Heliospectra AB announces a second order from their value-added reseller Griffin Greenhouse Supplies for the E60 C plate full-spectrum series LED grow lights. The order value is SEK 4.6 million (USD $549,000). Delivery will take place and be visible in the accounts in Q3 2018.

Further studies have shown that children studying in classrooms that receive a high level of daylight — either naturally or replicated with full spectrum lighting — achieve better results than those receiving little or no natural light. The resulting increase in performance was as much as 26% in reading and 20% for maths — a significant improvement from a relatively simple adjustment to the learning environment.

Specializing in the design of premiere audio/visual systems, J Sound Services has produced a number of successful integrated solutions for the design-build industry. Recently working with the management team behind the new Top Golf location in Nashville, Tennessee, they were asked to create a custom acoustics and audio/visual design for The Cowan, a two-story live performance music venue. Wanting a high-definition video display to complement the multitude of applications planned for the new venue, J Sound Services installed a mobile and expansive FLEXTour 2.8mm LED video solution from PixelFLEX.

As a Taiwan enterprise integrating LED R&D, production and sales as one, BRIGHTEK has focused on automotive LED market for many years. It exhibited a full series of automotive LED products and solutions at Shanghai ALE 2018 during March 28 to March 29. In the meantime, LEDinside had the opportunity to interview Zhong Xunhui, the special assistant of general manager in BRIGHTEK, who kindly shared BRIGHTEK’s development trend and plan in automotive LED market.

At Light and Building 2018, LEDinside also saw a great number of companies displaying other Smart Home/Building technologies. They delivered a message that they have confidence to transform our living areas into smart environments.

EVERLIGHT demonstrated monochromatic light LEDs that are widely applied for horticulture lighting. It developed a special series of products based on monochromatic light wavelength to cover PAR 450-745 nm from high to low power with SHWO 3535-ELB, 3030-ELB and 2835-ELB.

The Trump administration on April 4, 2018 published a list of 1300 Chinese exports and proposed to apply a 25% tariff on these products. However, the proposal would have limited impact on LED companies in China and Taiwan, according to LEDinside.

LEDVANCE, one of the world's leading general lighting providers for professional users and end consumers, is now 100 percent owned by the leading Chinese LED lighting company MLS. MLS has taken over the full ownership of LEDVANCE by means of a share deal with the strategic investor IDG Capital and the financial investor Yiwu. As part of the deal, IDG Capital and Yiwu will become shareholders of MLS via a joint investment.

Highlights of Lextar for this year are high-power LED modules, LEDs for slim luminaire, and IR sensor modules. In particular, the new IR sensor modules were showcased for the first time. They feature 3D image recognition and can be used in 3D cameras. In addition to that, the company also showcased its automotive LEDs.

Over the past two years, Micro LED, regarded as the new generation display technology, has attracted a lot of attention. Seeing great potential in this new technology, a large number of manufacturers have scrambled for it. According to LEDinside’s latest report "1Q18 Micro LED Next-Generation Display Technology Market Report- 2018 Micro LED and Mini LED Industry Trend", the market value of Micro LED is expected to reach US $2.891 billion in 2025.

The technology companies Osram and Continental have successfully concluded their negotiations on the Osram Continental GmbH joint venture.

Cepton Technologies, Inc., a provider of 3D LiDAR solutions for automotive, industrial and mapping applications, unveiled its Vista LiDAR sensor at the annual NVIDIA GPU Technology Conference, with immediate availability for the autonomous vehicle market.

LG is reported to have filed applications to the EU for three trademarks related to Micro LED displays. The trademarks are XµLED, SµLED, and XLµLED, Gsmarena.com carried in a report.

Heliospectra AB announces a new order from their value-added reseller Climate Controls Ltd, UK. The order is for Heliospectras fully adjustable LX60-series full spectrum LED grow lights to be installed at the iconic Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew and at Wakehurst, Kew's wild botanic garden in Sussex (which is also the home of the Millennium seedbank). The order value is SEK 1.7 million (£ 150,000). Delivery will take place and be visible in the accounts in Q2 2018.

The new lighting installation at the university hospital in Poitiers, France supports the treatment of cancer patients in a special room thanks to human centric lighting. A natural environment is being simulated in the room to create a greater feeling of well-being thanks to modern tunable white LED technology and a custom-designed illuminated ceiling. In addition, more than 800 LED luminaires and LED drivers from Tridonic have been installed in the new administrative block at the hospital.

The sales of iPhone X turned out to be less than market expectation, so Samsung has lowered the utilization rate of OLED production lines. The tight supply of OLED panels over the past two years has also been eased. According to WitsView, a division of TrendForce, Apple has initiated the trend of OLED panels, and it is estimated that the penetration rate of OLED panel in smartphones will reach 46% by 2021. Mini LED is overwhelmed by OLED’s technology maturity and competitive costs, so it might be hard for Mini LED to grow in the smartphone market in short term.

Luminus Devices, Inc., has released its breakthrough warm dimming and dynamic tuning modules that deliver exceptionally uniform color and control across any environment and enable consistency from fixture-to-fixture and between linear, down, and directional luminaires that are used in the same space. Unique to the new modules are on-board IC chips that allow exceptional color quality and uniformity in hospitality, commercial and office environments. 

