnessed a low growth during the COVID-19 pandemic. The supply chain was one of the first industries to be affected by the pandemic. Travel restrictions and logistics suspensions hampered the import of lighting supplies.

Furthermore, the lighting production facilities were closed as the workforce could not resume their duties due to lockdown.

The pandemic affected the allied sectors that are associated with the lighting as service market. The implementation of work-from-home policies also hindered the market growth.

ZKW and Swarovski let the new BMW i7 shine with crystal headlights

One of the highlights of the new all-electric BMW i7 are the sparkling crystal headlights. ZKW has developed a unique lighting system in cooperation with Swarovski and the Bavarian car manufacturer.

The four precisely cut crystals on each side of the "Iconic Glow" headlights are underlain by individually controlled LEDs. These support the daytime running and indicator lights, creating a vibrant, sparkling glow that is particularly effective during the "Welcome and Goodbye light staging" functions.

In the lower part of the front of the BMW i7, high and low beams are discreetly positioned using ZKW LED matrix technology. The crystal headlights are produced in pan-European manufacturing. The premium crystal light was developed at the headquarters of the lighting systems specialist in Wieselburg, it is manufactured at the Slovakian site in Krusovce, the crystals come from Austria. "The innovative lighting system opens up new dimensions that no longer have anything in common with classic spotlights. With the crystal light, we have created a completely new kind of lighting effect for a premium automobile," says Dr Wilhelm Steger, CEO of the ZKW Group.

The unique project presented the engineers from BMW Group, ZKW and Swarovski with major tasks. In order to make the crystals look like a grown crystal rather than jewellery, a special setting had to be developed. "The challenge was, in addition to developing the unmistakable design with BMW Group, to fix the large glass crystals stably and permanently in the headlamp. The main focus was on perfecting the crystal cut," says Peter Widmann, Senior Vice President and Managing Director of Swarovski Mobility. Special software was developed for the light functions of the "Iconic Glow" headlamp, which enables unique effects. In addition to the driving and flashing light, the premium lighting impresses, for example, with its sparkling "Welcome and Goodbye" light show.

Global UV-C LED market is anticipated to register a CAGR of 29. 65%

The global UV-C LED market is anticipated to register a CAGR of 29. 65% over the forecast period. UV-C LEDs produce UV photons through the electroluminescence of a semiconductor crystal. These semiconductor crystals are typically made of AlGaN compounds grown on sapphire or AlN substrates.

During the forecast period, the incorporation of UV-C LED into consumer goods and home appliances is anticipated to present a significant opportunity for the growth of the UV-C LED market. Improvements in output power and reliability and the recent unit cost price reduction for UV-C LEDs are additional factors significantly fueling the market growth.

The technology of UV-C LEDs is gradually becoming better. The commercialization of water purification and disinfection has resulted in a sizeable market for the products. This is one of the factors driving UV-C LED demand globally. UV-C LEDs provide a focused wavelength for selective and targeted measurements.

Moreover, UV-C LEDs offer surface and air disinfection in addition to water. In the commercial environment, the use of UV-C LED air purifiers for HAVC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) is rising. UV-C LEDs are finding new services in a wide range of industries, including residential, commercial, healthcare, transportation, life sciences, defense, and emergency response.

Kineon Introduces Move Plus Designed To Reduce Knee Pain

Kineon introduced a red-light therapy device that uses LED and medical-grade laser technology, that supports the near-complete recovery of damaged blood vessels and cartilage, reduces inflammation and decreases joint pain and strengthens the body's own unique healing process for faster rehabilitation.

The Move + is a next-generation red light therapy device that uses both LED lights and medical-grade laser technology, to optimize full recovery. For any struggles with joint pain, this device can help with quicker recovery while also restoring damaged tissue. Move+ offers targeted relief to knee pain, helping to reduce inflammation and ease the pain. The Kineon Move+ was designed to solve all of those problems: the wearable device wraps comfortably around your arm or leg, emits laser NIR into internal tissue (which penetrates more effectively than only LED light), and by using three separate laser modules simultaneously internal tissue is treated even more effectively, delivering exactly the right dose with sniper-like accuracy.

