Osram has released its latest IR LED, Synios SFH 4776, which can help users to check the ingredients, freshness and even calories of their meals before eating them. 

Osram Opto Semiconductors has provided its IR LED and LED components to Joyson Safety Systems, a U.S. based mobile safety system provider, on its steering wheel to develop a semi-autonomous system to the new Cadillac CT6. The steering wheel equipped with the IR LED can monitor driver’s behaviors to ensure safety. 

Japan-based DOWA Electronics Materials reported its achievement of IR LED by developing short-wavelength-infrared LED chips with a high output power at 6.8 mW with a peak wavelength of 1,300 nm, which is 3.5 times higher when compared to the existing products. 

Taiwanese LED manufacturer Harvatek Corporation is expecting a better performance for 3Q18 with its new production capacities in China and the steady orders of displays and consumer electronics products. 

Many LED manufacturers have prepared themselves when entering the peak quarter of a year. Taiwanese LED chip maker Epistar has also reported the increasing demands from the market for four-element LEDs, LED backlights and Mini LED applications. 

Taiwanese LED chip maker Opto Tech has reported a steady growth of 8% YoY in the second season of 2018 and expects a better performance in the second half of the year with its new capacity completed. 

The ninth annual Taiwan International Lighting Show (TILS 2018) opened with much fanfare in Hall 1 of Taipei World Trade Center on 25 April. This year’s show has gathered 114 exhibitors and featured 420 display booths showcasing technologies under the categories of LED general lighting and smart lighting.

Osram Opto Semiconductors is expanding its Oslon Black family for the infrared range with six new automotive IREDs. The 850 nm versions are intended for exterior applications such as night vision, pedestrian protection, pre-field recognition and lane detection. The new 940 nm versions are suitable above all for interior automotive applications such as driver monitoring, seat occupancy detection and gesture recognition. Thanks to different wavelengths and lenses these products cover a wide range of customer requirements and can be operated at up to 5 A in pulsed mode.

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.

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.

LED vertical integration manufacturer Lextar Electronics registered a revenue of NTD 760 million (USD 25.97 million) for February, down 21.7% MoM. The company attributed the revenue decline to the Chinese New Year holiday and product mix adjustment.

Kingbright introduces the IR LEDs selection with Infrared, Phototransistor and Sensor in industry standard SMD and Through-Hole packages.

Chinese LED maker HC Semitek announced it has signed an investment framework agreement to establish projects of advanced semiconductors and devices in the Yiwu Information and Optoelectronics Hi-Tech Industrial Park. The signing of the agreement was witnessed by the Yiwu Municipal People’s Government.

The new Synios P2720 has the same footprint as the 850 nm version. Measuring only 2.0 mm x 2.75 mm x 0.6 mm, the IRED is therefore ideal for space-critical applications.

Last year, Taiwanese LED packaging company EVERLIGHT registered a lukewarm annual earnings with a YoY decline of 6.6%. In face of looming threats from Chinese competitors, EVERLIGHT adjusts its product mix in hope to push up its revenue in 2018.

NEPCON JAPAN 2018, the largest exposition for electronics manufacturing and R&D technologies in Asia, started today (January 17, 2018) at Tokyo Big Sight. The three-day show has grown larger with approximately 2,600 Japanese and overseas exhibitors presenting their advancements in both the East and West Exhibition Halls this year. The number of attendees is anticipated to hit 127,000. The show is ready to witness Asia’s first large-scale dialogue between tech companies in 2018.  

3D facial recognition has come into the spotlight after Apple’s introduction of Face ID in the iPhone X. Companies in the supply chain have also become the new focuses of inestors. In fact, 3D sensing technology has been around for years, but did not have commercial applications of facial recognition in smartphones until 2017. The reasons why it happened in 2017 can be explained in terms of components, modules andsubsystems, computing and systems, end-devices and applications.

Major smartphone vendors like Samsung and Apple have been making improvements regarding unlocking devices beyond password-based methods, resulting in the rapid development of biometrics recognition in smartphones. In addition to smartphones, biometrics authentication methods will also be used in tablets and wearable devices.

