Enhancing the LED Experience - UI & UX as Success Factors for IoT Based Lighting Controls
As LED lighting systems become part of the Internet of Things, getting the interface right is essential if all of the potential benefits are to be realized. Karl Jónsson and Christian Moormann of Tridonic explain why UI and UX are crucial for the acceptance of the “Internet of Things”, give design hints and describe what this type of user interface that accommodates scalability, simplicity and ease of handling could look like. The authors also discuss examples based on a system Tridonic pre-launched in 2016.
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Tech-Talks BREGENZ - Dr. Rubén D. Costa, Group Leader, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg
Light quality and costs of LED systems remain an important topic even though big improvements have
been made. New approaches are always welcome and stir up hope. It was exactly a year ago that LED
professional published the article by Dr. Rubén D. Costa, Liebig Group Leader at the University of
Erlangen-Nuremberg, about his amazing new „Bio-Hybrid“ white LED approach. At LpS 2016 his
presentation on the latest research results and improvements also won him the LpS 2016 Scientific
Award. Consequently, we just had to invite him to a Tech-Talk Bregenz! In the interview below he gives
us some interesting background information about why he started the project, how it works and what
he expects in the future. He also gives us his views on LEDs and lighting in general.
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Lighting Up Smart Cities, Dr. Wu Chou, Huawei
Although streetlights have been
associated with cities for more than
a thousand years, they are rarely
considered for functions other than
luminary purposes. One of the distinct
features of streetlights is their
geographic location. In particular,
streetlights follow the roads and
streets that are the arteries of the city,
and at night they outline the city so it
can be seen from many miles away.
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Swiss Photonics Workshop on Intelligent Efficient Solid State Lighting
Swiss Photonics held their Swiss Solid State Lighting Workshop in the Pantheon at Muttenz near Basel
on December 12th of last year. The ambience of the automobile museum was perfect! The program
covered a broad range of topics including Human Centric Lighting, Internet of Things and the results of
the LASSIE project (Large Area Solid State Lighting Intelligent Efficient: A 7th Framework Program for
Research and Technological Development). In the following article, Arno Grabher-Meyer, Editor-in-Chief
at LED professional, summarizes the highlights.
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LuxLive and SILE Sharpen Focus on End-Users
On November 23rd and 24th, as in previous years, LuxLive was held in the Excel Center close to
London’s City Airport. This year, for the second time since the merger of Revo Media and Pennwell,
LuxLive and Strategies in Light Europe were co-located. Arno Grabher-Meyer, Editor-in-Chief at
LED professional, summarizes his impressions of the event, picking out the more technical oriented
lectures held in the different "arenas".
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Smart Lighting Market and Technology Trends
Intelligent lighting technology that enables its users to control lighting through connected devices such as smart phones or remote controls is a big topic in the industry. A new report sheds light on different aspects of this business including drivers, restraints and opportunities. Jasmine Hinduja, Research Analyst at The Insight Partners, summarizes the major findings and how the trend to intelligent systems affects the companies regarding technology skills and strategies.
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Flicker: Standards and Test Methods
Much has been written and said about Temporal Light Artifacts (TLAs). What is essential about TLAs is that they consist of flicker and/or stroboscopic effects induced by a light stimulus whose luminance or spectral distribution fluctuates with time and causes undesired changes in visual
perception for an observer in a certain environment. Walter Parmiami, Senior Engineer at UL International Italia S.r.l., discusses the current status of regulations and measurement standards and proposes a certification to help manufacturers to generate user confidence, and consumers and specifiers to find the right product for an application
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Structured Glass Light Guides for Efficient Lighting
Glass injection molding technology (GIMT) for precision glass optics is a relatively new manufacturing
technology. This expertise allows for producing efficient glass optics for LED lighting applications with
special properties like undercut geometry or mounting flanges. A lot of progress has been made since it
was introduced. Christian Passlick, Optical Engineer at Auer Lighting, shows how this improved
technology supports making state-of-the-art light mixing structures for RGB/RGBW LED systems.
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Comparing New Dielectric Materials for Chip-on-Board LED Packages
Thermal management is still one of the most challenging issues in solid state lighting. With the increased application of COB LED technology, the portion of the dielectric material on the overall thermal resistance has become an important topic. Different solutions and new materials have been proposed over the last few years. Hui Zhang, Max Wagner, and Prof. Tran Quoc Khanh from the Laboratory of Lighting Technology at the Technische Universität Darmstadt compared different
materials and present the results of their extensive research.
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LpS Event: A Perfect Platform for New Ideas and Innovations
Like in any “Light + Building year”, there is always the question of which, if any, other shows one should attend in Europe. The visitors to the LpS 2016 knew right from the start that they had made the right decision with Bregenz. As always, the show attracted attendees, exhibitors and visitors from all over the world. Arno Grabher-Meyer, Editor-in-Chief at LED professional summarizes the highlights and shows
how the newly introduced program points were received.
