The Rise of Residential LED Lighting and What You Should Know
Sean Coppom asked:
Almost everyone today knows what an LED light is in the most general sense, but few are aware of how fast it is set to become the main source of general lighting in both homes and businesses. Everyone from the Department of Energy to environmental advocates are pushing the pace of LED general lighting development because of the dramatic savings in energy associated with their use, and the fact that LEDs use no environmentally harmful substances like some older energy-saving bulbs (i.e. compact fluorescents which contain mercury).
Although light emitting diodes have been around since the 1960’s, their use up until several years ago was confined to such things as indicator lights in electronic devices, traffic signals and instrument panels. It wasn’t until the invention of the white LED (in the late 1990’s) that people began to take a closer look at their ability to replace incandescent lighting in homes or businesses. Being a technology that uses a semiconductor to produce light means that the output and efficiency of LED lights is improving at a rapid pace; today’s LED replacements can achieve a life span of 50,000 hours while consuming 80% less energy than a standard incandescent bulb. LEDs that produce a warm white light were invented by accident in 2005 but will allow a person to replace their incandescent bulbs with a similar color light to what they’re used to. An additional benefit of LED lighting is that only a very small amount of UV or IR radiation is emitted, making it highly useful for locations where valuable art is hung on the wall or fading may be an issue.
The current market is full of LED replacement bulbs and lighting solutions, but it is also buyer beware. There is a lot of junk on the market today that if bought and tried will surely disappoint you. Well made LED replacement bulbs are still pricey and the cheap products on the market today, a lot of them being sold through big box stores, will not last nor produce or sustain a bright enough light. On a side note, LED bulbs (LEDs don’t really need to be a bulb!) don’t usually “burn out,” instead their usable life is measured by a certain percentage decrease in brightness. The Department of Energy is using considerable resources to promote LED lighting (also called SSL, or Solid State Lighting) and just recently announced the Energy Star specifications for residential LED usage. That means in the near future you will have some assurance as a buyer that the product you are purchasing really will live up to your expectations.
In the meantime, it is important to buy your LED lighting from a trustworthy source with good customer service in case of any problems you might experience with this new technology. Companies that have established their credibility by working closely with, and traveling to, the factories making the LED lighting they carry are a good place to start your shopping. Look for the offer of a money-back guarantee if you are unsure of what you are buying and how it’s going to work. Now is the time to start using LED lighting, but be sure to shop wisely and you will save yourself both time and money in the long run.
Almost everyone today knows what an LED light is in the most general sense, but few are aware of how fast it is set to become the main source of general lighting in both homes and businesses. Everyone from the Department of Energy to environmental advocates are pushing the pace of LED general lighting development because of the dramatic savings in energy associated with their use, and the fact that LEDs use no environmentally harmful substances like some older energy-saving bulbs (i.e. compact fluorescents which contain mercury).
Although light emitting diodes have been around since the 1960’s, their use up until several years ago was confined to such things as indicator lights in electronic devices, traffic signals and instrument panels. It wasn’t until the invention of the white LED (in the late 1990’s) that people began to take a closer look at their ability to replace incandescent lighting in homes or businesses. Being a technology that uses a semiconductor to produce light means that the output and efficiency of LED lights is improving at a rapid pace; today’s LED replacements can achieve a life span of 50,000 hours while consuming 80% less energy than a standard incandescent bulb. LEDs that produce a warm white light were invented by accident in 2005 but will allow a person to replace their incandescent bulbs with a similar color light to what they’re used to. An additional benefit of LED lighting is that only a very small amount of UV or IR radiation is emitted, making it highly useful for locations where valuable art is hung on the wall or fading may be an issue.
The current market is full of LED replacement bulbs and lighting solutions, but it is also buyer beware. There is a lot of junk on the market today that if bought and tried will surely disappoint you. Well made LED replacement bulbs are still pricey and the cheap products on the market today, a lot of them being sold through big box stores, will not last nor produce or sustain a bright enough light. On a side note, LED bulbs (LEDs don’t really need to be a bulb!) don’t usually “burn out,” instead their usable life is measured by a certain percentage decrease in brightness. The Department of Energy is using considerable resources to promote LED lighting (also called SSL, or Solid State Lighting) and just recently announced the Energy Star specifications for residential LED usage. That means in the near future you will have some assurance as a buyer that the product you are purchasing really will live up to your expectations.
In the meantime, it is important to buy your LED lighting from a trustworthy source with good customer service in case of any problems you might experience with this new technology. Companies that have established their credibility by working closely with, and traveling to, the factories making the LED lighting they carry are a good place to start your shopping. Look for the offer of a money-back guarantee if you are unsure of what you are buying and how it’s going to work. Now is the time to start using LED lighting, but be sure to shop wisely and you will save yourself both time and money in the long run.
