Friday, May 30, 2014

Two Recipes everyone should try

Try new Recipes and Channels on IFTTT! Including Digg, eBay, Fitbit, Slack, GroupMe, Numerous and more.

Two Recipes everyone should try

IFTTT Recipe: Post your Instagram pictures as native Twitter pictures connects instagram to twitter

IFTTT Recipe: Download new Facebook Photos you're tagged in to Dropbox connects facebook to dropbox

Ten Channel updates this month

Much, much more goodness coming soon.
See you in June!
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Soraa Introduces Light Engines

The company that is staking its future on GaN-on-GaN technology has broadened its product line beyond luminaires to include light engines. We have often speculated here how Soraa could survive and thrive selling only LED lamps, when the prevailing wisdom in the rest of the industry seemed to be that vertical integration is the way forward. The company's product line to date has included MR16, GU10, and AR111 lamps.

Soraa has now taken the next step in unbundling its products by offering light engines. Its LE line encompasses four sizes of engine, from 1" to 4" (2.54 cm to 10.16 cm). The press release says the engines feature Soraa's CRI-95, R9-95 "VP₃ Vivid Color" technology. It does not give details of a further breakdown of the product line. (What range of lumen output, color temperature, and CRI will be available in which size profiles?)

Soraa claims that its light engines consume 50% less power and have higher intensity (CBCP) than "current integral LED fixtures." The engines enable designing luminaires that are 50% smaller, according to the company. They run cool and have a projected lifetime of 50,000 hours. External drivers are required.

The LE line is also compatible with Soraa's SNAP system of magnetically positioned and fastened attachments, which can alter the shape, spread, CCT, "and soon direction" of the light beam. The obvious direct competition to Soraa's light engines would seem to be Xicato's Artist Series XSM modules. (Xicato also offers the Vibrant series, featuring a higher gamut area index.)

I hope to provide more nuance once I see Soraa's light engines at Lightfair next week. Unfortunately even an indirect comparison with Xicato does not seem likely, as the latter company won't be at the show as far as I can see.

— Keith Dawson, Editor-in-Chief, All LED Lighting

Philips Lumileds CoB Arrays Hit 10,000 lm at 100 lm/W for Downlights and Outdoor/Industrial Fixtures

The LUXEON CoB 1211 achieves cool white output exceeding 10,000 lm and 100 lm/W at 70CRI, while achieving a light emitting surface (LES) of only 19 mm.

“The LUXEON CoB 1211 has the best combination of a small Light Emitting Surface and high efficacy at its specific lumen package,” said Eric Senders, Product Line Director at Philips Lumileds.

LUXEON CoB products enable low cost luminaire design that results in the highest flux LEDs with low thermal resistance substrates. They reduce heat sink needs and with an existing ecosystem of compatible holders, drivers and optics, LUXEON CoBs enable faster time to market.

For more information on the expanded LUXEON CoB arrays, visit http://ift.tt/1gyynUk. Register at http://ift.tt/N3wxCF for a listing of compatible holders, drivers and optical solutions.

About Royal Philips:

Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHIA) is a diversified health and well-being company, focused on improving people’s lives through meaningful innovation in the areas of Healthcare, Consumer Lifestyle and Lighting. Headquartered in the Netherlands, Philips posted 2013 sales of EUR 23.3 billion and employs approximately 112,000 employees with sales and services in more than 100 countries. The company is a leader in cardiac care, acute care and home healthcare, energy efficient lighting solutions and new lighting applications, as well as male shaving and grooming and oral healthcare. News from Philips is located at http://ift.tt/KJqW3J.

Hot Picks of the Week May 26-30

May.30, 2014 - 17:40 — judy.lin 45 pageviews

Keywords:

Editorial Picks

Weekly review

Hot Picks of the Week May 26-30

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General Chinese Luminaire Market Prices to Inch Up 10% in 2015

As the Dragon Boat Festival approaches in China on June 1, 2014, the market has entered a new luminaire discount season, according to a report by Chinese-language media Kyushu Building Network. Top luminaire brands have all increased prices because of rising raw material and logistic costs. However, since lighting products are not daily commodities most consumers have been less sensitive towards incremental price increases. Some industry experts project prices will be up as much as 10 percent next year.

“Our company plans to raise product prices by about 15 percent by the end of this month,” said a sales of a well-known luminaire brand in China. The source also pointed out the company tends to adjust prices at the end of each year. Although, many manufacturers in China launched discount promotions ahead of the Dragon Boat Festival, some new products prices still cost five to 20 percent more than old models.

Another industry source that declined to be named, told Kyushu Building Network the company had to raise product prices because of costs and company’s market position. In addition, raw materials and logistic costs have all increased.