Better yet, The Move+ uses next-generation Dual-Light Therapy technology, delivering its red light through both medical-grade lasers and LEDs. And this is more effective at reducing pain and inflammation, increasing blood flow, and supporting the near-complete recovery of damaged blood vessels and cartilage.

There are many red-light therapy devices; most commercial ones are ineffective. With light therapy, dosing is as important, or even more so, than pharmaceuticals. Most light therapy products are not designed based on optimal dosing for internal tissue where inflamed, painful tissue needs to be treated. Light therapy panels are comparable to shaking a pill bottle in front of your face and hoping what falls in is the correct dosage. Often, they don't even deliver the right dosage of red/NIR light, which leads to less-than-optimal results.

These benefits have been validated by a series of clinical studies, including hundreds of human trials. Clinical studies show just how effectively light therapy reduces pain and inflammation. According to Kineon's Chief Science Officer, Evan Peikon observation, a single 5-minute Move+ session, improved blood flow and vascular health in the treated tissue. Suffering from bone and knee pain is not easy, but the MOVE+ & Science of Light Therapy has put an end to this pain.

ams OSRAM announces the closing of the sale of Traxon Technologies to Prosperity Group

ams OSRAM announces the closing of the sale of the Traxon Technologies architectural lighting business to Prosperity Group.

Traxon Technologies Limited has been established as an independent company within Prosperity Group where Traxon is a licensee of the OSRAM brand for its high quality luminaire products. ams OSRAM will continue to support Traxon in selected jurisdictions with transitional sales services for a period of several months after which related employees and assets will also be transferred to Prosperity Group.

Prosperity Group, a privately owned lighting company headquartered in Hong Kong, is a modern conglomerate deep-rooted in the lighting industry with investments and operations across diversified business sectors in global markets and a long-term partner to ams OSRAM and OSRAM Licht AG for over 40 years.

ams OSRAM will continue to focus on its high technology semiconductor businesses and its automotive & specialty lamps business and the transaction represents a further milestone in the implementation of ams OSRAM’s strategy to focus on core technology areas in illumination, visualization and sensing and to divest businesses that are not core to the company’s strategy. This transaction does not include ams OSRAM illumination components and technologies.

IKEA and Sonos launch the new SYMFONISK floor lamp speaker

In 2019, the first SYMFONISK lamp speaker was launched, marking the first products developed together by IKEA and Sonos. Now, the collaboration continues with the introduction of the next version of SYMFONISK – in the shape of a floor lamp. Just like the previous products developed by IKEA and Sonos, the new SYMFONISK floor lamp speaker combines high-quality sound with a thoughtful design, and blends into the home in a new way to make the most out of people’s living space.

SYMFONISK floor lamp speaker is designed with simplicity in mind, offering elevated sound while spreading gentle light. The floor lamp speaker comes with a shade in bamboo and can be personalised through different SYMFONISK speaker lamp shades that can be bought separately. Paired together with other products from the SYMFONISK range or other Sonos products, the lamp can also act as a rear speaker to create a home theatre setup with light and room filling sound.

All SYMFONISK products are part of the Sonos system, making connecting to music and audio content easy. Enabled by DIRIGERA, the IKEA hub for smart products, the SYMFONISK floor lamp speaker can be added to the IKEA Home smart app and be steered together with other smart devices to create scenes that positively affect moments in the home.

Samsung Display and Universal Display Corporation Enter into Long-Term OLED Agreements

Universal Display Corporation announced the signing of long-term OLED material supply and license agreements with Samsung Display.

These agreements affirm that Universal Display Corporation will continue to supply its proprietary UniversalPHOLED phosphorescent OLED materials and technology to Samsung Display for use in its OLED displays. ]

The agreements are scheduled to run through December 31, 2027, and may be extended for an additional two-year period. Financial terms of the agreements have not been disclosed.