LED Strip Lighting
Russell Neal asked:
The power and strength of LED strip lighting emanates from LED lighting lamps whose revolutionary approach to illumination will soon change the entire lighting industry. LED lighting lamps utilize semiconductors and diodes to produce low voltage lighting with minimal heat. LED lighting lamps consume far less energy than any other form of light bulb, and with reduced heat they offer little, if any, fire hazard and no damage to their immediate environment. Phantom’s LED lighting lamp technology offers the best and most technologically sophisticated value for task and aesthetic lighting needs of both residential and commercial clients.
Phantom strip lighting employs LED lamps that operate for up to 50,000 hours and produce ZERO UV rays. Patrons of the art find LED lighting lamps the optimal solution to the problematics of heat and UV radiation that can damage oils and canvases. They especially appreciate the added value of longer burn time, as LED’s do not have filaments that emit heat. LED lighting lamps feature an on board heat sink to dissipate heat and extend lamp life. LED technology offers backward compatibility benefits as well. LED’s can be used as replacement lamps for any lighting strip operating at 12V. Their miniature size and high output diodes benefit users with maximized effects and reliable performance. Virtually maintenance free and requiring only rare replacement, they continue to rise to preeminence as the favored lighting technology of designers, manufacturers, and contractors.
Phantom Lighting uses the finest light emitting diodes on the market with tight lumen output and color binning that produces up to five times the output of typical festoon lamps. LED lighting lamps are available in four color temperatures: 2950K, 3500K, 5000K, and 6500K, each with specialized application to task, functional, aesthetic, and commercial lighting needs. 2950K LED lighting lamps produce levels of brightness comparable to 7-watt incandescent festoon lamps up to 42 lumens. Our 6500K LED lighting lamps produce up to 50 lumens and produce a level of brightness and clarity that commercial and retail establishments find equal, if not superior, to more costly halogen and fluorescent light sources. Phantom strip lighting clients range from commercial entities such as jewelry storeowners, industrial manufacturing facilities, fine art galleries, on to residential arenas such as private art collections, bookshelf and fine furniture lighting, and task lighting for work areas and kitchens.
If technology continues to evolve at its current pace, LED lighting lamps may soon replace all other forms of lighting. As energy prices continue to fluctuate problematically, the cost effectiveness of low-voltage lighting is readily apparent as an energy saver. Furthermore, as environmental awareness mounts worldwide, gasless lighting offers a “green” alternative to toxic gases used in older technologies. Reduced risk of fire hazard, lower maintenance costs, and longer burn time per unit offer added value to LED lamp lighting-all of which translates into reduced overhead and superior illumination throughout both industrial and commercial markets.
The power and strength of LED strip lighting emanates from LED lighting lamps whose revolutionary approach to illumination will soon change the entire lighting industry. LED lighting lamps utilize semiconductors and diodes to produce low voltage lighting with minimal heat. LED lighting lamps consume far less energy than any other form of light bulb, and with reduced heat they offer little, if any, fire hazard and no damage to their immediate environment. Phantom’s LED lighting lamp technology offers the best and most technologically sophisticated value for task and aesthetic lighting needs of both residential and commercial clients.
Phantom strip lighting employs LED lamps that operate for up to 50,000 hours and produce ZERO UV rays. Patrons of the art find LED lighting lamps the optimal solution to the problematics of heat and UV radiation that can damage oils and canvases. They especially appreciate the added value of longer burn time, as LED’s do not have filaments that emit heat. LED lighting lamps feature an on board heat sink to dissipate heat and extend lamp life. LED technology offers backward compatibility benefits as well. LED’s can be used as replacement lamps for any lighting strip operating at 12V. Their miniature size and high output diodes benefit users with maximized effects and reliable performance. Virtually maintenance free and requiring only rare replacement, they continue to rise to preeminence as the favored lighting technology of designers, manufacturers, and contractors.
Phantom Lighting uses the finest light emitting diodes on the market with tight lumen output and color binning that produces up to five times the output of typical festoon lamps. LED lighting lamps are available in four color temperatures: 2950K, 3500K, 5000K, and 6500K, each with specialized application to task, functional, aesthetic, and commercial lighting needs. 2950K LED lighting lamps produce levels of brightness comparable to 7-watt incandescent festoon lamps up to 42 lumens. Our 6500K LED lighting lamps produce up to 50 lumens and produce a level of brightness and clarity that commercial and retail establishments find equal, if not superior, to more costly halogen and fluorescent light sources. Phantom strip lighting clients range from commercial entities such as jewelry storeowners, industrial manufacturing facilities, fine art galleries, on to residential arenas such as private art collections, bookshelf and fine furniture lighting, and task lighting for work areas and kitchens.
If technology continues to evolve at its current pace, LED lighting lamps may soon replace all other forms of lighting. As energy prices continue to fluctuate problematically, the cost effectiveness of low-voltage lighting is readily apparent as an energy saver. Furthermore, as environmental awareness mounts worldwide, gasless lighting offers a “green” alternative to toxic gases used in older technologies. Reduced risk of fire hazard, lower maintenance costs, and longer burn time per unit offer added value to LED lamp lighting-all of which translates into reduced overhead and superior illumination throughout both industrial and commercial markets.