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The Perspective of Bio-Hybrid White Light-Emitting Diodes Based on Rubber-Like Down- Converting Coatings
At first, white LED technology seems to be mature. But in truth, the technology is still far from being perfect and research on all LED materials and components is ongoing. At the LpS 2016 the research of Rubén D. Costa, Lukas Niklaus, Katharina Weber and Prof. Uwe Sonnewald from the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg (FAU) was honored with the LED professional Scientific Award. These authors investigated the use of organic light conversion materials for white LEDs. Their research shows that these bio-hybrid white LEDs could lower costs and improve light quality. The article describes the
current status of the research and future perspectives.
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On-Chip Beam Forming Optics Paves the Way for New Luminaire Designs
An LED luminaire’s optical system usually consists of primary and secondary optics. This concept always causes a trade-off between light quality, system size, efficiency and light distribution. New concepts to make secondary optics obsolete have already been researched. Paul Drosihn, Head of
Modular Products, and Samir Mezouari, Optics & Lighting Design Specialist at Plessey Semiconductors present the first of its kind chip scale beam forming technology, StellarTM. They explain how it works and how it helps to overcome the limitations of traditional optical solutions for LED lighting.
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Tech-Talks BREGENZ - Prof. Christian Cajochen, Univ. Basel, Head of Center of Chronobiology
Human Centric Lighting has become a catchphrase used by industry and the press. But the press has also started reporting that research emphasizes the danger of LED lighting in connection to our health and has coined the term “Blue Light Hazard”. These claims have caused confusion amongst end users and throughout the lighting community. Prof. Christian Cajochen, Head of the Centre for Chronobiology
at the University of Basel - an expert on this topic - held a lecture at the LpS 2016 entitled “Light Beyond Vision”. Afterwards, LED professional seized the opportunity to talk to him personally and get some in-depth information about the risks and benefits of LED lighting.
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Optical Lithography Method for Advanced Light Extraction in LEDs
Objective material selection for various target applications is key for successful product development. Efficient light extraction features are crucial for highly efficient LEDs. Thomas Uhrmann and Harun Solak, et.al* from EV Group and Eulitha AG will demonstrate a novel lithography method, PHABLE™, that enables the printing of sub-μm patterns in a non-contact, proximity process.
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Handheld Photometry Supports LED Lighting Design
With SSL new dimensions were introduced to light measurement, especially concerning handheld light
measurement tools. Norbert Harkam, General Manager at SalesLink GmbH, a Representative of UPRtek, explains what criteria have to be considered and what the requirements of a handheld photometer are.
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LEDs Reveal Paintings Hidden in Paintings
Artists are often early adopters of new technologies and new solutions and methods that bring art to a new
level. For fine arts artist, light and their material are the two major elements to play with. It’s no wonder that
LED lighting has become an important element for them. The artist, Clint Eccher, and Arno Grabher-Meyer
from LED professional show how LED lighting is used to transform static paintings into some of the most
advanced paintings in the world, in dynamic, “living” pieces that transform their appearance with LED light.
Clint Eccher's work, how it is done, and the role of LED technology will be explained.
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Botanical Light Pollution - Red is the New Blue
In the beginning, the industry argued that LED lighting could help reduce light pollution. Meanwhile,
various organizations claim the opposite effect is true and often sight light color as an issue.
The opinions of different groups are frequently quite the contrary to those of other groups.
Ian Ashdown, FIES Chief Scientist at byHeart Consultants & Lighting Analysts, demonstrates and
discusses the negative effects of light pollution through LED lights and how different light sources
affect vegetation.
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How to Design with LEDs: Concurrent Engineering Yields Fully Optimized Lighting Systems
LEDs are often viewed as a replacement for other light sources. The right starting point for designing an
appropriate replacement is crucial to the result. Brian S. Jasenak, Optical and Process Engineer at
Kopp Glass, describes a concurrent engineering approach that optimizes the optics and other system
components, and may help to reduce the number of LEDs needed as well as the overall cost of the
LED lighting fixture.
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High-Index Nanocrystals - Key to Next Generation Advancements in Lighting
Solid-State Lighting is destined to be a next generation lighting option. LEDs have already entered main stream applications and OLED technology has advanced greatly in the past few years in terms of efficacy and performance. Both technologies need to continue to improve performance to achieve high market acceptance. Dr. Gregory Cooper, Chief Technology Officer and Founder of Pixelligent Technologies LLC, illustrates how LED and OLED technology can advance to the next level by incorporating nanomaterials into existing packaging.
