LiDAR supplier Quanergy Systems announced the expansion of its Flow Management™ Platform to support solutions that enforce social distancing amid the crisis of COVID-19 pandemic to halt the spread of disease. These solutions will assist businesses and public entities around the world in returning to work while keeping people safe. Quanergy’s Flow Management Platform combining 3D LiDAR sensors and AI-powered QORTEX™ Perception Software enables the development of social distancing solutions to anonymously and accurately track and analyze t...

Seoul Semiconductor updated its business performance of the first quarter of 2020 with a consolidated revenue of KRW 243 billion (US$199.75 million) and operating profit of KRW 6 billion (US$4.93 million). Despite abruption to production facilities for most global manufacturers due to COVID-19, Seoul achieved its guided range of KRW 240 billion to KRW 260 billion in revenues for the quarter. To mitigate manufacturing risks, Seoul has built manufacturing sites in various locations such as Korea, China, Vietnam and in the US. This has helped the company to...

According to the latest report by the LEDinside research division of TrendForce, 2020 Deep UV LED Application Market and Branding Strategies, the rapid acceleration of COVID-19 has generated a corresponding boom in the disease-prevention business. Case in point, the demand for UV-C LED (wavelength≦280 nm), a type of LED with disinfection/sterilization properties, has skyrocketed since the Lunar New Year, in turn causing massive shortages across the entire supply chain. Given the extreme shortage of UV-C LED chips, LED package suppliers looking to place orders for these chips need to exercise caution when setting chip specifications; these suppliers may also need to bear the risk of possible chip shortages. The current shortage in the UV-C LED market has led to an adjustment to UV-C LED chip quotes, in turn resulting in purchasers being unable to procure chips even with at high bid prices. TrendForce Research Manager Joanne Wu indicates that some UV-C LED suppliers are already seeing order fulfillment schedules that will last till August 2020. In addition, owing to increased orders for UV-C LED, several suppliers are expected to see double-digit YoY growths in their UV-C LED revenues this year, in particular those that have maintained UV-C LED chip and package operations for many years, including Seoul Viosys, Asahi Kasei (Crystal IS), Stanley, Bioraytron (a joint venture by Epileds and HPLighting) and San’an Optoelectronics. UV-C LED chip suppliers primarily include San’an Optoelectronics, Photon Wave, Opto Tech, and Epileds.

Leading laptop and PC makers including MSI, Acer, ASUS and Lenovo are launching products adopting Mini LED technology. The technology is also believed to be seen on the new Apple iPad Pro and MacBook Pro coming in the second half of 2020. With more products using Mini LED entering the market, many hold a positive attitude toward the supply chain. (Image: Pixabay) For Mini LED chip manufacture, Taiwan’s Epistar has expanded its Mini LED production capacity with increased capital expenditures. The new capacity is scheduled to be ready by th...

A research team consisting of material science and nanotechnology specialist and virologist is working on developing a protective film based on nanostructure as a novel mask material to diminish virus and protect healthcare professionals from infection. Sudipta Seal, an engineer specializing in material science and nanotechnology, initiated a project with Griffith Parks, a virologist at College of Medicine of University of Central Florida (UCF) to create nanostructures that can capture the virus and then trigger a chemical reaction using UV light to destroy it. The scienti...

The Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) announced a new development of a multi-functional luminescent film that can visualize near-infrared light through wavelength conversion that converts near-infrared light to visible light for innovative applications. Dr. Kwon Seok-joon at the Nanophotonics Research Center of KIST and Ko Doo-hyun, a professor of applied chemistry at Kyung Hee University jointly led the team to develop the flexible, transparent and washable film which can convert infrared light into visible light. The results were published in the ...

A wide range of disinfecting products adopting UV LEDs or UV lamps are become a hit in the consumer electronics market as people are using them to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. However, The International Ultraviolet Association (IUVA) and RadTech North America consisting of UV equipment vendors, scientists, engineers, consultants, and members of the medical profession published a press release to inform the public that UV light is not safe to be used directly on the human body. (Image: Pixabay) These organizations noted that there are no protocols t...

The recent outbreak of COVID-19 has prompted the large-scale search for practical solutions that can prevent the spread of the deadly virus — from researchers and scientists committed to finding a solution, to the manufacturers and consumers looking for credible information. In this time of uncertainty, many are seeking information around the potential technologies that can be used to combat the virus. One proven approach is using UV light. Disrupting the DNA of pathogens with UV light UVC light is a commonly used sterilization technology that has been shown to i...

LG Innotek has been planning to quit its LED business and a recent report by TheElec, a Korean media, covered that LG Innotek has sold its LED sector and the back light unit (BLU) LED business will be taken over by Seoul Semiconductor and Wooree E&L. Wooree E&L, a LED packager from South Korea, has secured the sales permit from LG Innotek to sell BLU LED of laptops, monitors, TVs and signage to LG Eletronics, Dell and HP via LG Display. The other Korean LED company Seoul Semiconductor is reportedly taking over more ...

