Monthly Archive for September, 2009

It’s a Light! It’s a TV! It’s a Shirt! It’s an OLED!

Published
by
Dan
on September 30, 2009
in Uncategorized
. 1 Comment

Although many people think of LED lights as the future, here at Elemental, we think of them as the present. So what do we consider the future of lighting? OLEDs, that is to say Organic LEDs, as opposed to the LEDs we sell here, which are inorganic. But it does seem that OLEDs are already well on their way to entering mainstream culture and, if you are as tech-y as we are, you probably own an electronic device that uses them. Things like Mp3 players, PDAs, cell phones with touch screens, and the newest TVs commonly use Organic LEDs.

So what are they? First the similarities: both kinds of light are based on semiconductors, meaning, as it sounds, a material that sort of conducts electricity, as opposed to a straight conductor (like wire) or an insulator (like rubber.) Without going into the gory (and wiry) details, the fact that semiconductors have some resistance to electricity is essential to their ability to be modified for different uses, and in fact different kinds of semiconductors are produced by adding various impurities to the material.

The differences between LEDs and OLEDs are fairly simple: in LEDs, the semiconductor is made of inorganic crystals, usually silicon, while in Organic LEDs, it is made of some organic material. It turns out that organic material is much more flexible than inorganic, and allows for the molecules in it to interact with each other in more ways than one. An LED diode, after all, is just two wires that meet at a very small semiconductor in a plastic lens, so it produces a concentrated light. OLED material, on the other hand, is organic semiconductor material suspended throughout a thin layer of polymer, so the light it produces is much more even and diffuse.

You can even visualize the semiconductor layer as organic compounds “printed” onto the polymer in a grid, which also gives you an idea of how thin OLEDs are. This polymer layer is then just sandwiched between a clear front layer and a backing layer to produce OLED products. Although most OLEDs are now flat and rigid, the technology for flexible OLEDs (here comes another acronym: FOLEDs) is such that you’ll be able to buy, in the next few years, lighting fixtures and screens that resemble fabric.

Which brings us to the final point: Don’t worry! LEDs and OLEDs are not exactly in competition, they’re apples and oranges, so your LED strips and bulbs will not be obsolete in 5 years. LEDs will continue to become more powerful and efficient in focused lighting applications, and OLEDs may soon become lights that double as windows, walls, clothing, or furniture. OLEDs are not replacing LEDs, just offering a more expansive (yes, a pun) way to light things up!

New Vehicles Save Energy with LEDs!

Published
by
Christine
on September 28, 2009
in Uncategorized
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Though gas prices have come down from their record-breaking highs last summer, the frugal habits they inspired in many consumers have not. In fact, over the past two years, the US has experienced a dramatic 9 percent drop in carbon emissions. This is great news, and one of the catalysts for this necessary change is the fact that automobile fuel-economy standards have become more rigid. Announced in May, these standards require that fuel efficiency increase by 42 percent in cars and 25 percent in light trucks by 2016. Car companies are following suit by revealing their new models for 2010, many of which are energy efficient vehicles that will help consumers save money, and help the planet save resources. In fact, in the last eight months of this year, new vehicle sales show a significantly higher average of miles per gallon than the vehicles sold over the same period of last year, according to The News Tribune. And, one of the most important energy-saving components in these new cars is-you guessed it! - LED lighting!

For instance, the headlights in Volkswagen’s L1 concept car, presented at the Frankfurt International Motor Show, are equipped with LEDs, which use only 19 watts of power per light, a huge savings compared to that of typically-55-watt conventional headlights. Henning Kiel, lighting engineer at Volkswagen says, “Energy efficiency and ease of integration were good reasons to rely on LED solutions for headlights on our one-litre car. This technology is just as forward-looking as our vehicle,” according to an article published in Azomaterials (www.azom.com).

And LEDs are not just for cars these days either. They are also making an appearance in the taillights and headlights of motorbikes all over the country. For instance, two 2010 releases by Harley-Davidson, the Brutale 990R and 1090RR, both use the latest in LED technology for turn signals and taillights. And as LED technology improves, so does the energy efficiency of these vehicles.