According to Chinese LED industry insiders, intense market competition has spurred the luminaire market into a low profit phase. The luminaire industry’s days of high profit are over. “Up to 20 percent of the industry’s income goes into shop rental fees, seven percent to logistic companies, which brings the average luminaire manufacturer’s profit to 10 to 20 percent,” said an industry source. “It will be difficult for manufacturers to further lower prices. The overall market has been raising prices since the end of 2013, and prices are expected to grow 10 to 15 percent.”

Industry insiders: price rise reasonable

Some Chinese luminaire industry experts analyzed that manufacturing costs on average would increase above 10 percent next year. However, manufacturers are expected to absorb some of the costs by lowering gross profit margin, increasing material usage, using more machines to lower single unit costs, and reducing manpower. These experts also projected luminaire prices will be up 10 percent in 2014, and think the increase range is reasonable.

Chinese luminaire industry insiders reminded new products are often launched on the market after the Dragon Boat Festival. Price increases in new products are often more acceptable to consumers than existing products.

[Editorial Note: The industry sources cited were not clarified in the original report.]

LED Industry Sees Silver Lining as CFL Prices Soar in China

LED luminaires in the Chinese market might see a glimmer of hope for larger market shares as Compound Fluorescent Light (CFL) prices soar, according to a report by Chinese-language media Kyushu Building Network.

Soaring raw material prices have significantly raised manufacturing prices. Recently, trichromatic phosphor prices mainly comprises of rare earths hit record highs. Accompanying rare earth price upticks, CFL prices have also climbed up. CFLs are facing many challenges ahead. However, the CFL industry’s dire situation has surprisingly opened a new door for the more environmental friendly LED luminaire.

Rare earth prices have increased by 10 times since March 2014. “In March this year, a kilogram of rare earth was about RMB 280 (US $44.85), but it is now up to RMB 2,600 per kilogram,” said an industry source. “Prices can be even higher for good quality rare earth.” This has already seriously impacted the CFL industry’s development. A 100W CFL is sold on average at RMB 28, however, an incandescent bulb with the same brightness is only RMB 1.5 to RMB 2. Therefore, many CFL manufacturers still rely heavily on government subsidies, which can reach 50 percent of the product’s selling price.

In addition, local governments in China will allocate a certain amount of financial subsidies during CFL promotions. Under these subsidies, CFL under 45W are about the same as incandescent bulbs. However, this balance has been disrupted by the recent price climbs. Raw material price increases have severely damaged CFL industry, but has no doubt offered more opportunities for LED luminaire developments. Even giving LED luminaires the opportunity to substitute CFLs.

LEDs are more environmental then CFLs, and prices have steadily declined by 20 percent annually. The trend of LED luminaires replacing CFLs is a definitive trend. Many CFL manufacturers have entered the LED industry. Small CFL manufacturers have been most affected by the recent price trends. Although, Philips, Osram and other international brand product prices have also fluctuated, but it has not impacted overall sales. Manufacturers are more willing to spend money on “branded” products, and not interested in the smaller labels, said a luminaire retailer.

There are already reports noting many CFL manufacturers have closed down in Fujian and Zhejiang provinces in China. The CFL industry is a highly concentrated industry with issues including low technology standards, high costs, and serious pollution. With raw material prices soaring, SMEs should adjust and turns towards developing LEDs, which are more technologically advanced, environmental friendly, energy efficient, and innovative, said an industry insider.

Thursday, May 29, 2014

LED Lights Offer Mounting Versatility

Waldmann Lighting offers Lumatris LED wide-area flood lights for small-, medium- and large-volume machines. Waldmann Lighting offers Lumatris LED wide-area flood lights for small-, medium- and large-volume machines. The 1.57"-thick lights are available in a variety of lumen packages and requiring a minimal footprint within a machine. The lights feature a rear or side connection with an M12 plug connector for integration or mounting. The luminaires connects directly to 24-V DC without additional components, or to 100 to 240 V via internal power supply.

LEDs may replace magnetism and radiation for neuroimaging

When doctors want to monitor someone's brain activity, they generally use either functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) or positron emission tomography (PET). One subjects the patient to strong magnetic fields, while the other involves radiation exposure. Scientists at Washington University in St. Louis, however, have recently had success using diffuse optical tomography (DOT). Although it may look kind of extreme, it basically just involves shining LEDs into the subject's head.

Emcore Acknowledges Nichia's U.S. Patent and Agreed to Pay Damages

Nichia Corporation (“Nichia”) and Emcore Corporation (“Emcore”) reached an agreement to settle a patent infringement lawsuit in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, in which Emcore acknowledges the validity of the USP 7,295,587, and makes a payment to Nichia for past damages and for royalties in the future.