LEDinside has been tracking the schedule and progress update of worldwide events related to the LED industry. Until April 25, 2020, there are more events rescheduled or cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Display Week 2020 has been postponed to August 2-7 and LEDucation has been cancelled. Display Week 2020, originally planned to take place during June 7-12 in San Francisco, USA, is now moved to August 2-7 by the event organizer, the Society for Information Display (SID). SID noted in its press release published in April 15 that the event has be...

Signify announced the company’s first quarter 2020 results with sales amounted to EUR 1.43 billion (US$ 1.53 billion), down by 3.5% YoY. With adjusted for 1.3% currency effects and 10.6% consolidation (mainly related to the acquisitions of Cooper Lighting and Klite) and other changes, comparable sales declined by 15.3%. LED-based sales represent 78% of total sales. The adjusted gross margin increased by 50 bps to 38.2%, including a negative currency effect of 10 bps. Adjusted indirect costs decreased by EUR 4 million (US$ 4.295 million). The Adjusted EBIT...

Sweden-based horticulture lighting technology provider Heliospectra announced a new order from Turner Construction in Miami, Florida. The systems integrator and supplier will install the controllable spectra ELIXIA LED lights for several upcoming greenhouse facilities. Turner Construction is leading the design, construction, and installation services for the commercial-scale greenhouse projects across the United States in 2020. The Heliospectra ELIXIA 600W LED light will benefit the greenhouse projects by improving crop quality and performance in a wide v...

Luminus Devices launched its newest UVC LED, the XBT-3535, with performance ranging from 50 mW to 80 mW in the 275-285 nm range. With the global need for disinfection and sterilization devices increasing, the price-performance combination of the XBT-3535 will allow companies to quickly bring novel and affordable solutions to market. (Image: Luminus) The germicidal effectiveness of UVC LEDs against E-coli, MRSA and a variety of pathogens has been well documented. UVC LEDs with wavelengths less than 280 nm are shown to be as or more effective than mer...

Velodyne Lidar announced its partnership with ground support equipment provider TLD. The two companies signed a three-year agreement that TLD will LiDAR sensors from Velodyne for manufacture its TractEasy autonomous electric baggage tractor for airport and industrial operation. (Image: Velodyne/TLD) TLD will grow its TractEasy tractor fleet with Velodyne’s sensors for safe and efficient navigation on roadways in a variety of weather conditions. TractEasy is a zero-emission tow tractor that transfers baggage and freight from airport terminals to aircra...

Suitable lighting is proved to enhance efficiency and productivity for office workers. Osram’s HubSense intelligent lighting management system with standardized “Qualified Bluetooth Mesh” technology enables small and medium-sized businesses to upgrade their lighting system to improve the comfort of working environment. With the system, existing installations can be updated without new cabling and without the use of a gateway or any other IT equipment. HubSense also fits new installations in single offices, open-plan offices, corridors and conference rooms and...

Semiconductor material supplier HexaTech announced the launch of its deep-UV transparent 2-inch diameter, single crystal aluminum nitride (AlN) substrate product line. This capability is targeted to directly support commercial production of UVC LED. The company will also reveal its detect-free AlN substrate capability in May of last year. "This deep-UV transparency capability, especially when coupled with HexaTech's market-leading crystal quality, continues to demonstrate both the wide-ranging potential of the AlN platform, and the outstanding technical...

Signify, the world’s largest lighting company, recently suspended its 2020 financial outlook and cut 20% wage of its employees in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. On April 22, the company further published a press release explaining its perspective of the crisis. Stephen Rouatt, Signify’s Head of Strategy, Alliances and Market Insights, looks at the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic Rouatt said that the impacts on the global economy caused by COVID-19 will likely to continue until 2021 depending on how governments around the world contain th...

A new study conducted by the Fraunhofer Institute for Building Physics (IBP) in Germany showed that full spectrum LED products deliver better visual comfort compared to standard LED products. Full spectrum LEDs are usually categorized as those emitting light similar in composition to natural sunlight. The soon-to-be published Fraunhofer IBP study incorporated a technical comparison of the LED spectra to daylight spectra, a literature review addressing the effect of light spectra on humans, and a psychological study with 83 persons in an office setting. Each par...

LiDAR sensing technology is now commonly known as a solution for automotive driving and ADAS system, but the technology also leverage its edges in a time of the COVID-19 crisis. An indoor motion analysis software developer, iinsider, released SafeDistance, a free upgrade to its LiDAR-powered solution for monitoring and analyzing crowd density in public spaces. The software utilizes LiDAR sensors and 3D perception software from Quanergy to help airport, venue and facility managers monitor and mitigate crowding and congestion, and maintain safe distancing within t...

