Homelights invite you join the world for the Earth hour at 8:30pm on Saturday, 27th March 2010

Earth Hour will be held on Saturday March 27th at 8.30pm-9.30pm wherever you are in the world. This year Earth Hour aims to be the greatest show of action on climate change the world has ever seen. So sign up, turn off your lights and show the world what can be done.

Homelights invite you join the world at 8:30pm on Saturday, 27th March 2010 to tun off the lights for a brighter future

It’s Showtime!

History of LED Light

LED's or Light Emitting Diodes is basically just a diode that emits a single color light. An LED light is merely a die or semiconductor material, a lead (where the the die is placed) and some encapsulation epoxy that surrounds and protects the die. Pretty simply stuff really but the effects are amazing.

In the 1960's the first LED's were produced which resulted in a red light source. The problem though was the red LED's were not quite bright enough for humans to really be able to see it in normal day light operations. So the first LED applications were mostly indicator lights for military use. As technology progressed in the 1970's additional colors were created and as new colors became available, new uses for LED lights were in demand. LED's were produced in applications such as calculators, digital watches, test devices and more.

It wasn't until the 1980's when new materials were developed to make LED's brighter, more stable and cost efficient. With these advances, LED lights saw rapid growth. Since LED's are over 10 times brighter and more efficient than incandescent, neon etc., the sign industry started to boom.

Today, LED's are the standard in many applications such as traffic control (stop lights, pedestrian signals, hazard signs), message signs and automotive equipment and instruments. Electronic components highly depend on LED lights for many products and Toshiba is the leading manufacturer of LED's today.

LED's have come leaps and bounds since its inception 30 years ago and it does not look like its slowing down. From billboards to laptops to variable message signs and even medical equipment, LED lights are here to stay.

Main advantages of LED Light

Easy to install
Easy to maintain
Brighter than neon
Energy efficient
Energy saving
Cost saving
Safe to touch (no risk of burn)
Lasts up to 50k hours at least

LED Ornamental Applications

The most spectacular LED applications include those designed for ornamental purposes. The ornamental class includes custom LED lighting designs with the intent to provide an ornamental lighting effect. Such applications may include automotive accent lighting, holiday lighting, artwork, and novelty LED products.

Perhaps the LED ornamental applications are among the most glamorous of all designs. The possibilities are endless thanks to a wide variety of single and multi-colored LED lights. Today's market diversity accounts for a wide variety of LED colors, beam angles, and package styles. In the future, advancing LED technology will continue to promote new ornamental LED lighting applications.

LED Ornamental Applications: Real World Examples

Artificial candles
Artwork illumination
Automotive headlight accents
Automotive interior lighting
Automotive under-carriage lighting
Backsplash lighting
Channel letter illumination
Christmas tree lighting
Clothing illumination
Holiday boarder lighting
Hollywood special effects lighting
Home interior accent lighting
Ink pen illumination
Light sculptures
Light torches
Signage
Special props lighting
Toy illumination
Wall washing

LED Utility Applications

Custom LED designs specifically for utility purposes are among the most technically advanced LED lighting applications. LED products classified as utility, perform a very specific task or function. Medical, dental, and plant growth LED array lights include a few basic examples of LED utility applications. Much of the common population remains unaware of the extensive number of abstract LED utility applications available in today's market. In many cases, the LED array may perform only a single function as a part of a larger scheme of operations. As LED popularity continues to grow, the technology is appearing more often in household devices and office equipment. As technology advances, LED utility applications will also continue to prosper. Three design characteristics are commonly associated with LED utility applications.

Hybrid Technology

In the majority of LED utility applications, the LED and associated circuitry operate in conjunction with various other systems. The overall design scheme may feature numerous technologies, often times with no direct relation to LED lighting. It is the entire system, including the LED light and numerous other technologies, which enable functionality.

Specific Optical Wavelength

LED utility applications typically perform a very specific function or task as a sub-component of an advanced system. Specific electromagnetic emissions produced by the LED light typically play a critical role in the overall operation. In many applications, infrared or ultra violet light produced by the LED lamp is beyond visible range of the human eye.

Stand-Alone LED Lamp

A single LED light is often sufficient in most LED utility applications. The radiometric or photometric flux produced by the emitter offers enough energy to perform a specific task or function. In addition, managing a single light emitting diode is more feasible than an LED light bar, where flux from numerous emitters would require strategic focusing.

