It’s reported that the new LED Engineering Kit from OSRAM Opto Semiconductors is a powerful tool for anyone who wants to test LEDs with various accessories and applications while gaining practical knowledge of LED lighting.

DDP, a leader in engineered LED solutions, has developed customizable, low-profile linear LED lighting designed specifically for small cove and indirect lighting applications in the commercial and high-end residential building markets.

Recently, Atlanta-based Acuity Brands, a lighting and cleaning products company, said that it's entered into a strategic partnership with Herndon, Va.'s Renaissance Lighting to work on the commercialization of LED lighting. Under the deal, Renaissance is licensing its intellectual property, including its Constructive Occlusion optical system, to Acuity. Financial terms of the partnership were not disclosed.  

The global LED market is taking off in 2008 and is expected to become a full-blown one by the year 2010, according HP Lighting, a major LED manufacturer in Taiwan. HP Lighting’s insight is shared by LEDinside, which has predicted that as LED makers in Taiwan and Japan keep raising production, LED prices are bound to fall further before 2009. Lower prices will eventually lead to higher LED penetration among households, said the LED industry research group.

Recently, Irish company Nualight, which specializes in LED-based food display illumination, has announced its selection by leading retailer Tesco in a EUR1million deal to implement its energy-saving LED lighting product in Tesco Ireland’s stores.

School goes GREEN

Recently, Lighting Science Group (LSCG), a global developer and integrator of intelligent and efficient LED solutions, announced that it has installed several integrated LED systems to create an interactive, dynamic lighting experience for the newly opened Club Devo in Goes, Netherlands. Using close to 100 percent LED technology for its lighting needs, Club Devo is the first nightclub in Europe believed to implement LED lighting systems on such a large scale.

Recently, Fort Walton Beach's public works department plans to install lighted street signs at three busy intersections this week. Employees spent last week completing the wiring work to install the LED signs. Public Works Director Tom Murray said “At nighttime it just makes the street name signs much more visible.” “It's very low energy because it's LED lighting and they're very, very effective lights at nighttime, that's very helpful for our visitors in the area,” Murray continued.

Recently, LightWild announced that its Project Engineering Team has completed its LED lighting project for the Harley-Davidson Museum which is located in Milwaukee's Menomonee Valley. The Museum opened to the public July 12, 2008.

It’s reported that lighting leaders from OSRAM Opto Semiconductors and OSRAM SYLVANIA's LED Systems business units, together with the California Lighting and Technology Center (CLTC) at UC Davis, California, unveiled an interactive LED demonstration wall that offers a tangible look at current and emerging LED lighting products and system solutions.

Recently, Lighting Science Group Corporation (LSGC) announced that the Superior Court of California for Sacramento County has issued a preliminary injunction against Philips Solid State Lighting Solutions, Inc., Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. and Philips Electronics North America Corporation(collectively "Philips"), preventing Philips from using or relying on certain confidential or trade secret information obtained from LSGC.

It’s reported that new research from Boston University's College of Engineering, funded by a National Science Foundation grant, indicates that LEDs may be not only the integral lighting component of the future, but may also form the backbone of future wireless networks. The US government is funding research into using next-generation LED lighting as data network access points. Room or street lamps would link with devices using visible light, carrying data beyond over existing power lines.

Recently, Enfis, which is an innovator of intelligent LED lighting systems and technologies, announced that Dan Polito has joined the company as president of its North American business unit. The appointment highlights the increasing opportunities for smart LED technology across the Atlantic.

It’s reported that Neo-Neon, a decorative LED lighting company based in China, announced that it will be making some of its LEDs at its LED plant in Quangdong, China.

Neo-Neon is a traditional lighting and decorative lighting company with a three-decade long history in the lighting industry. It houses an approximate of 4,700 customers worldwide with presence extended to LED sector for 6-7 years. Neo-Neon currently produces about 600-700mn light bulbs per month with one-fifth of them as LED-powered. It also performs OEM production for leading brands.