San Benito County residents can now recycle their unbroken fluorescent lamps

San Benito County Integrated Waste Management announced residents can now recycle their unbroken fluorescent lamps free at True Value, located at 1260 Fourth Street in Hollister.

Fluorescent lights contain mercury, a potent and persistent neurotoxin, the press release said. Fluorescent lights that break pose a serious health risk to consumers and solid waste management workers. Fluorescent lights are considered household hazardous waste at end-of-life and must be disposed of at a designated location. It is illegal to dispose of fluorescent lights in your trash or recycling.

The release said the grant project also includes the distribution of over 600 coupons valued at $10 applicable towards the purchase of LEDs, redeemable at True Value in Hollister.

RSF Association board approves lighting regulation

The Rancho Santa Fe Association board finally approved its new lighting regulation, simply changing the dated language of watts to modern lumens.

The board will consider a total of nine lighting policy topics including uplighting, tree lighting, safety lighting, outdoor chandeliers, hours of exterior lighting and maximum lumens.

In the code now, uplighting is prohibited but up to 12 can be allowed under minor construction and.

Bright lights are to be prohibited and uplighting to the extent that it is allowed should be focused on a specific object to prevent light spill onto neighboring properties.

Lighting Showroom Association and LEVAR launch Augmented Reality platform for enhanced lighting experiences

LEVAR, a provider of Augmented Reality (AR) and 3D "View in your space" technologies, and the Lighting Showroom Association (LSA), announce the launch of their partnership platform to bring AR and 3D technologies to the residential lighting and fan industry.

Through the LSA Augmented Reality program, LEVAR provides LSA member showrooms and manufacturers with the ability to quickly and easily add immersive AR and 3D technology to their eCommerce and in-store shopping experiences.

'Lighting is a unique and personal experience for shoppers—from where and at what height it will be placed to how the details will accent a room. It is also challenging to envision a fixture without seeing it in the correct space,' said Lisa Bartlett, Director of the Lighting Showroom Association. 'LEVAR has solved for that with genuinely life-like 3D and AR lighting models that our manufacturers and showrooms can use to help drive higher conversion rates, reduce costly returns and provide a better customer experience.'

The LSA Augmented Reality program provides independent showrooms and manufacturers with the valuable technology they need to compete with the big box stores and continue to be the best place for contractors, architects, and consumers to learn and shop for lighting and fans.

High Throughput Micro-LED Test Probe and Solution

With more and more mature technology for Mini- and Micro-LEDs fabrication, manufacturers are gearing up for the production phase and critically looking for more test efficiency and fast testing for the optical devices.

STAr Technologies develops measurement technology to enhance optical testing capabilities and parallel test efficiency and to achieve cost-effective high-volume production.

STAr's Unicorn-LAIT II tester is designed to meet diverse industry requirements and to ensure accurate and reliable measurement results in the shortest amount of test time, based on an integrated parallel test architecture. The tester is ideal for electrical, optical measurement, driver functionality, RGB testing, etc. The tester is equipped with high efficient Dark and EMI Shield test environment dedicated to LED and Laser Applications. The system can be upgradeable with an autoloader for a fully automatic test with a cassette.

STAr's Unicorn Mini- and Micro LEDs tester is based on a flexible architecture platform supporting small pads probing with controlled needle force. The Mini- and Micro LEDs tester integrates parallel testing with a probe station, and probe card and offers comprehensive analysis results to industry users. Unicorn Mini- and Micro LEDs tester efficiently accomplishes manufacturers' expectations for high throughput production to meet their customer's assembly requirements.

AiDot officially Joins the Connectivity Standards Alliance

AiDot smart home, a smart home ecosystem brand, has officially joined the Connectivity Standards Alliance. AiDot will support the development and popularization of the matter standard protocol as an Alliance member in the future.

The Connectivity Standards Alliance is a global organization of 550 companies working together to simplify and harmonize the Internet of Things (IoT) through technology standards, dedicated to creating, maintaining, and delivering open global standards for the IoT and the smart home.