Nichia had determined that Laser Diode (“LD”)-application products marketed by Emcore contained LDs that infringe Nichia’s U.S. Patent (USP 7,295,587). And then, Nichia filed the patent infringement lawsuit in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas on June 11, 2013. Acknowledging the validity of the USP 7,295,587, Emcore agreed to make a payment for past damages and future royalties. Thus, an early settlement was reached, and the lawsuit will be dismissed.

As demonstrated throughout this litigation as well as other litigation currently pending in multiple jurisdictions, Nichia seeks to protect its patents and other intellectual property rights, and takes actions against infringers in any country where appropriate and necessary. In the same time, Nichia will vigorously fight against an infringement claim if such claim is based on a patent whose validity is questionable.

GE Lighting and ByteLight Merge iBeacon Tech with LED Fixtures

GE Lighting and ByteLight today announced they will showcase the next generation of LED lighting fixtures that communicate with shoppers’ smart devices while in-store, enabling retailers to provide exciting new location-based services using GE LED infrastructure. The innovative solution featuring GE’s Lumination™ LED Luminaire - IS Series is being unveiled at LIGHTFAIR® International 2014 (LFI®) in Las Vegas, June 3-5, in GE Lighting’s booth #4208.

ByteLight’s indoor location technology embedded inside GE LED fixtures will deliver high-value applications to retailers, providing the ability to understand the precise location of shoppers using an opt-in application powered by ByteLight on their smartphones and tablets. The solution combines Visible Light Communication (VLC), Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) and inertial device sensors, and supports any Android or iOS application on a smart device equipped with a camera and/or Bluetooth® Smart technology. The comprehensive approach enables retailers to reach a broad number of shoppers across the largest area—from the parking lot to anywhere in the store there is LED light. As a result, retailers can achieve continuous ROI on their conversion to GE LED lighting while providing a strategic platform for the connected retail store of the future.

To help retailers increase in-store traffic and basket size, GE and ByteLight are connecting smart LEDs to digital marketing platforms to deliver contextually relevant content and create social shopping experiences. For example:

• Welcome repeat customers with personalized shopping lists as they approach the store front, then provide an easy-to-follow map to optimize their shopping time

• Offer coupons and promotions based on shoppers’ position and direction in the aisle combined with shopping history

• Present customer reviews, play product information videos and connect on-demand with virtual associates to make brand choice easier

“The use of GE’s LED fixtures for location-based services brilliantly demonstrates how LEDs can go beyond the traditional ROI of energy and maintenance savings to fundamentally change the way people shop by combining data with location,” said Jerry Duffy, General Manager, Global Product Management at GE Lighting. “ByteLight’s technology ensures a cost-effective approach for indoor location by not requiring additional hardware infrastructure beyond the lights themselves. We’re excited to show off the technology at LightFair.” Launched in 2011, ByteLight’s patented LED indoor location technology provides significant advantages to both retailers and shoppers:

• Uses existing lighting infrastructure rather than requiring additional equipment like beacons, bringing faster ROI to LED deployments

• Determines the precise location and direction of shoppers anywhere there is light with accuracy within three feet

• Reaches every connected shopper that has a mobile device equipped with a camera and/or Bluetooth® Smart technology

• Reduces maintenance costs by being battery-free, since ByteLight is powered by the light fixture

“The value proposition for LED lighting is becoming less about illumination and more about innovative applications and services that digital light enables,” said Dan Ryan, CEO and Co-Founder of ByteLight. “We’re excited to work with GE to help reinvent LED lighting into a platform for indoor-location services that will revolutionize the in-store shopping experience and make LEDs play a strategic role in the connected retail experience.”

LG Display, Novaled, Sumitomo, UDC and More Headline OLEDs 2014 Agenda

Smithers Apex, in association with the OLED Association, is proud to announce that LG Display, Novaled, BASF, Acuity Brands Lighting, Konica Minolta, DuPont Displays, Panasonic, Visionox, BOE, Philips Lighting and many more of the industry’s most influential players in OLED lighting and displays will be presenting at the OLEDs World Summit 2014.

The 16th annual event will take place September 16-18 at the Claremont Hotel Club & Spa in Berkeley, CA. The OLEDs World Summit is the longest-running, preeminent business development and technical event dedicated exclusively to the OLEDs industry - connecting researchers with customers and manufacturers in both the lighting and display sectors.

OLEDs 2014 will kick off with two pre-conference short courses covering lighting manufacturing and test standards for the SSL market and the commercialization of graphene, followed by an afternoon focusing on broader topics in the OLED industry; a full day of business and technical focus on OLED displays/materials and a full day of OLED lighting topics. Gildas Sorin, CEO, Novaled GmbH will provide the conference keynote on the OLED industry’s current ascent.