Cycling is Fun and Safe with LEDs

Published
by
Christine
on September 24, 2009
in Uncategorized
. 0 Comments

We all want to do better for the planet, these days, and one of the main ways we can do that is to walk or bike instead of driving. But none of us, no matter how green-minded, would sacrifice our own safety for that of the planets. And we all know, in the case of big cities especially, commuting on bike can be dangerous. Luckily, LED lights have blazed the way for bike safety, especially now that LEDs are providing more than just precautionary, blinking warning signs but also some real signals for those both on the bike and in the car.

LED lights are indeed blinky lights that are simple and will last forever. In fact, it’s the position of several bike retailers to consider LED bike lighting as falling in one of two categories: “to be seen”or “to see.”  Both of these types of lights-worn on the font and the back of the bike- are easily fulfilled with LEDs, and are essential to bike safely. LEDs are rechargeable, efficient, lightweight and inexpensive, making them the perfect light for the job.

Without discounting either of these functions of LEDs on bikes, however, it’s important to recognize a new kind of LED bike light in town-the aesthetic LED bike light. Not only do these lights burn longer, harder and more efficiently, but the also provide beautifuc and eye-catching aesthetics, which ensures that you are the most original, most fun-loving biker on the road.

Check out the  Light & Motion Stella with lithium ion battery, for instance–with this light on your helmet for nighttime rides, you won’t have to worry about switching out your bub for weeks at a time. And if you’re into extremily eye-catching LED attire, visit www.monkeylectric.com which will provide you with light-up spoke designs that are both beautiful and customized to your preference.

No matter what kind of rider you are, you will be able to fulfill all of you bike lighting needs with LEDs, so ride on!

LEDs Make Safer, Greener Toys for Kids!

Published
by
Christine
on September 21, 2009
in Creative-Uses, Green Companies, Green-Eco-Friendly and Uncategorized
. 0 Comments

With all of the toy options out there these days, it’s hard to know which ones to pick for your child-you want something that’s going to keep Junior safe and entertained, while maintaining your sanity and checking account. And with the electronic toy industry growing by leaps and bounds, it’s becoming even more difficult to find toys that are both wallet and planet friendly. But luckily, LEDs have changed game for parents all around the world. Now, kids can enjoy light-up and interactive sound technology without the high-energy costs of electronic toys.

For instance, See Toys by Zen Designs are toys that light up and make sounds and are powered completely by rechargeable batteries that get re-juiced every time the child plays with the toy. The product line includes wind-up or crank-powered toy fireflies, dolphins, sharks and tigers, with colorful LED eyes realistic sound capabilities. The interactive nature of See Toys stimulates kids’ minds and encourages them to use their imagination. And, LED toys are safer than traditional electronic toys too! Because the battery is rechargeable, you will never have to remove it or replace it, which eliminates the danger of swallowing or otherwise ingesting toxic substances for your kids, and the cost of buying more batteries for you! Every year, thousands of kids swallow batteries, most of which contain potentially toxic metals like mercury, cadmium, lithium, and copper. Health risks associated with mercury include kidney damage and genetic, neurological, and psychological disorders. Cadmium is a confirmed human carcinogen and is poisonous when ingested or inhaled. Even if batteries are not swallowed, they still must be disposed of in a proper way, through a toxic substance recycling program. Purchasing toys that employ energy efficient, lightweight LEDs removes such hassles from your life, and keep your kids out of harm’s way.