LeddarTech reported that it has partnered with Sunny Automotive Optech, a Chinese optical component maker, for creating LiDAR solutions for automotive and mobility applications. The Sunny Automotive Optech will provide optical solutions for LiDAR development as a member of the Leddar Ecosystem, LeddarTech and Sunny Automotive Optech will initiate this collaboration on front and cocoon LiDAR optics designs, based on the LeddarEngine™. The LeddarEngine is comprised of the LeddarCore™ LCA3 system-on-chip and LeddarSP™ signal proce...

The Lighting Research Center (LRC) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute has developed a free online tool, the horticulture luminaire calculator, to assist growers evaluating the performance, efficiency, and economics of a wide variety of horticultural luminaires, typically used in greenhouses and other controlled agricultural environments. The horticulture luminaire calculator enables growers to compare different luminaires and choose the optimize solutions for their applications. (Image: LRC) Horticulture lighting is become more significant with indoor farming and high-...

Osram announced in its latest press release that the company will shift production of its cinema lamp to Berlin and close the production site in Eichstätt, a Bavarian town in Germany. Osram said the decision is made in response to structural changes in the cinema industry and additional economic challenges being faced as a result of the coronavirus. The market for cinema lamps is impacted by the pandemic as people are not able to go to cinemas, leading to shrinking demands and production decline. German media Die Welt reported that the measure was criticized by IG M...

On March 24, 2020, in a patent infringement lawsuit which Nichia filed against HTC NIPPON, a Japanese affiliate of Taiwanese Company HTC and Kanematsu Communications, the distributor of HTC NIPPON, Tokyo District Court rendered a judgment, holding that defendants have infringed Nichia’s patents. Nichia filed the patent lawsuit in 2016 claiming HTC infringed its patents. In the judgment, the court found that HTC’s smartphone (product name: HTC Desire 626) distributed by defendants were equipped with white LEDs which infringes N...

According to the latest report by LEDinside, the research division of TrendForce, “2020 Deep UV LED Application Market and Branding Strategies,” UV LED used to rely on pricing reduction to seize market acceptance of brands and consumers. But currently under the impact of COVID-19, brands and consumers’ awareness of sterilization has been greatly enhanced. UV-C LED manufacturers’ order inquiries dramatically increased after Lunar New Year. It is believed that UV-C LED will have the opportunity to steadily improve market value....

Taiwan-based display manufacturer AUO has partnered with PlayNitride to unveil their latest Micro LED technology development. The two companies leverage their expertise and developed a 9.4-inch flexible Micro LED display with the world's highest 228 PPI pixel density, achieving yet another industry milestone with pioneering technological breakthroughs. The 9.4-inch flexible Micro LED display is based on an LTPS TFT driven backplane which allows pixels to be lighted separately. With a high-speed mass transfer technology, more than 5.5 million Micro LED...

The Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO) will invest US$100 million to four agri-tech companies to set up high-tech agricultural facilities in Abu Dhabi including the world’s largest vertical farm for R&D and other production farms to solve the challenge of local food production. The ADIO partners include AeroFarms, Madar Farms, RNZ and Responsive Drip Irrigation (RDI). AeroFarms from the U.S. will build a new 8200 square meter indoor vertical farm focusing on R&D and commercialization of relevant local crops by leveraging its expertise a...

Sony announced the price and availability for its 2020 TV models demonstrated at CES earlier this year. The 2020 TV lineup includes series of 8K/4K LED TVs and 4K OLED TVs from US$599.99 to US$9999.99. The most expensive product announced by Sony this time is its Z8H 8K HDR LED TVs, the 85-inch model will cost US$9999.99 and the 75-inch one is US$6999.99. With Sony’s Full Array LED technology with 8K X-tended Dynamic Range PRO, the product series features local dimming to address better contrast similar to Mini LED backli...

The Illuminating Engineering Society (IES) and the International Dark-Sky Association (IDA) announced a strategic collaboration to address the global issue of light pollution that negatively affects our environment and the human condition. The two parties adopted Five Principles for Responsible Outdoor Lighting and seek to guide the outdoor lighting industry in the U.S. and beyond to be more socially and environmentally responsible. The five principles addressed that light at night should be with clear purpose and used in necessary areas in low level and warmer colo...

Researchers have developed the first megapixel photon-counting camera based on new-generation image sensor technology that uses single-photon avalanche diodes (SPADs). The new camera can detect single photons of light at unprecedented speeds, a capability that could advance applications that require fast acquisition of 3D images such as augmented reality and LiDAR systems for autonomous vehicles. "Thanks to its high resolution and ability to measure depth, this new camera could make virtual reality more realistic and let you interact with augmented reality information in ...

UC Santa Barbara’s Solid State Lighting & Energy Electronics Center (SSLEEC) and member companies are developing UV LEDs that have the ability to decontaminate surfaces — and potentially air and water — that have come in contact with the coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2 virus) to combat the world spreading disease. Recently, much attention has turned to the power of UV light to inactivate the novel coronavirus and Seoul Semiconductor, a SSLEEC member company, reported its achievement of “99.9% sterilization of coronavirus (COVID...