A UFO LED Grow Light Helps Your Indoor Garden Thrive for Less
Susan Slobac asked:
Light weight, cost efficiency for many years of use, and bright clean light is what the UFO LED grow light will bring to your indoor gardening setup. The UFO LED utilizes special light emitting diode technology to bring you the ultimate grow light on the market today.
The first benefit you will get when you make the switch to a UFO LED light is the quality of light this small unit can produce. A UFO LED uses the power of LED to produce more light than would be given by a four-hundred watt high high pressure sodium, or HPS, grow light. It does this while using only eighty watts of energy, making it very cost efficient in terms of the lumens of light produced compared to the watts of energy needed to produce the light.
UFO LED grow lights cover nine square feet of space with wonderful light. The light produced is exceptionally well suited to plants, because each one-watt LED used in the UFO LED light is selected as part of the light spectrum that the plant can use for all-important photosynthesis. Your plants, regardless of what stage of growth they are at, will not be able to utilize green light to aid their photosynthesis. Young plants need blue spectrum light for good growth, while mature plants need red and orange spectrum light to promote fruit and flower formation. Green spectrum light is wasted energy for most plants that you end up paying for if a grow light produces light in this spectrum, yet most grow lights typically do, another advantage that comes from using an UFO LED light.
LED grow lights such as this use wide angle, directional bulbs. This is important, because their placement within the UFO LED grow light maximizes the full impact of all the light produced by directing it exactly on your plants. The light output is not diffused out to the side of the unit, to become wasted light. Because they are specifically directed, you will also be able to save money because you will not need to use any reflectors with this type of amazing UFO LED grow light.
Because the UFO LED grow light uses light emitting diodes, it runs much cooler than a traditional HID, HPS, or MH lighting system. These traditional lights needs ballasts, as well as air conditioning and ducting in order to keep the lights from overheating. They also can burn the leaves of plants if placed too closely to the plant foliage. Both of these issues are eliminated with UFO LED grow lights.
In addition to cost effectiveness and production value, the UFO led light does not require any complicated setup, and can be used with a regular outlet. The UFO LED is also long lived, and can run for eighty thousand hours or more. Try a UFO today!
Light weight, cost efficiency for many years of use, and bright clean light is what the UFO LED grow light will bring to your indoor gardening setup. The UFO LED utilizes special light emitting diode technology to bring you the ultimate grow light on the market today.
The first benefit you will get when you make the switch to a UFO LED light is the quality of light this small unit can produce. A UFO LED uses the power of LED to produce more light than would be given by a four-hundred watt high high pressure sodium, or HPS, grow light. It does this while using only eighty watts of energy, making it very cost efficient in terms of the lumens of light produced compared to the watts of energy needed to produce the light.
UFO LED grow lights cover nine square feet of space with wonderful light. The light produced is exceptionally well suited to plants, because each one-watt LED used in the UFO LED light is selected as part of the light spectrum that the plant can use for all-important photosynthesis. Your plants, regardless of what stage of growth they are at, will not be able to utilize green light to aid their photosynthesis. Young plants need blue spectrum light for good growth, while mature plants need red and orange spectrum light to promote fruit and flower formation. Green spectrum light is wasted energy for most plants that you end up paying for if a grow light produces light in this spectrum, yet most grow lights typically do, another advantage that comes from using an UFO LED light.
LED grow lights such as this use wide angle, directional bulbs. This is important, because their placement within the UFO LED grow light maximizes the full impact of all the light produced by directing it exactly on your plants. The light output is not diffused out to the side of the unit, to become wasted light. Because they are specifically directed, you will also be able to save money because you will not need to use any reflectors with this type of amazing UFO LED grow light.
Because the UFO LED grow light uses light emitting diodes, it runs much cooler than a traditional HID, HPS, or MH lighting system. These traditional lights needs ballasts, as well as air conditioning and ducting in order to keep the lights from overheating. They also can burn the leaves of plants if placed too closely to the plant foliage. Both of these issues are eliminated with UFO LED grow lights.
In addition to cost effectiveness and production value, the UFO led light does not require any complicated setup, and can be used with a regular outlet. The UFO LED is also long lived, and can run for eighty thousand hours or more. Try a UFO today!
LED Cabinet Lighting
Russell Neal asked:
LED Cabinet lighting continues to increase in popularity as more people realize the cost saving benefits and superior performance that diode-based illumination provides them. When one considers the extremely low power requirements of led lamps (only 20% of other lamps) and their extremely long lamp life (50,000 hours), their value becomes readily apparent to the decorator who holds both quality and efficiency foremost in mind. LED cabinet lights can last up to ten years and negate the annoyance and cost of frequent replacements. Because of this, LED cabinet lighting strips provide a highly sophisticated illumination for both decorative and functional applications. They produce none of the UV light emitted by fluorescent lamps and only trace amounts of heat. This makes them the safest form of lighting, not only for cabinets, but displays and shelves of any kind that house sensitive materials.