Osram Opto Semiconductors was a finalist in three categories at the Annual Creativity in Electronics (ACE) Awards that took place last night at the San Jose Convention Center.

LiteOn yesterday reported its 3Q17 financial results, with a consolidated revenue of NTD 56 billion (USD 1.856 billion) following a 6% quarterly increase contributed by increased sales of power system solutions for cloud-computing data centers, AI smart home devices, IR LED, outdoor lighting, storage systems and game consoles.

Taiwan-based LED epi-wafer and chip manufacturer Epileds registered a lower revenue in 3Q17 than that in 2Q17 and the revenue fell from a year ago because of seasonality and factory relocation. Epileds is predicted to continue moving factories and purchase infrared (IR) and ultraviolet (UV) LED machines in 4Q17. Epileds will mainly buy used machines and modify them by itself. The revenue in 4Q17 is estimated to be similar to that in 3Q17. Epileds' annual revenue is projected to stay flat, but gross margin will improve, and profit will possibly bounce back. 

EVERLIGHT, devoted to the development of the domestic and foreign markets, will attend CEATEC for the first time to demonstrate the advantages of diversified product offerings including opto interruptors, couplers, transmitting/receiving components (IR, PD/PT), automotive and lighting components, applied for multi-function printers, touch screens, eye tracking, automotive ambient lighting and lighting applications. We sincerely invite you to experience the overall solutions from EVERLIGHT Electronics.  

Global consolidated revenue of LiteOn and its subsidiary in August 2017 was NTD 18.62 billion, up 6% MoM and down 12% YoY. Because of the stable demand in the end market benefiting LiteOn’s core business, its consolidated revenue from January 2017 to August 2017 hit NTD 140.54 billion, down 2.4% YoY.

EVERLIGHT launches the NIR-C19M series with a wavelength of 810nm which exert the clearest contrast effect to read the pattern of the iris. The recognition process is precise, quick and features excellent heat dissipation. This makes it perfectly suitable for iris recognition applications in security surveillance systems (access control) and portable handsets.

Showa Denko (SDK) has expanded its product lineup of infrared LED chips (IR-LEDs), which are mainly used as parts of photo-couplers for gate drivers in power semiconductor modules and parts of sensors for IoT-related devices.

The Japanese start-up company FOVE offers users a virtual reality headset that integrates eye tracking as a novel means of interaction. Tiny ChipLEDs from Osram Opto Semiconductors provide the infrared illumination to track the user’s direction of gaze and eye movements.  

Lumileds, the global lighting solutions leader, today introduced a family of high power infrared (IR) emitters designed to address the vast array of rapidly growing IR applications. These uses range from facial recognition/iris and gesture scanning to wearable health monitors, machine vision, night vision cameras and other industrial/biotech applications. The LUXEON IR Family combines high radiant intensity imaging with the industry’s lowest thermal resistance, resulting in optimal solutions for compact system designs.

Osram has acquired a strategic 25.1 percent share in LeddarTech Inc., a Canadian company that develops a proprietary LiDAR technology integrated into semiconductors and sensor modules for self-driving cars and driver-assistance systems. LeddarTech specializes in solid-state LiDAR (Light Detection And Ranging) systems that use infrared light to monitor the area around them, and its advanced optical sensing technology is highly complementary with Osram’s semiconductor products. The two companies already work together and Osram has now made an investment in LeddarTech in the mid double-digit million euros.

At this moment in the history of the LED industry, we have already witnessed it passed into the maturity stage, struggled to revive by finding new beachhead markets (and it succeeded), and advanced its production, ready to embrace future business possibilities. LED chip manufacturers and packagers worldwide have now been gradually shifting their focus to develop products for niche markets, including UV LED, IR LED, automotive, horticultural, and even smart lighting.

In the ever-growing LED market, automotive LEDs are witnessing a rapid development. This is driven by various regulations enforced by governments around the world for fuel-efficient gasoline vehicles. In addition, manufacturers of hybrid vehicles and electric vehicles have increasingly embraced new technologies. Also, with substantial development in automotive electronics, many LED manufacturers are now trying to gain their positions in this market.