“After our most successful year ever in 2013, our advisors - who represent key players like Apple, Acuity, Cambridge Display Technology, Bardsley Consulting, SKKU, UDC, Eastman Kodak, Novaled, and the OLED Association – were energized by the advancements in OLED lighting and displays that were shared and have been working hard to ensure that the 2014 edition capitalizes on this momentum,” said Andrew Smaha, conference director for Smithers Apex.

“For 2014, we set out to deliver three full days of intense examination of the materials, technologies and strategies needed to push OLEDs into living rooms, cars, workplaces and everywhere else. This Summit is not a loosely designed exposition with casual attendees, but rather a highly concentrated business meeting where more than 250 key players from diverse organizations gather to share information and gain the knowledge required to build their business plans moving forward. Scientists, analysts, R&D professionals, media, materials suppliers, architects and designers, manufacturers and CEOs will all want to attend.”

At the OLEDs World Summit 2014, attendees will benefit from three full days filled with more than thirty presentations from the leading organizations in the industry including Acuity Brands Lighting, Applied Materials, Blackbody, BOE Technology Group, Discovery Institute, DuPont Displays, Konica Minolta, LG Display R&D Center, nTact, OLEDWorks, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Panasonic Corporation Eco Solutions Company, Philips Lighting, Solvay Research & Innovation, Universal Display Corporation, Visionox Group and XG Sciences.

The international audience of OLED lighting and display leaders will also hear from Applied Graphene Materials, Bardsley Consulting, Cambrios Technologies, DisplaySearch | Solarbuzz, Grafoid, Graphene Technologies, Graphenea, Holst Centre/TNO, Institut für Angewandte Photophysik, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, OLED Association, Osaka University, Sumitomo Chemical Co., Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), U.S. Department of Energy, UBI Research, University of Southern California and Veritas et Visus.

Adjustable Lighting Boosts Sales

People love the flexibility of controlling their own lighting in a retail setting, and they buy more when they can.

Clothes shopping can be an exasperating experience. But it's even more exasperating when you realize that, in daylight, your new clothes suddenly seem to have a completely different color from in the shop. It's been proven that poor lighting in changing rooms and the rest of the store can reduce sales. And a study by Philips (this site's sponsor) and the market research firm Synovate reveals that many customers are dissatisfied with the unsympathetic lighting often used in department stores.

All in all, 65,000 people were asked to state the most unsatisfactory aspects of shopping. Fitting rooms topped the list -- not because they're too small, but because their lighting is so bad. Changing rooms are important, because 80% of customers make their decision there about whether to make a purchase. Many retailers fail to grasp that a welcoming environment and pleasant lighting that makes the customer look good when trying on new clothes play big parts in their success. Philips found that creating an agreeable environment with suitable LED lighting could raise sales by 15% or more.

Sales boosted by lighting simulation

Philips conducted an experiment at Livera, a popular fashion chain in the Netherlands. Philips's LED-based AmbiScene was used to provide a flexible lighting concept that reflected the time of day and could be adapted to the type of apparel. For example, evening dresses could be tried on in the glow of party lights, while business attire could be inspected under typical office lighting. The LED lighting consisted of variable white light that shoppers could adjust for themselves. And, lo and behold, sales rose immediately. Moreover, Livera found that customers spent more time in their stores and had a higher inclination to buy.

Not just clothing

Philips achieved a similar effect with AmbiScene lights in a Dutch supermarket. Customers stayed in the store up to 8% longer, while the amount they bought increased by 5.5% -- big numbers in a market segment that often looks at profit margins in the single-digit percentages.

The impact of an adjustable lighting system has been impressively shown in the cosmetics sector, too. At Estée Lauder, for instance, a controllable light on the makeup mirror known as the AmbiScene Vanity Mirror (video here) increased sales by 10%. The light can be adjusted by the customer depending on the occasion for which makeup is required. However, the study could not tell whether the main reason for the upsurge in sales was the atmosphere created by the lighting or the feeling of being taken seriously.

The technology

For the study, Philips used the colors daylight white (5,000K) for everyday purposes, neutral white (4,000K) for the office, and warm white (2,700K) for evening occasions. The lighting was controlled by customers or the retailer using an iPad, something that adds a certain charm.

Philips been talking about customized light for years. In this system, retailers select a personal signature lighting from the white-light spectrum to create their own lighting brand identity.

One method that can be used for this is CrispWhite technology, which is based on LEDs. CrispWhite Fortimo LED spotlight modules have a color temperature of 3,000K and a color rendering index of 90. They combine the halogen MASTERColour bulbs that have been used in retail for 20 years with Philips's Fortimo LED technology.