Veeco Instruments Inc. announced it has completed installation of its 100th automated Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE) system. The installation of Veeco’s GEN10™ MBE System last month at Silanna Semiconductor PTY Ltd. in Australia marks this significant company milestone. The company also operates a Veeco Dual GEN200® MBE System for production of advanced nitride compound semiconductor devices including UV-LEDs.

Wipro Consumer Care and Lighting recently launched its new TV ad campaign ‘Wider light for brighter homes’. The ad campaign highlights the importance of choosing Wipro Garnet LED bulb, which is 70% wider than ordinary LED bulbs giving more brightness for homes. The new TVC aims at changing the consumer’s mindset with its honest instance by giving them a hard-hitting reason as to why they should change their lighting base from an ordinary low beam bulb to the all-new Wipro Garnet LED Bulb which has a “wide beam angle” which enables better light throw and makes rooms/objects better lit.

At Light and Building 2018, LEDinside had a face-to-face interview with Dr. Jacob Tarn, new CEO of LEDVANCE, who shared his insights on the market and the company’s strategic outlook.

We have seen at the trade show major lighting brands announce their determination to transition away from LED lighting companies to software-oriented IoT Solution providers. Companies in the lighting industry admitted their profits have been affected by severe price wars in the market and have tried to develop new business opportunities. However, in comparison, LEDVANCE chooses to not only keep but even expand its focus on general lighting as a globally active, full-scale LED lighting company.

OSRAM Opto Semiconductors recently entered into a technology and patent license agreement with X-Celeprint. The agreement covers X-Celeprint’s micro transfer printing technology.

With years of development in LED component field, Lite-On has had its place in the market. Themed on “Our Profession, Your Brilliant” this year, Lite-On exhibits full series of automotive LED, sensing products and solutions at 2018 ALE (exhibition booth: T238) as it aims at front lighting, tail light, interior lighting, smart sensor and other applications based on the automotive hardware design trends. For many years, its Optoelectronics Business Group has been dedicated to grasping new automotive design trends, understanding customer demand, and assisting customers in creating excellent value through providing high-performance, high-quality products and flexible, customized services. LEDinside has the chance to interview the senior director of the global marketing division and the New Product Division of Lite-on's Optoelectronics Business Group, Su Yuhong, who shares the business operation and future strategy of Lite-on.

The fourth ALE have been holding in Shanghai Automobile Exhibition Center from 2018 March 28 to 29. According to LEDinside survey, there have been around 180 manufacturers, including Driver IC, LED package, module and automotive lamp manufacturers, etc. The show mainly focuses on the industry chain of original equipment automotive lighting. Many well-known international companies, such as Texas Instruments, OSRAM, Lumileds, Nichia, Seoul Semiconductor, Dominant, Hella and Valeo and Taiwanese companies, such as Lite-on Technology, Btightek, Lextar and Marcoblock and Chinese companies, such as Honglitronic, Sunpuled, Yuliang LED, Xingyu, Tianchong and Jiangsu Wenguang have took part in this show.

Osram is strengthening its electronic component business with the acquisition of BAG electronics, a Trilux subsidiary. BAG specializes in LED modules and software for innovative LED lighting solutions. The company, based in Arnsberg in North Rhine-Westphalia, was previously part of the Trilux Group. Following the takeover, its 380 employees have moved to Osram. At the same time, a strategic five-year supply contract including a minimum sales volume has been agreed, with Osram supplying Trilux with components for use in its lights. BAG generated revenues of around €50 million in 2017.

Acuity Brands, Inc. released Atrius Solution Builder, an HTML5, browser-based Integrated Development Environment to help rapidly build visually-rich, interactive web-based graphical user interfaces, applications and dashboards. These user interfaces can be built for range of digital devices such as computers, mobile devices, tablets, touch screen displays, educational kiosks and digital signage.

San Jose, CA – March 27 – Today Lumileds introduced a new addition to its mid power family, the new LUXEON 3030 2D with a square LES, which is specifically optimized for high flux and maximum reliability in a variety of general lighting applications including downlights, high bay & low bay fixtures and outdoor lighting applications. “With the new LUXEON 3030 2D, we are able to offer the industry’s highest flux in a two-die mid power package, but also our hot-color targeted approach ensures superior color accuracy to that of other LED manufacturers,” said Mei Yi, Product Manager of LUXEON 3030 2D for Lumileds.

Students attending Dubai’s Hamdan Bin Mohammed Smart University (HBMSU) need never flick a light switch or search for a tutorial or classroom again. Philips Lighting has equipped the university with state-of the-art connected LED lighting controlled by its Interact Office system. The technology enables faculty staff to control and personalize light settings using a smartphone app, while students can be guided to rooms using lighting-based indoor positioning technology. Such innovations bring to life Philips Lighting’s strategy to deliver new capabilities as value expands from lighting products to software and services.

Telensa, specializing in deployment of connected street lighting and Smart City applications, announced that it has been selected by Whakatane District Council to deploy its PLANet intelligent streetlighting system. The project, part of a New Zealand Transport Agency programme to convert existing road lighting to LED, will involve replacing Whakatane’s 2,500 streetlights with wirelessly managed LEDs. The project is due for completion in June 2018.

Together with the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Optics and Precision Engineering, TEMICON and Continental, Osram Opto Semiconductors has been working since October 2017 on the development of extremely compact and low-profile optical components for data visualization or illumination.