While in some cases it may be true that LED’s of the past were not as bright as incandescents and fluorescents, Phantom Lighting has changed all of this with revolutionary, new lamping technology that produces up to 50 lumens of safe, brilliant light. Phantom Lighting also offers the only adjustable cabinet lighting strips with a patented adjustable shelf wiring method. This delivers low-voltage current safely and allows for shelf adjustment without the risk of short circuit or shock.
Phantom LED cabinet lighting strips provide a full spectrum of color temperatures in order to accommodate both functional and aesthetic lighting demands. Warm white (our incandescent equivalent) begins at 2950K and ranges upward to a more bluish, daylight white at 6500K. The mainstay colors that defined the earliest LED’s—green, red, and blue—are also available in similar temperature colors. This wide range of color temperatures makes Phantom LED cabinet lighting strips the most versatile linear strip lights that can fully accommodate the broad spectrum of needs found in both the commercial and residential marketplaces.
As we have already noted, diodes produce only a negligible fraction of heat, even after hours of prolonged use. Works of art, exquisitely tailored clothing accessories, and even rare documents in museum displays can be illuminated safely and impeccably with Phantom LED cabinet lighting strips. The added benefit of adjustability offers curators and merchandisers the freedom to periodically change displays without altering the intensity of the light or damaging electrical components. This in turn frees the technical designer from the routine, technical aspects of repeat maintenance and allows for a proposal that focuses more on the creative and functional than upon the mundane.
Phantom distribution agents work throughout North, Central, and South America to provide lighting design companies with as many as six different LED cabinet lighting strip series in order to anticipate every scenario they will encounter. With the growing push for LEEDS certification, and California’s recent ban on incandescent lamps, the demand for LED cabinet lights specifically engineered for retrofitting has increased proportionally. Two important considerations have to be taken into account when retrofitting cabinet lighting strips. The first of these is the type of current used to power the strip.
Generally speaking, LED lamps are DC-powered lamps. This presents a problem for some users when it comes time to replace an incandescent or Xenon strip powered by an AC circuit. The extra costs of AC to DC conversion equipment, plus additional labor fees, are a needless expense for the client and a nuisance for consultants to justify. Phantom led cabinet lighting strips; however, solve this problem with AC low voltage transformers that power the lamps along existing circuitry.
The second consideration critical to properly retrofitting linear strips is their physical compatibility with the display housing itself. Phantom linear strips such as the AE Series (Adjustable Exposed) are manufactured to custom fit exposed metal tracks and to use them as power conductors in a complete circuit. This provides the seamless equivalent of a tailor-made product in spite of its function as a retrofit component! New construction projects benefit equally as much from Phantom LED cabinet lighting strips. Contractors who include lighting design as a key component to winning an important bid can line item our AC Series (Adjustable Concealed) in their proposals to give them a leading technical and decorative edge over the competition. These led shelf strip lights offer a low profile, near-invisible source of light that enables the new homeowner or commercial tenant to see the light, not the fixture. This is because the AC series employs custom buss bars that conduct power to each adjustable shelf, resulting in complete concealment of the wiring. It has become a fast favorite among custom homeowners who prefer pins and drilled holes to exposed metal supports.
The AC series can also be special-ordered with either solid metal trims for horizontal applications that require additional decorative highlighting, or it can be custom cut with a variety of specialty trims for custom under cabinet lighting or applications above eye level.
Regardless of the specific LED cabinet lighting strip ultimately selected for a task, please keep in mind that all Phantom cabinet strip lighting products, including the LED models, are engineered to minimize glare and hide the light source from normal viewing angles. All that the average viewer ever sees is the cabinet itself filled with an even wash of bright, glare-free light that shrouds contents in a warm, ambient glow. With a generous 120-degree beam spread from each light emitting diode, the resulting illumination easily homogenizes or converges to achieve a continuous linear light source. Ultimately, therefore, LED cabinet lighting strips with LED Lamps offer not only an equivalent luminosity to linear incandescent strips, but also a superior distribution system that minimizes the fixture and emphasizes the light.
LED Cabinet lighting continues to increase in popularity as more people realize the cost saving benefits and superior performance that diode-based illumination provides them. When one considers the extremely low power requirements of led lamps (only 20% of other lamps) and their extremely long lamp life (50,000 hours), their value becomes readily apparent to the decorator who holds both quality and efficiency foremost in mind. LED cabinet lights can last up to ten years and negate the annoyance and cost of frequent replacements. Because of this, LED cabinet lighting strips provide a highly sophisticated illumination for both decorative and functional applications. They produce none of the UV light emitted by fluorescent lamps and only trace amounts of heat. This makes them the safest form of lighting, not only for cabinets, but displays and shelves of any kind that house sensitive materials.