Unfortunately, too little attention was previously paid to lighting in department stores. However, the study by Synovate and Philips impressively demonstrated how quickly good lighting pays for itself through higher sales. Admittedly, using individual lighting is tricky in areas dominated by general lighting. But even there, stores can take proactive steps by using the techniques such as those embodied in the AmbiScene Vanity Mirror or AmbiScene lighting.

Cree Delivers New Outdoor Area Luminaire

Cree, Inc. introduces the OSQ™ Area LED luminaire, the first LED area luminaire specifically designed and priced to replace the nearly 54 million* outdated high intensity discharge (HID) area parking lights installed in the United States. Delivering an unprecedented combination of industry-leading performance and low-profile design at nearly half the price of comparable LED luminaires, the Cree® OSQ Area LED luminaire provides up to 70 percent energy savings with a quick payback of two years.**

Cree introduces the OSQ™ Area LED luminaire. (LEDinside/Cree)

Cree OSQ Area Lighting“The OSQ™ Area LED luminaire is an example of Cree’s commitment to continuous innovation and 100 percent LED adoption by delivering another luminaire that sets a new industry benchmark for performance, price and versatility, without sacrificing aesthetics,” said Norbert Hiller, Cree executive vice president, lighting. “Providing an unmatched level of performance that cuts Cree’s already affordable LED area luminaire pricing by as much as 50 percent confirms that we are continuing to find ways to improve the value of LED lighting for our customers.”

With Cree’s superior innovations in thermal design, the OSQ Area LED luminaire features a remarkably thin, 3.8-inch housing, providing an attractive design during the day while delivering the industry’s best optical performance with efficiency of up to 100 lumens-per-watt in the evening. Available in 3000K, 4000K and 5700K color temperatures with a 100,000-hour rated lifetime, the OSQ Area LED luminaire will soon be eligible for utility rebates to drive even greater affordability. Backed by Cree’s industry-leading 10-year warranty, the versatile OSQ Area LED luminaire is ideal for area and floodlight applications such as campuses, office and retail complexes, medical centers and municipalities.

The Cree OSQ Area LED luminaire is available through distribution throughout the United States and Canada. Please visit http://ift.tt/1ppSZXu for more information.

* U.S. Department of Energy, 2013

** Payback compared to 400W Metal Halide area luminaire and based on usage of 12 hours per-day and the national average of $0.11 per kWh electric costs.

Acuity Brands to Demonstrate Lighting Applications at LIGHTFAIR International 2014

Acuity Brands, Inc. will demonstrate its expansive portfolio of LED lighting, digital controls and daylighting solutions via vignettes that mirror actual applications during Lightfair® International 2014 (LFI). A total of 18 indoor and outdoor settings, ranging from patient care rooms and classrooms to office and retail spaces to tunnels and roadways, will be on interactive display (Booth #3808, Las Vegas Convention Center, June 3-5).

Booth visitors can meet with Acuity Brands experts to discuss how lighting matched with the right controls can maximize energy efficiency, reduce maintenance and enhance lighting quality for a wide array of applications. These include lighting solutions for both outdoor and indoor uses, including roadway, parking, retail, office, healthcare, education, hospitality, industrial and government applications.

Acuity Brands booth at LightFair 2014. (LEDinside/Acuity Brands)

Steve Lydecker, Acuity Brands Lighting Senior Vice President, Applied Integrated Solutions, explains that Acuity Brands leads the way in developing innovative, yet practical lighting solutions that incorporate new lighting technology. "Our booth this year lifts the technological veil to demonstrate how digital lighting technology is understandable, approachable and cost effective for anyone who wants to maximize performance by creating enhanced environments while also generating energy savings. And these solutions are readily available today from a single source, Acuity Brands. We design, manufacture and support the total lighting, controls and daylighting integration for our customers."

Acuity Brands offers individual products, integrated solutions, networked systems and services to meet the specific needs of its customers. To learn more about Acuity Brands lighting and controls solutions, visit booth #3808 at LFI. Acuity Brands daylighting solutions from Sunoptics® will be featured at booth #6218, and Acuity Brands driver solutions from eldoLED® will be featured at booth #2122. For more information online, visit www.acuitybrands.com.

Things to Consider With a LED Sign

LED signs are marketing tools that most businesses employ to display promotions, prices, and special events. Every little detail should be maximized in order for your signs to attract customers and passersby. Just like any marketing tool, businesses should know what factors should be taken advantage of to increase not only foot traffic, but sales and income as well.

In picking the best size for LED signs, one must understand the importance of Viewing Distance, Character Height, Pixel Matrix and Resolution (or Pitch) to better help you decide.

The most important factor when choosing the size of open signs made of LED is the viewing distance . Not only is the actual distance between the viewer and the sign important, but it should be considered how the target audience views the display. Note whether the target audience is walking, standing, or driving by as this will help you decide what open signs to choose.