Matter, the new smart home standard officially launched by the Connectivity Standards Alliance in October 2022, enables Matter-compliant IoT devices and ecosystems to communicate securely, removing interoperability barriers and ushering in a new era of innovation. It will mark the end of the smart home walled garden and provide a better experience for any manufacturer through a global, secure and open interoperability standard.

Some Matter-Certified AiDot product devices have already been released as pre-sales. As one of the first smart brand support the Matter protocol, users can experience Matter's interoperability, simplicity, and security through AiDot's matter-compatible products.

Current pre-sale products of AiDot are A19 and BR30 RGBTW smart bulbs which are available in more than 16 million colors and support color temperature adjustment from warm white to cool white (1800 - 6500K), and consumers can also enable the music rhythm function on the app, allowing the smart bulbs to change colors according to the rhythm of music automatically.

Leading technologies enable Chengdu to become smart city

Chengdu, capital city of Southwest China's Sichuan province, is transforming into a smart city with the development and application of the new generation information technologies such as internet of things, cloud computing, big data and artificial intelligence.

A total of 2,539 intelligent street lamps made in Chengdu were used during the Beijing Winter Olympics, demonstrating the city's technology strength.

Developed by Chengdu-based Sichuan Huati Lighting Technology Co Ltd, the lamps in the city not only provide lighting services, but are also equipped with WiFi, LED panels, charging piles, photovoltaic power generation and energy storing devices. They serve multiple functions, including 5G communication, environmental monitoring and intelligent transportation.

The lamps are also in operation in Chengdu. Based on the lamps, Huati Lighting Technology has also developed a series of smart city application scenarios and services. Its smart roadside parking system has been piloted in Chengdu's Shuangliu district, and the smart greenway system has been applied in the city's Jincheng Greenway.

Under the Chengdu municipal government's guidance to build a "Smart Chengdu", an increasing number of intelligent technology products and smart city application scenarios have been applied, changing people's way of production and life.

Smart Lighting Will be $47,674.3 Million Market by 2030

A news market research study published by P&S Intelligence predicts that the smart lighting market garnered $10,600.8 million in 2021, and it is projected to generate $47,674.3 million in 2030, rising at a rate of 18.2% from 2021 to 2030.

In an average house, lighting consumes around 15% of the total electricity, and the usage of LEDs can save $225 in energy bills. The availability of a wide range of features, including energy usage monitoring, automatic on/off, and Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and ZigBee connectivity, along with the rising adoption of IoT devices and smart assistant platforms, propels the smart lighting demand.

The new installation category captures an approximately 60% industry share, led by the strong focus on removing conventional lighting systems from the mainstream and installing novel lamps and associated controls in their stead. This trend is easily visible in the newly constructed industrial, commercial, and residential spaces.

Among all kinds of hardware, lighting control captures the largest industry share, led by the rising count of technological advancements and transformations in smart lighting system controls.

LEDs will continue to experience the fastest growth in the smart lighting industry, driven by the technological advancements in LED lighting. The industry is also propelled by the rising consumer awareness of the advantages of more-energy-efficient and reliable lighting sources over the conventional incandescent lamps.

New blue quantum dots promise more energy-efficient displays

Display devices based on quantum dots promise greater power efficiency, brightness and color purity than previous generations of displays. Of the three colors typically required to display full color images—red, green and blue—the last has proved difficult to produce.

A new method developed at the University of Tokyo based on self-organizing chemical structures offers a solution, and a cutting-edge imaging technique to visualize these novel blue quantum dots proved essential to their creation and analysis.

The team produced their blue quantum dot in a different way; when exposed to ultraviolet light, it produces nearly perfect blue light, according to the international standard for measuring color accuracy, known as BT.2020.

New device can control light at unprecedented speeds

An international group of researchers, led by a team at MIT, spent more than four years tackling the problem of high-speed optical beam forming. 

They have now demonstrated a programmable, wireless device that can control light, such as by focusing a beam in a specific direction or manipulating the light’s intensity, and do it orders of magnitude more quickly than commercial devices.

Known as a spatial light modulator, the device could be used to create super-fast lidar (light detection and ranging) sensors for self-driving cars, which could image a scene about a million times faster than existing mechanical systems.