LED Utility Applications: Real World Examples

Camera Flash
Communications
Copy machines
Dental
Digital scanners
Fiber optics
Medical
Plant growth
Remote controls
Robotic vision
Skin therapy
Ultra-violet charging
Ultra-violet sterilization

LED Indicator Applications

The most resourceful custom LED applications include those designed for indicator purposes. The indicator class includes any custom LED lighting product designed with the intent to provide an optical indication to identify a specific condition or status. Such applications may include aircraft runway lighting, automotive LED tail lights, and electronic message signs. LED availability and cost efficiency promote a wide variety of LED indicator applications. As a result, LED technology is most practical when applied in LED indicator applications. As technology advances, LEDs are becoming less expensive and increasingly efficient. However, the current day technology offers an abundance of new design opportunities for LED indicator applications such as LED brake tail lights. Three characteristics are typically associated with most LED indicator applications.

Medium Luminous Output

LEDs with an extreme luminous output rating are not always necessary for ordinary indicator applications, such as the LED tail light. A reduced luminous output can provide sufficient lighting while reducing heat dissipation and simplifying the overall design. Design costs and power requirements are considerably less.

Narrow Beam Angle

Generally, luminous intensity increases as the beam angle decreases. This promotes visibility from greater distances. Reduced beam angles are more commonly associated with LED indicator applications such as LED brake tail lights. Light emitting diodes containing beam angles between 15 and 70 degrees often provide the best results in most indicator applications.

Colored LED Optical Output

Indicator applications most commonly incorporate colored LED emitters. Aircraft lighting applications typically utilize red, green, and white LED lights. Automotive applications may utilize red, white, and orange. Electronic message signs may utilize single colors or a combination of red, blue, and green.

LED Indicator Applications: Real World Examples

Aircraft anti-collision lighting
Aircraft navigation lighting
Airport obstruction lighting
Airport rotating beacon
Airport runway lighting
Airport taxiway lighting
Airport VASI / PAPI
Automotive LED brake tail lights
Automotive marker lights
Automotive LED tail lights
Automotive turn signal lighting
Control panel indicators
Emergency vehicle signal lighting
Manufacturing equipment indicators
Message signs
Motorcycle brake lights
Motorcycle tail lights
Motorcycle turn signal lighting
Scrolling signs
Trailer truck side markers
Wide-load escort beacon

LED Illumination Applications

The most popular and rapidly growing LED applications are those intended strictly for illumination. Illumination applications pertain to any custom LED lighting design with the intent to provide visible light for human environments. A few examples include LED home lighting, office lighting, and LED array lights for special task lighting. LED illumination applications present the most challenging design parameters when compared with alternative applications, such as LED tail lights and LED brake tail lights. This is typically due to thermal issues as well as increased power requirements and higher cost of materials for the LED array. Thanks to advancing technology, light emitting diodes are becoming brighter, more efficient, and less expensive. These advances will lead to many custom LED lighting design opportunities for new LED illumination applications. Four general characteristics can typically identify most LED illumination applications.

High Luminous Output

LED illumination applications typically serve as the primary light source within a given environment. A relatively high luminous output is critical in most custom LED lighting illumination applications. Unfortunately, some common characteristics associated with higher luminous outputs from an LED bar include increased temperatures and power requirements.
White or Warm White LED Emission Color
LED products designed for illumination applications commonly utilize white or warm white LEDs. High power white LED lamps are more common and readily available in a variety of package styles and beam angles. However, some white LEDs provide surface illumination that appears more natural. Colors tend to look better when illuminated by a white LEDs that result in a more naturally appearing surface illumination.

Wide Beam Angle

Increased beam angles are commonly associated with LED illumination applications because of requirements for a broader area of illumination. LED lights containing a beam angle of 70 degrees or greater provide the best results in most illumination applications. Many high power LEDs are available in a 100 degree beam or greater. An optical lens designed to interface directly with the light emitting diode and printed circuit board offers a means of beam angle reduction. This reduction may be necessary if an LED light in the desired beam angle is unavailable or the specific application requires a narrow beam angle.