While in some cases it may be true that LED’s of the past were not as bright as incandescents and fluorescents, Phantom Lighting has changed all of this with revolutionary, new lamping technology that produces up to 50 lumens of safe, brilliant light. Phantom Lighting also offers the only adjustable cabinet lighting strips with a patented adjustable shelf wiring method. This delivers low-voltage current safely and allows for shelf adjustment without the risk of short circuit or shock.
Phantom LED cabinet lighting strips provide a full spectrum of color temperatures in order to accommodate both functional and aesthetic lighting demands. Warm white (our incandescent equivalent) begins at 2950K and ranges upward to a more bluish, daylight white at 6500K. The mainstay colors that defined the earliest LED’s—green, red, and blue—are also available in similar temperature colors. This wide range of color temperatures makes Phantom LED cabinet lighting strips the most versatile linear strip lights that can fully accommodate the broad spectrum of needs found in both the commercial and residential marketplaces.
As we have already noted, diodes produce only a negligible fraction of heat, even after hours of prolonged use. Works of art, exquisitely tailored clothing accessories, and even rare documents in museum displays can be illuminated safely and impeccably with Phantom LED cabinet lighting strips. The added benefit of adjustability offers curators and merchandisers the freedom to periodically change displays without altering the intensity of the light or damaging electrical components. This in turn frees the technical designer from the routine, technical aspects of repeat maintenance and allows for a proposal that focuses more on the creative and functional than upon the mundane.
Phantom distribution agents work throughout North, Central, and South America to provide lighting design companies with as many as six different LED cabinet lighting strip series in order to anticipate every scenario they will encounter. With the growing push for LEEDS certification, and California’s recent ban on incandescent lamps, the demand for LED cabinet lights specifically engineered for retrofitting has increased proportionally. Two important considerations have to be taken into account when retrofitting cabinet lighting strips. The first of these is the type of current used to power the strip.
Generally speaking, LED lamps are DC-powered lamps. This presents a problem for some users when it comes time to replace an incandescent or Xenon strip powered by an AC circuit. The extra costs of AC to DC conversion equipment, plus additional labor fees, are a needless expense for the client and a nuisance for consultants to justify. Phantom led cabinet lighting strips; however, solve this problem with AC low voltage transformers that power the lamps along existing circuitry.
The second consideration critical to properly retrofitting linear strips is their physical compatibility with the display housing itself. Phantom linear strips such as the AE Series (Adjustable Exposed) are manufactured to custom fit exposed metal tracks and to use them as power conductors in a complete circuit. This provides the seamless equivalent of a tailor-made product in spite of its function as a retrofit component! New construction projects benefit equally as much from Phantom LED cabinet lighting strips. Contractors who include lighting design as a key component to winning an important bid can line item our AC Series (Adjustable Concealed) in their proposals to give them a leading technical and decorative edge over the competition. These led shelf strip lights offer a low profile, near-invisible source of light that enables the new homeowner or commercial tenant to see the light, not the fixture. This is because the AC series employs custom buss bars that conduct power to each adjustable shelf, resulting in complete concealment of the wiring. It has become a fast favorite among custom homeowners who prefer pins and drilled holes to exposed metal supports.
The AC series can also be special-ordered with either solid metal trims for horizontal applications that require additional decorative highlighting, or it can be custom cut with a variety of specialty trims for custom under cabinet lighting or applications above eye level.
Regardless of the specific LED cabinet lighting strip ultimately selected for a task, please keep in mind that all Phantom cabinet strip lighting products, including the LED models, are engineered to minimize glare and hide the light source from normal viewing angles. All that the average viewer ever sees is the cabinet itself filled with an even wash of bright, glare-free light that shrouds contents in a warm, ambient glow. With a generous 120-degree beam spread from each light emitting diode, the resulting illumination easily homogenizes or converges to achieve a continuous linear light source. Ultimately, therefore, LED cabinet lighting strips with LED Lamps offer not only an equivalent luminosity to linear incandescent strips, but also a superior distribution system that minimizes the fixture and emphasizes the light.
Natural Full Spectrum Light Boosts Health and Led’s Will Boost Communications
Denny Langston asked:
In recent years research scientists have been taking a closer look at the lighting in our homes, offices and vehicles. They are seeing potential for ways of improving health and finding new means of electronic communication through LED’s and natural full spectrum lighting.
Though this will not happen tomorrow, experts at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, N.Y., an academic home for lighting research, are confident that this burgeoning field of study will soon reap outstanding rewards.
According to lighting engineer, E. Fred Schubert, a new era of “smart” light sources is just beginning. “We are looking at lighting systems that provide more than lighting,” says Shubert. Shubert is talking about light-emitting diodes, or LED’s. Most people know them as being quite small, like the lights that form numbers on digital clocks or blink on answering machines; however recent technological advances have increased their luminosity significantly. These increases have made it possible for LED’s to illuminate swimming pools and serve as traffic signals, and with time these low-cost light sources will perform even more tasks.