The research was funded, in part, by the Hertz Foundation, the NDSEG Fellowship Program, the Schmidt Postdoctoral Award, the Israeli Vatat Scholarship, the U.S. Army Research Office, the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory, the UK’s Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, and the Royal Academy of Engineering.

Light Curtain Appears in the Giant Water Tank

LED floodlights, LEDSFOCUS PRO, is now used at the huge aquarium tank of whale sharks and other species at Notojima Aquarium in Nanao City, Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan.

Notojima Aquarium is located on Noto Island, east of Noto Peninsula.

Notojima Aquarium opened in July 1982 as the only aquarium in Ishikawa Prefecture. One of the most popular exhibits in the aquarium is the giant water tank with 1,600 tons of water, titled “Whale Shark Zone: Blue World.”

The Corporation is located at the same place as verdant Seibu Ryokuchi Park and Ishikawa Prefectural Industry Exhibition Hall.

Micro LED: Demand for High Display Options Fueling Sector Growth

Micro-LED is an emerging display technology that aims to provide a flat panel display with a wide viewing angle, quick response time, and a simultaneous reduction of energy consumption compared to existing technologies. Micro-LED provides a better display and higher brightness than LCD and OLED, and other existing technologies.

This is expected to increase its popularity and application in devices like TVs, smartwatches, tablets, laptops, PCs, and others. Micro-LED consumes less power than other technologies, which is expected to boost its demand further. Also, with the rising disposable income and changing living standards of the people, the demand for digital products is expected to increase over the years. With better up-gradation in devices like smartphones, laptops, smartwatches, TVs, etc., the demand for technologies like micro-LED stands at a favorable position.

One of the major restraints to this market is the high investment cost and high product price, which can not only affect the entry of new companies in this field but can also hamper the demand from customers owing to the high price associated with the product. Apart from that, the existing technologies are projected to serve as significant competition, especially in terms of affordability to the market, impacting its growth.

With the rise in development and urbanization across the globe, the factors like disposable income and living standards are being affected. Over the years, trends suggest that people have increased their demand for high-tech products to adjust to automation and technological advancement and simultaneously produce better results for their businesses. Therefore, the ever-rising demand and our growing dependence on high display digital products like smartwatches, TVs, laptops, etc., along with better display results than LCDs and OLEDs, are projected to fuel the demand for micro-LEDs in the coming years.

The major highlight of micro-LED products is that they consume less power than other existing technologies, which are expected to give a considerable market share to this market in the years to come. This is because of micro-LED's color filters and backlights, and with the advancement in this developing technology, the number of polarizer filters in them is expected to be cut in half, which can further reduce its energy consumption.

Specialty Lighting Market Worth $7.8 billion by 2027

Specialty lighting market is projected to reach USD 7.8 billion by 2027 from USD 5.7 billion in 2022; it is expected to grow at a CAGR of 6.6% from 2022 to 2027 according to a new report by MarketsandMarkets™. Entertainment, medical, and UV lamps are the most prominent applications of specialty lighting.

Other emerging applications of specialty lighting include airport lighting, which holds a high growth potential. Airport lighting includes the lighting systems which are used at airports to support airport operations as well as night flights and improve airport appearance.

Airport lightings are designed to provide visual aid and navigation approach to the pilot during the journey, takeoff, and landing. Owing to their focus on the expansion of airport infrastructure, airports are upgrading their existing lighting systems to reposition themselves as an advanced, world-class-standard airport. This, in turn, is expected to provide new business opportunities for specialty lighting manufacturers during the forecast period.

The major players in the specialty lighting market include Signify (Netherlands), OSRAM (Germany), SMART Global Holdings (Cree LED) (US), Ushio (Japan), Advanced Specialty Lighting (US), Herbert Waldmann (Germany), Getinge AB (Sweden), Brandon Medical (England), Integra Lifesciences (US), American Ultraviolet (US), Steris PLC (UK), Halma (US), and Advanced UV (US).