Research reported in Applied Physics Express (APEX) by Tohru Oka and colleagues at the Research and Development Headquarters for TOYODA GOSEI Co., Ltd in Japan describe the development of ‘vertically orientated’ GaN-based transistors with blocking voltages exceeding 1kV. These findings are important for the application of nitride devices in automobiles and related areas. 

A Dartmouth College team has created the first light-sensing system that reconstructs human postures continuously and unobtrusively, furthering efforts to create smart spaces in which people control their environment with simple gestures.

Citizens around the world are raising hell over LED streetlights they don’t like. Cities should consult with citizens before undergoing a citywide replacement.

In late July this year, a Chinese tourist surnamed Yang accidentally crashed an unmanned drone into Taipei 101, sparking national security concerns in Taiwan. On average the 508 meter tall landmark of Taipei is hit by three drones per month, according to a Taiwan News reports.

Self-powered bicycle lights are nothing new. In fact, the traditional dynamo light has been around for years, and many cyclists still prefer to use dynamo-powered lights on their bikes for several reasons: these lights are always on a bike and always ready for action; as a result, there's no subsequent forgetting to put the light back on the bike, and there are no worries about the batteries unexpectedly giving out mid-ride. Dynamos, however, do have their own drawbacks. For example, friction-powered sidewall units slow a bike down and wear out a bike's tires, while dynamo hubs must be built into the wheel and add to the bike's revolving weight. In other words, dynamo lights take energy away from the momentum of the cyclist, who can feel a clear resistance when these lights are used.

Light in the Garden at the Atlanta Botanical Garden is British artist Bruce Munro’s sixth solo US exhibition. All summer long visitors can wander the paths throughout one of America’s most famous gardens to experience six immersive large-scale light-based installations created from hundreds of miles of optic fiber.

Top news this week, IKEA recalls LED PATRULL Nightlight after an electric shock involving an Austrian boy was reported. Apple is coming up with new sapphire applications in its new sapphire antenna patent. Go Scale Capital is heavily borrowing from Chinese banks in its acquisition of Lumileds, a Reuters Chinese report records where each fund is coming from. Chinese courts invalidate a Cree patent in its suit against Harvatek. Will Soraa three-phosphor violet pump LED prevail and take over blue LEDs in the future? Find out in the article below. A suspected Hong Kong blogger turns eyes with her improvised LED outfit.

IKEA urges customers who have a PATRULL nightlight to immediately stop using it and to bring it back to any IKEA store for a full refund. Proof of purchase (receipt) is not required to receive a full refund. 

Researchers from National Chiao Tung University, Taiwan have created highly flexible, efficient white LEDs with potential use in wearable displays and non-flat surfaces, such as curved and flexible television screens. While the design itself is new, the LED was completely fabricated from pre-existing technologies, allowing others to easily replicate and build on the platform.

AC/DC kick off the North American leg of their 2015 world tour this weekend [August 22] with a spectacular light show using technology from Philips, the global leader in lighting.

Lunera® Lighting, a leader in lighting innovations accelerating the transformation to advanced LED technology, is pleased to announce the sale of its one-millionth Helen Lamp, a plug-and-play LED replacement for a compact fluorescent lamp (CFL). Lunera created the plug-and-play LED lamp category with the invention of its proprietary BallastLED technology. This technology enables Lunera's LED lamps to operate directly off of the existing ballast. The simplicity of this approach delivers the lowest cost solution to convert existing lighting infrastructure to energy saving LED technology.

Morris, Illinois is a legendary Chicagoland destination with a vibrant, historic downtown district. Filled with grand old Victorian homes, quaint shopping, dining, and businesses, the town's lighting evolved slowly and disjointedly during the 20th century. The result? A massively expensive, outdated patchwork of inefficient mix-and-match sodium lamps.

Illumitex, maker of technologically advanced LED grow lights, today announced an initiative to help innovative indoor growers to secure a portion of a $50M grant fund available from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

GlacialTech, the diversified LED technology provider, announces a new 120W heatsink kit for outdoor flood lights. The Igloo SS120 features an efficient heatsink with thermal resistance of just 0.34 °C/W and includes a mounting bracket with 90 degree adjustability. A glass lens accommodates CoB LEDs and a waterproof LED cover is available for outdoor applications. Besides the default single unit kit, the Igloo SS120 also comes in double, and triple unit configurations for up to 360W of LED illumination, allowing easy installation of high output lighting for stadiums, parking lots, and outdoor lighting applications.

Highly efficient, LEDs could slash the world’s electricity consumption. They are already sold in stores, but more widespread adoption of the technology has been hindered by high costs due to limited availability of raw materials and difficulties in achieving acceptable light quality. But researchers will report today that they have overcome these obstacles and have developed a less expensive, more sustainable white LED.

A blue glowing device the size of a peppercorn can activate neurons of the brain, spinal cord or limbs in mice and is powered wirelessly using the mouse's own body to transfer energy. Developed by a Stanford Bio-X team, the device is the first to deliver optogenetic nerve stimulation in a fully implantable format.