Harmony Between the Sun, LEDs, and Toyota

Published
by
Dan
on September 19, 2009
in Uncategorized
. 2 Comments

This summer and fall, Toyota has again shown itself to be a forward-thinking company, this time using LED lighting as part of a promotional campaign that takes the shape of, well, giant sunflowers. Toyota chose the Yerba Buena Gardens in San Francisco as the fifth stop on a “solar tour” to promote the 2010 Prius hybrid automobile, and Elemental LED’s Max (pictured) and Matt were there to install our flexible LED strip lights on the 18-foot tall sunflower sculptures that are the centerpiece of the tour. Toyota has also installed solar-powered fans in a few bus shelters around the city to cool waiting bus riders. (Did someone tell them summer’s actually in the fall in SF?)
The sunflowers feature solar panels that power free wireless internet and 110V AC outlets to power laptops and charge cell phones, as well as comfy seating on the plastic “grass” beneath the flower petals and leaves. The sustainable sculpture stations and bus stop fans have proven a hit on other stops of the tour—such as Boston and Chicago—where they highlight two of the new features of the Prius: optional solar roof panels and a standard solar-fueled ventilation system. (The standard Prius also comes with LED headlights, which makes us happy!)
The flowers are at the gardens September 12 to 27 as part of the launch of the Prius and they bring to life the theme: “Harmony Between Man, Nature and Machine.” Electricity and wi-fi are available daily, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., and if you stop by after sunset, you’ll catch the warm glow of our LEDs lighting up the yellow and white flower petals of the night.
Elemental CEO Max installs LED strip lighting on a sunflower sculpture.

led_light_sunflowers_21

LED strip lights mounted behind the flower petals illuminate the sculptures after dark.

Be Happy, Not SAD with the Help of UV LEDs

Published
by
Christine
on September 17, 2009
in Uncategorized
. 1 Comment

Hate to break it to you, but winter is just around the corner. And even if Christmas is your favorite holiday, you still might find it hard to make it through the shorter days without getting a little blue, and for good reason. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a real condition, in which the sufferer becomes depressed during the colder months of winter. Scientists have attributed the mood change, which can be severe enough to warrant medication and counciling in some patients, to lack of light exposure. Symptoms include difficulty waking up in the morning, tendency to oversleep as well as to overeat, weight gain, lack of energy, difficulty concentrating, and withdrawal from friends, family, and social activitie, all of which are symptom of clinical depression. SAD is especially apparent in locations that lie very far north or south of the equator, and which receive very little sunlight during the winter months. This lack of light results in lower Vitamin D levels in the body, lower levels of serotonin and higher levels of melatonin, which can all be attributed to symptoms of depression. In fact, according to a study published in the Official Journal of the Society of Biological Psychiatry, “Depressed patients with SAD demonstrate ERG (electroretinogram) changes in the winter compared with healthy comparison subjects with lower rod retinal sensitivity and lower cone maximal amplitude. These changes normalized following 4 weeks of light therapy and during the summer, suggesting that ERG changes are state markers for SAD.

Light therapy, therefore, is a effective way to combat Seasonal Affective Disorder, and UV LEDs are the most efficient way to expose yourself to healthy amounts of UV rays during the winter months. While some SAD -combating products use incandescent or fluorescent bulbs, those that use LEDs are most effective because they use less energy, can target the specific wavelength of light needed to positively combat SAD, are lighter weight and emit less heat than traditional light bulbs.

To learn more about how LEDs can help you cope with wintertime blues, visit this link: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/seasonal-affective-disorder-treatment/DN00013

How to Make an LED Light Box

Published
by
admin
on September 14, 2009
in Creative-Uses, Home and LED Lights
. 2 Comments

At this year’s Maker Faire, we were delighted to have so many people interested in our booth, and we have to admit, something that seemed to keep people coming back each day were our eye catching light panels that flashed in beautiful patterns of color on the wall.

How is the color distributed so evenly?
Why are there no shadows from the lights?
How can I make a something like this for my home or business?

These and many questions like them were asked several times over, until we finally realized that:
a) Most people like pretty, blinky lights; they add character to almost any space, after all.
b) Most people are curious about how to make their own pretty, blinky light box or panel.

While LED light boxes can be used purely for decoration or to create ambiance, they are also a stunning way to display advertisements or products for any business. LED light boxes that employ UV LEDs can also be used to treat seasonal affective disorder, as alarm clocks, or simply to provide bright, warm light during cold, dark winter months. For advertising or decorative purposes, a well made LED light box will ensure that the light inside will be evenly diffused, so there are no shadows, bright or dark spots interrupting whatever it is you choose to display on the front of the panel. The even look of the light is created by tiny LED bulbs built into the sides of the frame, which creates a luminous, shadow-free glow.