Though LED’s offer energy savings when compared to standard lighting, Schubert and other researchers are more excited about the communications that they may provide. The latter is because LED’s can be made to blink so fast that a person doesn’t notice, but a receiving device can. And that, Schubert says, opens the door to using lights for electronic communication as well as illumination.
Of course, fiber optic cables already transmit lots of data with light signals. But Schubert is talking about things like:
Brake lights that tell a closely following car to stop Headlights that tell a red stop light to turn green Road signs that communicate warnings to specific cars. Room lights that link your computer to the Internet, avoiding Wi-Fi signals that can be pirated.
Schubert said such uses depend on overcoming some basic technical barriers, like making them more powerful and energy-efficient. He states, “I think we’re looking at maybe a timeframe of the next five to twenty years.”
Meanwhile, Mariana Figueiro, program director at Rensselaer’s Lighting Research Center and head of a committee on light and human health for the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America, believes that lighting in offices and schools could be improved to help people stay healthy and productive, by acting on their internal body clocks. “Light isn’t just for vision anymore,” says Figueiro, “Light cues, especially blue light, help keep the 24-hr biological clock on its daily cycle.” Figueiro indicated that studies suggest such possibilities as seasonal depression, fatigue, and sleep disturbances; and have even gone so far as suggest that maybe even cancer, especially breast cancer could be influenced by the lighting used in buildings.
Be on the lookout for more breaking news related to the use of LED’s and natural full spectrum lighting being used in buildings.
In recent years research scientists have been taking a closer look at the lighting in our homes, offices and vehicles. They are seeing potential for ways of improving health and finding new means of electronic communication through LED’s and natural full spectrum lighting.
Though this will not happen tomorrow, experts at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, N.Y., an academic home for lighting research, are confident that this burgeoning field of study will soon reap outstanding rewards.
According to lighting engineer, E. Fred Schubert, a new era of “smart” light sources is just beginning. “We are looking at lighting systems that provide more than lighting,” says Shubert. Shubert is talking about light-emitting diodes, or LED’s. Most people know them as being quite small, like the lights that form numbers on digital clocks or blink on answering machines; however recent technological advances have increased their luminosity significantly. These increases have made it possible for LED’s to illuminate swimming pools and serve as traffic signals, and with time these low-cost light sources will perform even more tasks.
Though LED’s offer energy savings when compared to standard lighting, Schubert and other researchers are more excited about the communications that they may provide. The latter is because LED’s can be made to blink so fast that a person doesn’t notice, but a receiving device can. And that, Schubert says, opens the door to using lights for electronic communication as well as illumination.
Of course, fiber optic cables already transmit lots of data with light signals. But Schubert is talking about things like:
Brake lights that tell a closely following car to stop Headlights that tell a red stop light to turn green Road signs that communicate warnings to specific cars. Room lights that link your computer to the Internet, avoiding Wi-Fi signals that can be pirated.
Schubert said such uses depend on overcoming some basic technical barriers, like making them more powerful and energy-efficient. He states, “I think we’re looking at maybe a timeframe of the next five to twenty years.”
Meanwhile, Mariana Figueiro, program director at Rensselaer’s Lighting Research Center and head of a committee on light and human health for the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America, believes that lighting in offices and schools could be improved to help people stay healthy and productive, by acting on their internal body clocks. “Light isn’t just for vision anymore,” says Figueiro, “Light cues, especially blue light, help keep the 24-hr biological clock on its daily cycle.” Figueiro indicated that studies suggest such possibilities as seasonal depression, fatigue, and sleep disturbances; and have even gone so far as suggest that maybe even cancer, especially breast cancer could be influenced by the lighting used in buildings.
Be on the lookout for more breaking news related to the use of LED’s and natural full spectrum lighting being used in buildings.
Light Emitting Diode: Where Did This Technology Come From?
Ben Anton asked:
Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) were an accidental discovery at first. At the beginning of the 20th century, it was discovered that when electricity was applied to the semiconductor Silicon Carbide (SiC) it produced a light. This light was too dim to be of any use so the research was never distributed. This could have been the end for the LED, but it wasn’t content to die out.
Nearly 20 years later Russian and German scientists revisited the idea of light produced this way. The light was still of such poor luminance that the idea nearly died again. A report published in 1936, which helped to invent the term electroluminescence, revived the research for light from this source. The science of electroluminescence languished in obscurity for a while. It began to gain favor again in the 1950s when some British scientists started experimenting with it again. This led to the first infrared LED. From this technology came the first visible spectrum LED, in red, from Gallium Phosphide (GaP).
This was the start of the LED revolution. From that point each decade brought advances in the technology of light-emitting diodes. The use of different substrates brought brighter lights of different colors. The colors advanced from red to orange and on to pale green, then yellow and on to a brighter green. By the 1990s the use of Gallium Nitride helped usher in the era of blue LEDs. These blue lights became the basis for white light. The use of fluorescent phosphors helped change that blue light into high intensity white lights. Now LEDs can be found in almost every visible color of light.