Character height is the height of each character in your led sign display. The rule of thumb is that the height of each character or letter should be 1” for every 30 feet of viewing distance. The maximum acceptable distance is 50 feet for every inch of letter height. For example, if the led signs are to be mounted on a highway with 600 feet from vehicles passing at 55 mph, the character height should be 20” tall.

Pixel matrix determines how many lines and how many characters per line can the led signs display. This is crucial because this determines how your target audience can read the messages you want to display. In other words, a 16x80 pixel matrix means 16 rows of vertical pixels and 80 rows of horizontal pixels.

Because clarity is important for your target audience to understand your message, make sure that the resolution is high enough so the viewers can clearly read the led signs. Resolution greatly affects the price of the led signs, which means that the higher resolution would cost more. This is because higher resolution means more diodes and more circuits.

These are just a few factors to consider when purchasing LED signs. Always remember that led signs are cheaper in the long run because not only are programmable signs being manufactured nowadays, but LED signs are energy saving and longer lasting too.

AtomSvet Received the ISO 9001 Certification

The following was checked in the course of the audit:

1. production of luminaires, including the quality acceptance of the finished products;

2. provision of production with high-quality raw materials, materials, and component items;

3. construction of the luminaires;

4. performance of the internal QMS audits;

5. analysis of the efficiency of the QMS on behalf of the management.

The representative of TÜV SÜD remarked on the high level of professional training in QMS of managers and specialists of the relevant branches of AtomSvet.

According to the results of the audit by the certification centre, it was decided that AtomSvet’s QMS meets the requirements of standard ISO 9001 and, consequently, the validity of the issued certificate has been verified.

About AtomSvet:

AtomSvet is a manufacturer and developer of LED lighting fixtures and automated lighting control systems. AtomSvet Company is the exclusive Russian producer of LED luminaires whose products comply with the requirements of CE (Conformité Européenne) and GS (Geprüfte Sicherheit) (certifying agency — “TÜV SÜD”).

Wednesday, May 28, 2014

Cree and Himax: Two High-Growth Stocks To Consider For Your Portfolio

After more than a year when an outperformance rating was given on Cree (CREE), it has turned out to be an overachiever with 112% returns. Cree is a LED lighting company which has always focused on delivering the best performance at the lowest cost. The company has to face tough competition from its peers such as Philips and General Electric, but since Cree is a pure LED lighting company, it has withstood the competition. During the beginning of this year, it was anticipated by many analysts that Cree’s lighting business would suffer due to tough competition from bigger corporations. Moreover, according to analysts, Cree was priced for perfection and there wasn’t much upside left.

IKEA unveils the Death Star-like PS 2014 Pendant Lamp

IKEA has probably never created something as nerdy as this before and they’ve done so unknowingly. While the home furniture big shot claims this lamp is nothing more than a decorative lighting solution called the IKEA PS 2014 Pendant Lamp, we see things differently. For us, this one’s and exploding Death Star that sheds light every time the right strings are pulled, literally. Measuring a diameter of 14 inches, with a cord length of 4 feet and 11 inches, the lamp dims the light manually by changing the shape of the shade. Designer David Wahl states “When the lamp is closed it resembles a ball of fire, with the color of the arms creating an exciting light.” Instead, we think the lamp looks like a glowing Death Star when closed!

LEDs for the Cure

Worried as the LED backlight market approaches saturation? Consider this innovative new application area.

In the span of 12 minutes, Kickstarter's Titan 1 project by San Francisco's Kudo3D has broken through $100,000 in pledges, and, as this is written during the first day of its 30-day campaign, has blown past 400% of its campaign goal at $50,000. Crowdfunding trend-analytics site Kicktraq is forecasting the Titan 1's campaign to hit $3.5 million. At $2,000 apiece, that's 1,750 units. It seems very likely that they could hit a number like that.

At this point, you're scratching your head in trying to connect "$2,000 apiece" with the mission of the AllLEDlighting.com site. What LED luminaire is this, why the frenzy, and why are people paying so much for it? The thing is, it's not a solid-state lighting device at all, it's a 3D printer. Now you know why there aren't any spoiler images of the printer here.

Kudo3D Titan 1 curing box

To further agitate your scalp, this Stereo-Lithography Additive (SLA) printer doesn't even use LEDs, but, instead, uses a 3000-hr. UHP bulb housed in a garden-variety 1080p DLP projector (Kudo4D claims the projector is removable and can be dual-purposed as an actual digital projector for movie buffs) to image 1920 x 1080 pixels into the bottom of a translucent tub of 400nm-cured resin.