After launching low wattage LED / outdoor power supplies from 20~96W, MEAN WELL debuted another new 150W high IP rated AC/DC product for the growing demands of larger scale LED lighting related applications. With wide range input 90~280VAC, the CLG-150 series also possesses active PFC function complying with EN61000-3-2 (harmonic current) class C for >50% of output rated loading that fulfills the requirement of typical lighting applications. The most important feature for CLG-150 is the user adjustable output voltage and current level.

In the past few years, LEDs have made huge advances in energy efficiency. Industry sources and outside experts say LEDs are now the most energy-efficient lighting source available. They use far less energy than other bulbs, last a lot longer, and cost less to use over their lifetime.

Recently, The UK Technology Strategy Board (TSB) has announced funding for twelve innovative research projects to accelerate the development of more energy-efficient lighting, lasers and displays. The R&D projects are intended to help British manufacturers to stay ahead of international competition - and contribute to the UK's climate change goals.

It’s reported that WieDaMark, LLC, launched WDM Lighting this quarter. WDM Lighting, a company of WieDaMark, LLC, will showcase the WDM product line and national distributor program. It specializes in LED and energy-efficient lighting solutions for residential, commercial, and entertainment industries.

It’s reported that Intematix Corp., a leading innovator in phosphors, LED components and solid state lighting modules, has added more top talent with the announcement that Jeff Lagaly has joined the company as Vice President of Sales, LED Lighting. Mr. Lagaly was formerly Global Sales Director for Cree Lighting, overseeing the sales effort that introduced and drove Cree’s XLamp LED line to sales estimated in excess of $100M.

It’s reported that the Vitec Group plc has acquired the business and assets of Litepanels, Inc and Litepanels, LLC, a leading manufacturer of LED-based lights for the television, broadcast, video and film industries. The initial consideration of US$14.5m, will be paid in cash, with additional deferred consideration dependent on future profitability.

Recently, PureSpectrum, Inc. has begun testing the viability of its innovative ballast design for use with LED applications with its ongoing efforts to continue development of the company's breakthrough ballast technology,

Applications of LED during the Beijing Olympics have raised audience's eyebrows. According to non-official statistics from China, the Beijing Olympics has consumed a total of 500mn RMB worth of LEDs at 36 stadiums, excluding other public lighting applications that are installed at the Olympics villages and parks. But as Olympics grand completed, concerns about whether there exists a fundamental demand for LED surfaces.

It’s reported that Japanese consumer electronics maker Sharp Corp announced it aims to generate sales of $1.8 billion from LED market by the business year to March 2013. Moreover, Sharp would enter the lighting gear market with energy-saving LED technology to establish a new earnings pillar in addition to its flat panel and solar cell businesses this month.

Recently, GlacialTech Inc, announced the availability of the LED–MR16 bulb, designed to replace the Halogen MR16 globe currently available in markets worldwide.

It’s reported that the shimmer wall adorns the McDowell Street side of the new convention center in downtown Raleigh. Next month, the shimmer wall art installation measures 211 ft long by 44 ft high and will adorn one exterior wall of the city's new convention center.

It’s reported that The Vitec Group plc announces that it has signed an agreement to acquire the business and assets of Litepanels, Inc and of Litepanels, LLC (together "Litepanels" or "the Business"), the leading manufacturer of LED-based lights for the television, broadcast, video and film industries.

Recently, Matsushita Electric Works Ltd released insect-repellent lighting equipment-LED Light Up Lighting Equipment, whose "insect attraction index" is about two-thirds lower compared with the product of the same luminance. The company released two white-color types and two light bulb-color types of the lighting equipment Aug 25, 2008, in Japan.

Recently, Lighting Science Group Corporation (LSG), a developer and integrator of intelligent LED lighting solutions, and the Office for Visual Interaction, Inc. (OVI), a global architectural lighting design innovator, announced that the companies have been selected by The New York City Department of Design and Construction (DDC) to engineer, produce and test the winning design of the City Lights Design Competition.

According to Edward Po, general manager of Philips Taiwan Ltd.-Lighting Division, Philips Lighting will likely subcontract LED lighting manufacturing to Taiwan when it begins volume production of the products.