Direct Light Exposure

Most custom LED illumination applications operate on the concept of direct light exposure. LED emissions radiated directly into the intended environment result in maximum luminous output. Reflectors and diffusers are rarely beneficial in illumination applications. However, modern optical lenses tend to offer an efficient means of beam angle modification.

LED Illumination Applications: Real World Examples

Aircraft interior lighting
Aircraft landing lights
Aircraft taxi lights
Aquarium lighting LED array
Artifact lighting
Auditorium lighting
Automotive headlights
Automotive interior lighting
Bookshelf lighting
Cabinet lighting
Camper/RV interior lighting
Closet lighting
Desk lighting
Hallway lighting
Handheld flashlight
Home interior lighting
Jewelry case lighting
Marine interior lighting
Office interior lighting
Showcase lighting
Stadium lighting
Stairway lighting
Streetlights
Under-counter lighting
Workbench lighting

Chinese Government to promote a new wave of energy saving policy, LED industry to benefit

Environmental issues have become increasingly prominent, the Chinese continue to promote energy-saving policies, research institutions LEDinside said that China is expected by the end of 2010 to a total of 4 trillion yuan investment to stimulate the economy, it is estimated that LED (Light Emitting Diode) industry are also expected to benefit from, and the 2010 Shanghai World Expo will be following the Olympics after the LED set off another wave of peak demand.

With the LED light-emitting efficiency and decrease costs, the future penetration of the LED will also be increased dramatically. LED promising prospects for development, only possession of the poor global economy, but the Chinese government has plans to introduce a series of measures, the prospects for the LED market to pave the way.

China in October 2008 to start a "public body EnEV", called on all levels of government should be energy-efficient products, equipment incorporated into the government centralized purchasing directory, and strictly monitor the situation of energy consumption. At the same time, also published "EnEV civil" provisions of the construction unit should select the right renewable energy for heating, cooling, lighting and hot water supply. It is precisely because of these two regulations to implement and provide local government procurement of energy-saving LED related products, such as a legal basis, LEDinside forecast, in 2009 governments at all levels will follow the implementation of energy conservation policy, and a large number of procurement-related energy-saving products.

In addition, the State Council "to further expand domestic demand, promoting economic growth of 10 measures", it is necessary to come on stream 4 trillion, of which half have used to develop basic construction, LEDinside optimistic about the LED industry will benefit from this government policy.

At present, provinces LED industry development, in April 2007, in order to support LED and solar photovoltaic industry development and growth, Fujian Province promulgated the "Fujian Province, the promotion of LED and solar photovoltaic industry views the development of the implementation (2007-2010)", Chinese are the first introduction of such policies and Fujian Provinces have also activated LED and photovoltaic Electronics test platform, LED and photovoltaic applications, such as product design platform for a number of LED and photovoltaic industries of public technical service platform construction.

In February 2009, Fujian Information Industry Department, organized specifically to promote LED energy-efficient lighting products will attract the province near 30 major application vendors and near 20 LED industry participate, in addition, Fujian has also been actively introduce advanced technology is strong in the Taiwanese capital, Photoelectric foreign enterprises, to further improve the LED industry chain.

LEDinside pointed out that the LED and the photovoltaic industry in Fujian Province output value of more than hundred billion yuan, jumped to the national forefront of the development scale, the local three-an electron is now China's largest chip, wafer manufacturing enterprises, accounting for China's output of 5 percent, the biggest ultra-high-brightness LED epitaxy and chip industries of the industry.

As the field of LED package, Hualian Electronics has been a leader in the mainland, and Zhangzhou Fushun is currently China's largest LED screen manufacturers. LEDinside think, with the LED industry to raise the level of aggregation, at the industry forefront of forward-looking high-end large projects have recently settled in Fujian province to enhance the quality of the development of optoelectronics industry.

At present, Shenzhen is to develop faster LED industrial clustering, in Shenzhen, engaged in the semiconductor lighting technology and product R & D, production and application of more than 700 enterprises, industrial scale of about 15 billion yuan. At the same time, Shenzhen is the world's largest solar power LED lighting production and supply base, LED backlight source of the world's leading production and supply base, LED display The largest production and supply base, LED packaging and specialty industrial lighting in the main producing areas.