This technology has led to additional uses for the LED as well. Due to their low light output they started out in indicator lights and display light applications only. The cost of materials was an issue at first and, therefore, they were used only in expensive laboratory and test equipment. They later began to be used in appliances, calculators and watches. The advent of additional colors increased their use in displays. They could be used in signs and digital display equipment.
The first LED flat panel television prototype was produced in 1977, by James P. Mitchell. This prototype was a red, monochromatic display. Later, in the 1990s, low-cost, efficient blue LEDs emerged moving this use along. Once a full spectrum of colors was realized in the late 1990s the flat panel LED television became a fully functional and popular option.
As the LED technology advanced and the luminescence increased, the uses for LEDs increased. LEDs began popping up in devices used to illuminate areas. Flashlights, landscape lighting, and other lighting sources became popular. Emergency lights began to use this technology. Traffic lights were replaced with LEDs. Interior lighting and headlights in vehicles became a common home for these lights, as well. As the cost of producing the lights decreased, and the availability of colors and brightness increased, the uses exploded.
From an accidental discovery to a common household name, the history of LEDs is a long one. The early discovery and limited uses of the light-emitting diode did not show much promise. Very few early researchers would probably have predicted the many, varied uses for this technology. The LED certainly earned its prominent spot in today’s society.
Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) were an accidental discovery at first. At the beginning of the 20th century, it was discovered that when electricity was applied to the semiconductor Silicon Carbide (SiC) it produced a light. This light was too dim to be of any use so the research was never distributed. This could have been the end for the LED, but it wasn’t content to die out.
Nearly 20 years later Russian and German scientists revisited the idea of light produced this way. The light was still of such poor luminance that the idea nearly died again. A report published in 1936, which helped to invent the term electroluminescence, revived the research for light from this source. The science of electroluminescence languished in obscurity for a while. It began to gain favor again in the 1950s when some British scientists started experimenting with it again. This led to the first infrared LED. From this technology came the first visible spectrum LED, in red, from Gallium Phosphide (GaP).
This was the start of the LED revolution. From that point each decade brought advances in the technology of light-emitting diodes. The use of different substrates brought brighter lights of different colors. The colors advanced from red to orange and on to pale green, then yellow and on to a brighter green. By the 1990s the use of Gallium Nitride helped usher in the era of blue LEDs. These blue lights became the basis for white light. The use of fluorescent phosphors helped change that blue light into high intensity white lights. Now LEDs can be found in almost every visible color of light.
This technology has led to additional uses for the LED as well. Due to their low light output they started out in indicator lights and display light applications only. The cost of materials was an issue at first and, therefore, they were used only in expensive laboratory and test equipment. They later began to be used in appliances, calculators and watches. The advent of additional colors increased their use in displays. They could be used in signs and digital display equipment.
The first LED flat panel television prototype was produced in 1977, by James P. Mitchell. This prototype was a red, monochromatic display. Later, in the 1990s, low-cost, efficient blue LEDs emerged moving this use along. Once a full spectrum of colors was realized in the late 1990s the flat panel LED television became a fully functional and popular option.
As the LED technology advanced and the luminescence increased, the uses for LEDs increased. LEDs began popping up in devices used to illuminate areas. Flashlights, landscape lighting, and other lighting sources became popular. Emergency lights began to use this technology. Traffic lights were replaced with LEDs. Interior lighting and headlights in vehicles became a common home for these lights, as well. As the cost of producing the lights decreased, and the availability of colors and brightness increased, the uses exploded.
From an accidental discovery to a common household name, the history of LEDs is a long one. The early discovery and limited uses of the light-emitting diode did not show much promise. Very few early researchers would probably have predicted the many, varied uses for this technology. The LED certainly earned its prominent spot in today’s society.
Light Up Your Home The Led Way
Pattrick Savarna asked:
The realm of incandescent bulbs is about to collapse. The invasion by CFL lighting components dug up a deep hole in their credibility years ago. If still something was left by the first strike, the LED arrived for the second and even more forceful blow that sent the conventional bulbs on the threshold of extinction.
By the time the battle between these lighting components is on, the consumers have turned out to be the real winners. They have got lighting components options galore. Having tested those incandescent and CFL lighting components on their litmus test already, they are set to do the same with these highly energy efficient LED lighting components.
So why keep waiting? Why you too don\’t give them a test? There could not be a better time than this phase of economic slump and slide to bring in some LED home lighting products. The financial dives have pulled the prices of these lighting components down to the earth. So that would be a double bonanza for you, saving much while buying them and cutting electricity charges drastically.
For your comfort, there is no part in your home which can\’t be lighted with LED lamps and bulbs. Check out below -
LED Night Lamps : Night Lamps consume the maximum of energy as its installation is essential everywhere right from the bedrooms to drawing rooms to your kitchen etc. Thus it would be most feasible to replace all such lamps with LED night lamps. They are cool and safe, thus you would be saved by the heat generated by other ordinary bulbs.
