Articles & Interviews

Trends in Horticulture Lighting

Cree has been a leader in general lighting applications for over 20 years and has customers ranging from restaurant chains to global government agencies. Paul Scheidt began his career in Cree in 2005, working on the development of their lighting applications. During this time, he has seen an increase in the horticulture lighting application. LED professional spoke to Paul Scheidt about horticulture lighting and what he thinks is behind this recent trend. He also shares his views of what he thinks the future holds for both Cree and horticulture lighting applications. Read more »

Resources | LpR Article | Research | Optics | May 16, 2017

Ultrathin Direct-Lit LED Module with Beam Shaping Thin-Film Optics

Thin, high quality, LED light panels are still a challenge. LED professional’s scientific partner, CSEM, investigated and developed a new approach with its partners, GAIKER-IK4 and BASF-SE. The authors, Oscar Fernández and Rolando Ferrini, from CSEM, Leire Barruetabeña, from GAIKER-IK4, and Sorin Ivanovici from BASF SE, present a solution that uses low-cost and spectrally poor, ultra-cool white LEDs in conjunction with optical color conversion foils, to transform the output to a high-quality light. They also describe a combination with added lime and red LEDs for a color tunable solution. Read more »

User Evaluation of the OpenAIS Pilot Installation

The OpenAIS project (2015-2018) has developed an open IoT lighting solution to enable a wider community to deliver the smartness of light, allowing easy adaptability to cater for the diversity of people and demands. The project is a cooperation between seven leading companies in the European industry and two academic partners: Signify, Zumtobel, Tridonic, Johnson Controls, Dynniq Belgium, NXP, ARM, Eindhoven University of Technology. Thomas van de Werff, Harm van Essen and Berry Eggen from the Eindhoven University of Technology describe the evaluation results of the pilot installation in a real office building in Eindhoven (The Netherlands), a former Philips factory. Read more »

LpR Article | Jun 21, 2016

Using Integrating Spheres Correctly to Measure LEDs

LEDs have opened up new dimensions of design freedom, allowing architects and designers to give free rein to their creativity. Light-emitting diodes permit manifold design solutions as a light source in illumination products. However, a suitable measuring method for comparing key technical data is required in order to get the best out of the diversity of illumination products available. Mikolaj Przybyla from GL OPTIC, a Just Normlicht GmbH division, explains crucial product requirements and what to take care about when calibrating a measurement system. Read more »

UV LED Technology for Emerging Applications in Agriculture

The Ultraviolet (UV) LED market has expanded five-fold in the past decade and is projected to grow to over $1 billion by 2025. A key trend expected to influence the market is the ability to expand into new applications, including agriculture. UV light, at proper frequency and dose, can increase the production of active substances in medicinal and traditional plants and it can also help maintain a healthy growing environment. But to fully take advantage of UV LEDs, some major re-design considerations are required. Terrance Berland, CEO of the Violet Defense Group, the parent company of Violet Gro, will explain which considerations these are; for instance, why it is crucial to incorporate the appropriate lens material. Read more »

Variability in LED Production and the Impact on Performance

LEDs are subject to manufacturing deviations, which have an impact on the end product. Benoit Bataillou and T. Merelle, guest authors from Pi Lighting, review the surprisingly large impact on LED performance and light quality. They used traditional as well as modern indicators like CRI and TM-30 as well as the latest circadian indices to measure. The results are explained by spectral modeling and a variability study. They show the large impact on CRI, even with small deviations inside the same bin. Read more »

Technologies | Smart Lighting + IoT | Resources | LpR Article | Jul 29, 2019

Voice Controlled Lighting that Protects Privacy and Data

LpR 71 Article - page 54: Intelligent lighting systems undoubtedly offer high comfort and energy efficiency. But especially conventional voice control systems like Amazon Alexa, Apple Siri or OK Google, with connected lamps and lighting fixtures are also becoming targets for uninvited guests. The benefits and technology of a new approach offering local voice control and artificial intelligence will be explained by Genia Shipova, Director Global Communications at Snips. Read more »

Resources | LpR Article | Research | Environment | Mar 26, 2019

When Nights Are No Longer Dark: Effects of Artificial Light at Night on Agroecosystems

In recent decades, artificial lighting has become an integral part of the modern world. While the use of artificial light at night (ALAN) greatly benefits people, it often has unintended, negative consequences for wildlife and ecosystems. In particular, the increasing use of LED lighting raises ecological concerns due to its high content of blue light, to which many organisms are sensitive. Dr. Maja Grubisic, Researcher at the Leibniz-Institute and Guest Lecturer at Free University Berlin discusses how ALAN can directly and indirectly influence agroecosystems, with potential consequences for food production and biodiversity. Given the current lack of integrative studies on this important topic, the better understanding of effects of ALAN in agroecosystems is urgently needed. Read more »

LpR Article | May 09, 2016

White Hybrid Light-Emitting Diodes: A Plausible Solution for Commercialization and Health Issues, by the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg (FAU)

One of the challenges in terms of commercialization of white LEDs is the need for cheap, inorganic phosphors. In this context, hybrid LEDs have recently emerged as a new approach based on downconverting organic coatings. The authors, Pedro B. Coto from the Institute for Theoretical Physics, Marlene Pröschel and Uwe Sonnewald from the Department of Biology, and Lukas Niklaus, Michael D. Weber and Rubén D. Costa from the Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy at the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg (FAU), describe this technology and cover recent breakthroughs and their prospects. Read more »

Zhaga Enables Mechanical IoT-Upgradability for Outdoor LED Lighting Fixtures

LpR 69 Article, page 42: The Zhaga Consortium is a global association of lighting companies that is standardizing LED luminaire components interfaces. The latest specification from Book 18 defines a standardized interface between outdoor LED luminaires and modules for sensing and communication. Dee Denteneer, Zhaga Secretary General, explains how the New Book 18 helps bring the Internet of Things to the outdoor lighting market via smart, upgradeable, future-proof fixtures. Read more »

LpR Article | Jun 08, 2016

Zhaga Evolves: Focus on Component Standardization Drives New Book Development

With new specifications covering COB LED arrays, LED drivers, and other LED modules and light engines, Zhaga is making rapid progress in standardizing these types of components in response to the needs of the market. Musa Unmehopa, Secretary General of the Zhaga Consortium, and Tim Whitaker, Director of Marketing Communications of the Zhaga Consortium, describe how Zhaga is evolving and changing its focus in a number of areas. Read more »