However, LEDinside said LED industry chain in Shenzhen high-end aspect than the weak, the relative lack of technological innovation capability, leading enterprises have not yet formed, therefore, the relevant departments in Shenzhen City in drawing up a "Shenzhen LED Industry Development Plan (2009-2015 years) "," Shenzhen City to promote energy-efficient LED lighting products demonstration project implementation plan "," LED industry in Shenzhen City Public Technology Service Platform Construction Program "," about the promotion of semiconductor lighting industry a number of measures "," about a bright LED industry agglomeration park planning studies and related implementation of the proposed "," LED to build a sourcing center for international transactions work program "and other documents, and will be introduced recently.

According to "LED Industry Development Plan (2009-2015 years)", in 2010, Shenzhen will strive to become an international impact on the LED industrial clustering, the estimated annual production value of 28.0 billion industry for more than 2015 built Chinese LED industry in technological innovation an important demonstration of the essential bases and global LED product R & D and production base, it is estimated that annual production value of more than 130 billion yuan.

According to "the promotion of LED Product demonstration project implementation plan", in 2009, Shenzhen will be implemented in the first batch of LED lighting products demonstration project by the city government to undertake projects in the case of business subsidies must and will achieve 50 percent energy savings over the local LED on upstream, midstream and downstream products to include government procurement directory.

Recently, the Guangdong Province Jiangmen City, Bureau of Information Industry will also be "green Jiangmen (semiconductor) light source products in government procurement guidance" formally introduced, and hopes that government departments buy energy-saving lamps to guide consumption and promote the development of energy-saving lamp industry, at the same time advocating energy-saving society minus carbon.

LEDinside noted that in recent years, Jiangmen LED optoelectronics industry of the rapid development of semiconductor lighting industry in 2008 industrial output value more than 3.2 billion yuan, the city involved in semiconductor lighting products company has more than 100 in order to really明丽Group HESHAN Silver Rain Lighting companies represented by 21 large-scale enterprises, is taking shape from the upper reaches of the chip to the package, and then to a variety of lighting products a complete industrial chain.

Jiangmen City Estate Management Bureau of Information Industry and Deputy Chief Technology leaf Hailin said that in 2009 in Jiangmen will implement this policy, is expected to spread throughout the city 100,000 can enjoy government subsidies for energy-saving lamps, the Government of the scheme is expected to stimulate private consumers follow-up of Jiangmen green (semiconductor) industry in the development of light sources is very favorable.

Dongguan, Guangdong Province, beginning from the large scale replacement of LED street lamps, plans at 2 years, in Guangzhou, Dongguan, Foshan, Zhaoqing, Zhongshan, Shantou city, achieve "thousands of thousands" (1000 kilometers 100,000 LED lamps) replacement plan.

In addition to being the implementation of local government procurement of energy-saving measures, LEDinside further said that China will also hold the Shanghai World Expo and Guangzhou Asian Games, Games, Shandong, Shenzhen Universiade, which required large-scale activity of the LED lamps landscape lighting, as well as large-scale billboard project will be bidding on the prospects of LED industry incentives.

LEDs are increasingly used by automakers for car's lights

IN the lexicon of automakers’ design studios, two abbreviations — D.R.G., for down the road graphic, and D.L.O., for the daylight opening area of the windows — crop up frequently. Together, they refer to the characteristic form of a car that makes it instantly recognizable, the profile that quickly tells a viewer whether the vehicle is a Fusion or a Forester, an Eclipse or an Elantra.

But what happens to the graphic on the road when there is no daylight?

Designers can rely on lighting to help make sure their cars are easily identified in the dark. Besides illuminating the pavement ahead and signaling turns, lights — often referred to as jewelry by auto designers — are being used to express brand identity and model personality. The sapphire blue of high-intensity headlights or the ruby red of LED taillights are being deployed like a signature necklace or an ID bracelet.

The increasing use of light emitting diodes, or LEDs, in recent years signaled the beginning of a new focus on brand character. When Steve Mattin, a veteran Mercedes-Benz designer, took over as Volvo’s design chief, he promised to make the cars more identifiable at night through the use of LEDs. “I want the cars to be recognizable as Volvos from twice as far away,” Mr. Mattin, who left Volvo last spring, said at the unveiling of the XC60 crossover.