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Easing Lighting System Design with Online Tools
The technical intricacies of an LED lighting system design can be quite complicated. The
interdependencies of design parameters such as light source flux, efficacy, lumen maintenance,
drive current, series/parallel light source layout, compatible optics, compatible drivers, thermal
dissipation and others make the calculation of system performance a laborious process if
performed manually. One simple change in one parameter could potentially force the lighting
designer to consult the datasheet for every other component considered in the design in order to
calculate the impact on the system as a whole. Patrick Durand, Worldwide Technical Director,
Future Lighting Solutions demonstrates the capabilities of modern online tools to solve these
problems giving a typical application example based on the Future Lighting System Creator (LSC).
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Technologies for Engineering an LED Light Closest to Sunlight
TRI-R is a next-generation LED light source made possible by Toshiba Materials technology and
commercialization together with TOL STUDIO. Using natural light that recreates the solar spectrum,
TRI-R suppresses glare, prevents the loss of object color, and gives fresher, clearer expression to
textures and details. Based on professional research examining the relationship light has with humans
and the environment, this is illumination technology that provides the world surrounding us with the
true and real value of light. Masahiko Yamakawa, Senior Specialist of Toshiba Materials Co.LTD.,
presents how this technology was developed and applied in some projects.
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Lighting Fabrics - A New Approach for Flexible Light Sources
Different groups from the lighting business have been dreaming of truly flexible light sources for a long
time. OLEDs are being promoted as the solution of the future but there are other solutions already on
the market. Managing Director R&D at Carpetlight GmbH, Mr. Till Sadlowski, takes a look at the
common history of light and fabrics, the evolution of flexible circuity and the latest development in form
free scalable light sources.
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MOCVD Platform for Cost-Effective Production of GaN-based HB LEDs
GaN-based blue and ultraviolet light emitting diodes (LEDs) are steadily becoming more widely used in solid-state lighting (SSL) applications [1-3]. Enabling dramatic energy savings when compared to contemporary incandescent bulbs and fluorescent lamps, these high-brightness LEDs (HB-LEDs)
have a market potential in the billions of dollars. Yole Development estimates that by 2017, the market for LEDs will be approximately $75 billion [4, 5]. Shiping Guo, the Senior Technology Director of Advanced Micro-Fabrication Equipment Inc. presents a new approach to support this goal with a cost effective MOCVD solution for HB-GaN LED manufacturing.
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Tech-Talks BREGENZ - Sebastian Huelck, Director Lighting, EBV Elektronik
Solid State Lighting has not only changed the way that light is generated but also how areas or objects
are illuminated. It has changed the whole industry and business. Sebastian Huelck, Director of Segment
Lighting at EBV Elektronik GmbH & Co. KG, discussed these changes and the new requirements for
modern distribution with Siegfried Luger and Dr. Guenther Sejkora. He explained the transition of
distributors from pure logistic specialists to one-stop shops and full service providers, and commented
on regional differences. He finished off by giving insights into the future projects of the company.
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OLED Technology in Lighting Applications
Prototypes and niche applications with OLEDs for lighting have been demonstrated over the past few years. Now there are indications that OLED technology is ready for mass production or at least will be ready very soon. Franco Musiari, Technology Specialist at ASSODEL analyzed the current
status and future perspectives of OLED technology.
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Natural Design for Heat Sinks
The luminous flux of LEDs decreases with the rise of the operating temperature. Therefore the dissipation of the heat is, aside from the efficiency of the LED chip itself, an essential part in the development of efficient LED systems. Christian Herbold and Cornelius Neumann from the Light Technology Institute at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology analyzed natural inspired shapes and show an approach to heat
sinks that combine high thermal performance with a high aesthetic value.
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LED and Lens Degradation Through Volatile Organic Compounds
In general, LEDs are very resistant light sources. Nevertheless, glues, conformal coatings, o-rings, gaskets, and potting compounds, all materials that are frequently used in the construction of LED based luminaires or lamps and often contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs) may have a
negative impact on performance, reliability and lifetime. Edward Steinke, application engineer at Cree, explains the set of problems and how to prevent these issues based on Cree’s products, using their test kit components, as well as components for lamp and luminaire applications.
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Der Lichtpeter, Peter Erwin on Flicker Beyond Perception Limits - A Summary of Lesser Known Research Results
Well, our opinions join quite well. How about to have the CFD by Der Lichtpeter as the first really eligible method to measure light modulation [...] Read more »
Gyula Major on Flicker Beyond Perception Limits - A Summary of Lesser Known Research Results
The article is astonishingly good. I’d like to make only one comment. It was mentioned in the introduction “...for high quality lighting very likely a [...] Read more »
Discomfort Glare Perception of Non-Uniform Light Sources in an Office Setting
LED based luminaires with different luminance patterns and recently, with increasingly non-uniform luminance patterns are becoming mainstream. This trend makes discomfort due to glare an important topic. Based on an office setting and the comparison of results from three different regions, L. M. Geerdinck, J. R. Van Gheluwe and M.C.J.M. Vissenberg from Philips Research have reviewed the currently used formulae to predict discomfort glare to ascertain if they are still valid.
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