The world’s largest LED and LED lighting event will take place 16 --19 September, at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre (SNIEC). LED CHINA, together with the 11th LED LIGHTING CHINA and 13th SIGN CHINA, will feature 1,300 domestic and overseas brands over 120,000 sqm. Riding on Shanghai’s international status and the huge regional market it serves, the event expects to attract even higher caliber buyers from across the globe.

Lighting Science Group, a leading global manufacturer of innovative LED lighting solutions, announced today the appointment of Jeff Campbell as Senior Director of Product Management. Mr. Campbell will be responsible for contributing to Lighting Science’s overall product management strategy and expanding its commercial and retail LED offerings. Reporting directly to Lighting Science CEO Ed Bednarcik, Jeff will also work closely with the company’s marketing and sales teams to effectively promote Lighting Science’s current product offerings, such as the Rhythm™ and Marquee™ Series, and the company’s new T8 Linear line, in the ever-expanding LED market.

Orion Energy Systems, a leading designer and manufacturer of high-performance, energy-efficient retrofit lighting platforms, today announced Curtis Stout will represent all Orion lighting products in the mid-south region of the US as of August 19, 2015.

As part of the Graphene Applications Innovation Centre, CPI is bringing together specialist dispersion characterization, and applications testing capability alongside a team of leading scientists with a vast array of experience in industry, research and development and technology innovation.

Diodes Incorporated, a leading global manufacturer and supplier of high-quality application specific standard products within the broad discrete, logic and analog semiconductor markets, today introduced the AL1678 family of LED Drivers. These devices are well-suited for driving non-dimmable retrofit LED bulbs in general illumination applications that do not require high power factor (>0.7). Ensuring a low total circuit bill-of-material (BOM) cost while keeping performance high, these 500V buck-converter LED drivers support output powers up to 15W for wide-ranging LED lighting applications such as Class-A/B/P and GU10 lamps across all mains line voltages.

The Illuminating Engineering Society (IES) has just published a technical memorandum, TM-30-15, that outlines a new system for evaluating the color rendition of light sources. While the International Commission on Illumination's Color Rendering Index (CRI) enjoys widespread use, its limitations are well recognized, and the need for a viable alternative is increased by the proliferation of SSL, which offers tremendous scope for spectral engineering and optimization.

Advances at Oregon State University in manufacturing technology for “quantum dots” may soon lead to a new generation of LED lighting that produces a more user-friendly white light, while using less toxic materials and low-cost manufacturing processes that take advantage of simple microwave heating.

Dwindling profits in the LED package market has made market competitions far more ferocious, and has even affected phosphor, a key LED material. Whether it is the highly mature yellow powder or the maturing green and red phosphor, “increased volume and plunging prices” has become a LED phosphor tag. To better understand phosphor manufacturers challenging survival environment, LEDinside interviewed China’s leading phosphor manufacturer Bree Optronics Deputy General Manager Chao Liang.

San’an Opto released its financial results for the first half of 2015 on August 18, 2015. The company’s sales reached RMB 2.3 billion (US$350 million) with 5.26% growth year on year (YoY). The reported net income available to shareholders is RMB 904 million, reflecting a 35.76% YoY growth.

Chinese courts have invalidated Cree’s patent “Apparatus and method for mounting electronic elements” (CN 200780015100.X) in its patent infringement lawsuit against Harvatek, said Harvatek Spokesperson Chi Hsiung Cheng. The company’s future product sales will benefit from the ruling, he added.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science published the Fiscal Year 2016 Phase I, Release 1 Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) on August 17, 2015, for the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Programs. Under DE-FOA-0001366, whose complete listing of technical topics was released on July 20, DOE seeks applicants for grants directed toward FY16 Phase I projects. Topics for this funding opportunity can be found at //science.energy.gov/sbir/funding-opportunities and include LED and OLED lighting (see topic 7).

More than ten years ago, Osram Opto Semiconductors supplied infrared laser diodes for the first laser sensors in cars. As one of the first suppliers of powerful infrared LEDs (IREDs), Osram has also accompanied the development of camera systems with additional infrared illumination since their inception. Up to now, these optical sensors have been connected to one assistance system each, but from now on they will play an important role in automated driving in combination with other technologies. With the help of the optical sensors, the self-driving car captures its surroundings, and makes decisions using the data it has gathered.

Illumitex and The Pennsylvania State University are pleased to announce an educational partnership that has resulted in more than 400 Illumitex Eclipse ES2 LED grow lights being put into service in multiple greenhouses operated by the storied university's College of Agricultural Sciences.

Wael Ayyoub, Senior Project Manager at the diversified global manufacturing company Emerson, is delighted with the reaction from employees and staff in the company’s two new buildings forming part of its regional headquarters in Dubai. These two and three story buildings in Jebel Ali are a clever combination of natural light, forward-thinking lighting design and a strong environmentally-focused approach. “Something that reflects Emerson as well as being economical, with minimal negative impact on the environment.” says Wael.