Semi-cured

A stepper-motor-based "build platform" carries a baseplate that moves upward, out of the tub of resin. The first layer is imaged/cured at the build plate, it moves up a programmable layer thickness, a new pixel matrix is imaged, and the process continues, generating a semi-cured 3D part at the rate of about 2 inches per hour.

Now, "semi-cured" means that an organized pile of mush has been created, which needs exposure to 400nm UV light to harden fully. The most popular UV-curing solution to date: Leave your 3D mush out in the sun. Kudo3D is stepping it up a notch by offering a UV curing box for an additional $349. Cure-iously, only a bit more than 10% of campaign supporters have opted for the UV cure unit in addition to their SLA printer.

Head unit of curing box

The unit itself appears to be made of an 80/20-style extruded aluminum framework, with flat wall panels. While it's not readily apparent, one can surmise that these walls are mirror finished on the inside.

The light source comprises a 4x5 array of 1W 390nm LEDs, each one lensed, with the wavelength being "close enough" to fully cure the "400nm" semi-cured resin model that came out of the printer. The LEDs are horizontally mounted on a natural convection heatsink, to which the LED driver box is attached. While this design appears simple, the thermal design appears to have lost the tug-of-war with the optical design, which sited the LED/heatsink assembly on a pyramid-shaped reflector/lid. As good an optical design could have placed the LEDs on a side panel for better thermal performance. Gravity paradigms are hard to break.

LED printhead

It is exciting to see myriad LED applications in emerging and exploding markets like general lighting, and, now, replacing the sun in 3D printer applications. While we in the All LED Lighting community tend to focus primarily on white light sources, and UV-curing LEDs are nothing new in fields like dentistry, the exploding 3D-printer market might represent another lucrative opportunity for LED technology as the backlight market approaches saturation.

So, who will be the first to produce a UV LED bar to replace that unwieldy DLP-based projector, where 1024 UV LEDs, a kilowatt of 'em, are used to image a full line of a build layer, much like an LED "laser" paper printer does? Who wants to step up to the bar and be innovative?

High School Essay, 2030: 'Why We All Use CFLs Today'

Note: the contributor found this essay, yellowed and wrinkled, on the floor while calibrating his time machine. -- Ed.

When I was born in 2014, light bulbs were just starting to be used. Back then, they used instead something called an incandescent light bulb. They produced light just like a light bulb, but they were called incandescent because they were heated up so hot that they glowed yellow! I can just imagine my parents' surprise when they touched one of these. Yow, I burned my hand! It's really hot!

Of course, today people use light bulbs in their homes. But the real name for a light bulb is "compact fluorescent lamp" or CFL for short. Since all light bulbs are CFLs, I guess the right name probably was dropped, and they just kept the old name. Anyway, I'm going to tell you why all light bulbs today are CFLs, and about a different kind of light bulb that back in 2014 people thought might be used instead of CFLs.

It turns out that there was another technology back then, called LEDs, or "light emitting diodes." LEDs also produced light, just like real light bulbs. They were electronic devices. When you put power into them they generated light directly, without having to glow from the heat. They didn't have to glow red hot. They changed the electricity directly into light.

CFLs also change electricity into light. They make a charged soup inside the bulb called a plasma, and this plasma gives off light at 235 nanometers. (You can't see this light. Your eyes see only from 400 nanometers to 750 nanometers -- they don't see at 235 nanometers.) Then a material called a phosphor absorbs this 235 nanometer light, and that gives off light that is white. LEDs worked pretty similarly. They gave off light at 475 nanometers (this is like blue light). They also used a phosphor to absorb this light, and they also gave off white light.

LEDs sound kind of similar to CFLs technically and maybe even seem simpler, so how come LEDs weren't more popular? It turned out that LEDs were way too expensive. In 2014 you needed several LEDs to make a decent light bulb, and an LED cost two dollars. Then they still had to have electronic stuff to connect the LED up to the electricity. In the end, LED bulbs in stores cost something like five dollars, while real light bulbs cost only one-fifty. Why would people pay more money than they had to? It turned out that no one did, and so LED light bulbs didn't make it.

Of course, there are still some LEDs around, like the OLEDs backlighting my iPhone 11. But for general lighting, everyone uses compact fluorescent light bulbs. No one even remembers that LEDs were once thought to be the next kind of light bulb. Shows you what a lot has changed since I was young.

Teacher's Comments:

I think this is a little simplistic. You might mention that LED light bulbs did eventually get to be as inexpensive as CFLs, but that by then everyone had already gotten used to CFLs, and so LEDs never caught on. Next time, please tell your iPhone to turn on "relevance checking." There are things in here that don't belong.