The XC60’s sinuously shaped taillight was recently included in a collection of notable designs of the last decade chosen by a respected designer, Konstantin Grcic, for an exhibition in London.Not all lighting signatures need be so complex. Lincoln has succeeded in creating night recognition by simply extending the taillight all the way across its MKX crossover in a bold horizontal band.

A similar shape brightens the MKZ sedan.Audi led the way in using LEDs as an element of its design signature. From the R8 sports car to the recently unveiled A8 sedan, Audi headlights are accented with strings of dotlike LEDs, faintly suggestive of holiday decorations.

Other forms of LEDs are used as taillights, resembling tubes or ribbons of light, on the A4 and A5.Stefan Sielaff, Audi’s head of design, said in an interview last year that LED lighting expressed precision and high tech, key elements of the Audi design language. “But each car needs a personality with lights,” he said. “I have an expert team doing nothing but light design.”

BMW designers aimed for consistency in the night view. For the 5 Series, they added a white brow of light above the headlights and taillights, and a fan-shaped array to its taillights, that give the car nighttime legibility.Infiniti’s taillights are recognizable at night by their circular constellations of red light, like Betsy Ross flags. Both the Nissan Maxima and Jaguar XF offer eye-catching zigzags of taillights.

The Honda Insight hybrid comes by its nighttime signature naturally: its high rear end and V-pattern rear lamps reflect the packaging of its batteries and power plant. On theCadillac CTS Sport Wagon, LEDs are deployed in upright strips that echo the traditional Cadillac tailfin.

Lighting suggests not just identity but the personality of a car, as in one option available for the new Chevrolet Camaro. A bright halo rings the headlights and the hood line overhangs the lamps, lending the muscle car’s face an aspect of concentration and intensity.To judge by recent concept cars, lighting will soon be even more closely tied to the character of each car. In the BMW Vision EfficientDynamics concept, a plug-in hybrid, the grille is equipped with slats that close and glow blue when the car is powered by electricity, but open and brighten when the car is running on diesel.

Some of the models to be introduced at the North American International Auto Show, which opens on Monday in Detroit for two days of press previews, suggest that such links will grow wider in use. As part of a design study intended to raise the status a subcompact model, Chevrolet’s designers supplied the Aveo RS show car with sophisticated-looking taillights.

Light’s expressive abilities may have been barely tapped. Several years ago, Laurens van den Acker, now vice president for corporate design at Renault, did a design study for Ford called the GloCar. Its surfaces were to be covered with smart LEDs signaling the driver’s mood, pulsing red when locked in a traffic jam. It was lighting that revealed not just identity, but sensibility.



Volvo XC60, top, and Chevrolet
Aveo RS taillights are designed
to stand out.

The BMW M5, top, and Jaguar XF
are quickly identified at night
by their lights.

Why are they replacing all of the traffic lights in my town?

The new traffic lights you are seeing are made out of arrays of light emitting diodes (LEDs). These are tiny, purely electronic lights that are extremely energy efficient and have a very long life. Each LED is about the size of a pencil eraser, so hundreds of them are used together in an array. The LEDs are replacing the old-style incandescent halogen bulbs rated at between 50 and 150 watts. Most cities in the United States are in the process of replacing their incandescent traffic lights with LED units because of three big advantages:

• LEDs are brighter. The LED arrays fill the entire "hole" and have equal brightness across the entire surface, making them brighter overall.

• LED bulbs last for years, while halogen bulbs last for months. Replacing bulbs costs money for the trucks and people who do the work, and it also ties up traffic. Increasing the replacement interval can save a city big dollars.

• LED bulbs save a lot of energy.

The energy savings of LED lights can be huge. Assume that a traffic light uses 100-watt bulbs today. The light is on 24 hours a day, so it uses 2.4 kilowatt-hours per day. If you assume power costs 8 cents per kilowatt-hour, it means that one traffic signal costs about 20 cents a day to operate, or about $73 per year. There are perhaps eight signals per intersection, so that's almost $600 per year in power per intersection. A big city has thousands of intersections, so it can cost millions of dollars just to power all the traffic lights.

LED bulbs might consume 15 or 20 watts instead of 100, so the power consumption drops by a factor of five or six. A city can easily save a million dollars a year by replacing all of the bulbs with LED units. These low-energy bulbs also open the possibility of using solar panels instead of running an electrical line, which saves money in remote areas.