LED Reading Lamps : Either for you or your children, a LED reading lamp can make reading an exciting experience. You get an unmatchable brightness that reduces the strain on the eyes. As all the LED lights have a small mirrors attached to them, they ensure that all the light goes towards the exact location. In your case, the targets are the books. Thus the light hardly scatters and you end up using whole of the light.
LED Outdoor Lamps : It was believed that LED lamps were not suitable for outdoor lighting as they tend to produce lesser amount of light. But right now it is not so. There are improved versions of LED light bulbs which are working sufficiently with an increased efficiency. They are capable of illuminating whole of the backyard or the front yard.
LED Accent Lighting : Whether it is your lawn or the outer wall of your yard or the hallway or the entrance to your home, you are no more required to use any energy gobbling bulb. Rather make a trip to your nearest lighting equipments store to choose some dazzling LED accent lighting products. The controlled and recessed yellow or white light will resemble the sun or the moon suspended to your walls.
LED Ambiance Lighting : Sometimes you use light not only for the sake of visibility, but you seem to use it more for your aesthetic purposes. So the LED ambiance lighting products are there for you. Just install them wherever you need to do. The dim and recessed light produced will make your drawing room enough charming to resemble a set of romantic movie. LED cans up on the ceilings are mostly used for ambiance effect.
LED Fairy Lights : Mostly used for decoration purposes, these are cool and great to look at. They are highly energy efficient so will not be a burden on your pocket. Buy one with a fuse bulb system. So you are not required to worry even if one bulb stops working, because the whole lot will keep working.
LED Rainbow Lights : It is a multipurpose light. As per its name, it is a cluster of many colorful LED bulbs which give an impression of a rainbow glowing inside your bedroom. The same effects can be generated in other parts of your home too. Undoubtedly, it is best for those who love to use light as a tool of mood enhancement. Just switch on these rainbow lights and play on some hit songs of older days. Don\’t forget to close your eyes.
The realm of incandescent bulbs is about to collapse. The invasion by CFL lighting components dug up a deep hole in their credibility years ago. If still something was left by the first strike, the LED arrived for the second and even more forceful blow that sent the conventional bulbs on the threshold of extinction.
By the time the battle between these lighting components is on, the consumers have turned out to be the real winners. They have got lighting components options galore. Having tested those incandescent and CFL lighting components on their litmus test already, they are set to do the same with these highly energy efficient LED lighting components.
So why keep waiting? Why you too don\’t give them a test? There could not be a better time than this phase of economic slump and slide to bring in some LED home lighting products. The financial dives have pulled the prices of these lighting components down to the earth. So that would be a double bonanza for you, saving much while buying them and cutting electricity charges drastically.
For your comfort, there is no part in your home which can\’t be lighted with LED lamps and bulbs. Check out below -
LED Night Lamps : Night Lamps consume the maximum of energy as its installation is essential everywhere right from the bedrooms to drawing rooms to your kitchen etc. Thus it would be most feasible to replace all such lamps with LED night lamps. They are cool and safe, thus you would be saved by the heat generated by other ordinary bulbs.
LED Reading Lamps : Either for you or your children, a LED reading lamp can make reading an exciting experience. You get an unmatchable brightness that reduces the strain on the eyes. As all the LED lights have a small mirrors attached to them, they ensure that all the light goes towards the exact location. In your case, the targets are the books. Thus the light hardly scatters and you end up using whole of the light.
LED Outdoor Lamps : It was believed that LED lamps were not suitable for outdoor lighting as they tend to produce lesser amount of light. But right now it is not so. There are improved versions of LED light bulbs which are working sufficiently with an increased efficiency. They are capable of illuminating whole of the backyard or the front yard.
LED Accent Lighting : Whether it is your lawn or the outer wall of your yard or the hallway or the entrance to your home, you are no more required to use any energy gobbling bulb. Rather make a trip to your nearest lighting equipments store to choose some dazzling LED accent lighting products. The controlled and recessed yellow or white light will resemble the sun or the moon suspended to your walls.
LED Ambiance Lighting : Sometimes you use light not only for the sake of visibility, but you seem to use it more for your aesthetic purposes. So the LED ambiance lighting products are there for you. Just install them wherever you need to do. The dim and recessed light produced will make your drawing room enough charming to resemble a set of romantic movie. LED cans up on the ceilings are mostly used for ambiance effect.
LED Fairy Lights : Mostly used for decoration purposes, these are cool and great to look at. They are highly energy efficient so will not be a burden on your pocket. Buy one with a fuse bulb system. So you are not required to worry even if one bulb stops working, because the whole lot will keep working.
LED Rainbow Lights : It is a multipurpose light. As per its name, it is a cluster of many colorful LED bulbs which give an impression of a rainbow glowing inside your bedroom. The same effects can be generated in other parts of your home too. Undoubtedly, it is best for those who love to use light as a tool of mood enhancement. Just switch on these rainbow lights and play on some hit songs of older days. Don\’t forget to close your eyes.