Cree XLamp XM-L2 EasyWhite LED Performance Up 38 Percent

Cree introduces the new XLamp® XM-L2 EasyWhite® LED, delivering more than 1,100 lumens of color-consistent light from a 5mm x 5mm package and enabling a 38 percent gain in light output and efficacy as a drop-in upgrade to the first-generation XM-L EasyWhite LED. Built on Cree’s EasyWhite technology, which combines the industry’s tightest color binning and intense light output from a single LED, the XM-L2 EasyWhite LED is optimized to replace halogen technology.

“The new XLamp® XM-L2 EasyWhite® LED offers greater optical control and an immediate performance boost to our existing designs using the XM-L EasyWhite LED,” said Tom Tang, Chairman, Tons Lightology Inc. “Having a drop-in replacement eliminates the need to redesign existing products, which lowers costs and helps speed our time to market.”

Developed to be used as a single component in small form factor lighting designs, the XM-L2 EasyWhite LED is designed to emulate the appearance and match the color consistency of halogen lamps. The XM-L2 EasyWhite LED offers 2-step and 4-step MacAdam ellipse bins to deliver the industry’s best color consistency, which is required for retail, residential, museum and hospitality applications.

“Cree continues to lead the way in optimizing LEDs for optical performance and color consistency,” said Paul Thieken, director of marketing, LED Components, Cree, Inc. “We were the first to introduce an LED optimized for 50-watt halogen performance with the XLamp® MT-G EasyWhite® LED. Now with the XM-L2 EasyWhite LED, Cree delivers the same amount of light with the best color consistency in a package that’s 70 percent smaller, reducing the system cost for LEDs in halogen replacement applications.”

Characterized at 85°C, the XM-L2 EasyWhite LED is available with 80 and 90 minimum CRI options, color temperatures ranging from 5000K to 2700K and forward voltage configurations of 6V or 12V. Lighting manufacturers seeking ENERGY STAR® qualification can take advantage of the XM-L2 EasyWhite LED’s “successor” status to the XM-L EasyWhite LED and use just 3,000 hours of LM-80 data—half of what is normally required—for ENERGY STAR qualification.

Product samples are available now and production quantities are available with standard lead times. Please visit http://ift.tt/1jv9w4A to learn more.

Lighting Science Exhibits Commercial and Biological Lighting Solutions at LIGHTFAIR International

Lighting Science brings a complete suite of commercial LED lighting solutions to LIGHTFAIR International in Las Vegas, June 3-5. Lighting Science will showcase new products that emphasize the technological and biological advantages made possible with LED technology.

Adding to the expertise in the Lighting Science booth, NASA astronaut Michael Lopez-Alegria, commander of the International Space Station Expedition 14, will be present to discuss the impact of artificial light on space missions and the value of biologically-corrected lighting to regulate sleep and increase performance – important factors for astronauts whose circadian rhythms must conform to a 24-hour cycle while experiencing sunrise and sunset every 90 minutes. Lighting Science is the leader in circadian lighting solutions and the innovators of the world’s first line of biologically corrected lamps that help the body to better focus or prepare the body for sleep naturally.

Lighting Science will display a Dynamic Biological lamp that supports healthy living with intelligent lighting that adapts to its environment. Controlled via a mobile app, the lamp delivers tailored spectrums that automatically adjust to naturally enhance sleep or wakefulness, depending on the user’s schedule. In addition, the soon-to-be-released Sleepy Baby™ LED lamp will be on display. The Sleepy Baby LED light uses patented technology that fosters naturally the circadian rhythms of newborns and infants who are still developing their internal sleep cycle.

These products join the recently launched Awake & Alert™ energy-boosting, performance-enhancing light and Good Night™ sleep-enhancing lamp. These lamps allow office workers to be more productive; healthcare institutions to accelerate patient wellness; shift workers to foster safer working conditions; and hospitality facilities to improve guest experience, along with additional opportunities for energy savings with a superior quality of light.

“Light is essential to the existence and ongoing health of all living things. We’re excited to showcase some of our industry leading innovation at LIGHTFAIR,” said Fred Maxik, Founder and Chief Technology Officer of Lighting Science. “Our mission is to improve life by applying light in novel ways - accessible to all - that positively impact health and wellbeing of humans, animals and plants, within a sustainable, environmentally responsible manner."

Lighting Science is also committed to bringing a diversity of LED innovations to market. With its recently expanded line of 90+CRI lamps, these products comply with the newest and most stringent lighting regulations in the country.

Furthermore, Lighting Science will display the PixelView™ Control system, which utilizes image sensing and video processing to accurately detect and characterize motion. Unlike Passive Infrared (PIR) technology, PixelView Control is not affected by ambient conditions and detects movement of any object within its field of view, accurately triggering the luminaire to smoothly move into full brightness.