And, like always, LED light boxes will save you money thanks to the efficient, energy-saving capabilities of LEDs. Most LED light boxes will have a life span of more than 100,000 hours when used continually throughout the week…that’s 11 years of uninterrupted light!

For more information about how to make your own LED light box, please visit the following links:

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-make-a-printed-circuit-board-PCB-using-th/

http://www.instructables.com/id/Blue-LED-light-box/

The Healing Power of LEDs

Published
by
Christine
on September 10, 2009
in Creative-Uses, Health and LED Lights
. 0 Comments

A few of our previous posts have covered the exciting capabilities of infrared LEDs, specifically: how they can be used in security systems to keep you safe and give you peace of mind. Now it turns out that red or near-infrared LEDs can protect you in another way: through the healing power of cellular regeneration. Since we’ve all gotten so used to the idea that light exposure (especially sunlight) is bad for you, it’s a bit tricky to wrap your head around the idea that LED light exposure can actually improve your health. But it’s a fact; the spectrum of light that encompasses red and near-infrared light represents a “window of wavelengths” that can pass through tissue, where it benefits damaged cells, causing them to create more ATP (cellular energy) and increasing DNA and RNA activity.

In fact, the benefits of IR light exposure have been documented in reports and studies since 1987, though common belief held that lasers or other expensive medical equipment were required to reap the benefits of light therapy. It has been proven, however, that LEDs work just as well, the ideal wavelengths being between 600 and 900 nm, with the best results at specific ranges: 610-625, 660-690, 750-770, and 815-860 nm.

Furthermore, many of the benefits of light therapy can be achieved through sun exposure, though there are inherent risks involved in this practice, namely heatstroke, sunburn, premature aging and skin cancer. LEDs, on the other hand, can be used at any time of day, take less time to achieve desired results, and also do not cause sunburn.

Some of the conditions that LED light therapy may reportedly treat include: osteoarthritis, sports injuries, burns, scrapes, and pain relief from cuts, ulcers, macular degeneration, fibromyalgia pains, tendonitis bursitis, psoriasis, eczema and acne.

For more information, check out this study published in the Journal of Clinical Laser Medicine and Surgery.

Why Switch to LEDs? A Refresher

Published
by
Christine
on September 10, 2009
in Green-Eco-Friendly, Home and LED Lights
. 0 Comments

In recent years, many people have switched their homes from incandescent bulbs to fluorescent in an attempt to save energy and money, but did you know that there’s another alternative out there as well? LEDs can be an even better solution for many homeowners trying to save energy and go green. They’re showing up in everything from holiday lights to single bulbs making them easy to come by. While they might appear to be expensive, they can be more than worth the cost when you consider these factors.

  1. LEDs emit the same quality and consistency of light as incandescent bulbs. If you’re staying away from LEDs because you like the way a traditional bulb lights the room then you haven’t seen today’s LED bulbs. They’re on par with these bulbs and you may not even notice much of a difference at all.
  2. They use much less energy than traditional bulbs. How much less? Think in the neighborhood of 10x less. That may not sound like a big number but it can add up over the course of a year and definitely over the lifetime of the bulb. Why pay more if you don’t have to?
  3. LEDs last longer than fluorescent bulbs. We all know incandescent bulbs don’t last long, but their fluorescent replacements were meant to last much longer. Turns out LEDs last even longer—5 times as long. Compared to an incandescent that’s 50 times the lifespan, making them a good investment and keeping more waste out of landfills.
  4. LEDs don’t contain mercury like many fluorescent bulbs. When disposed of properly, fluorescent bulbs don’t cause a problem, but in many cases there isn’t the expertise or facilities to correctly handle these bulbs. LED bulbs contain no harmful substances that can leech into your home and into landfills.
  5. They pay off big time in the long run. LED bulbs last longer and save more energy. Estimated to last about 11 years, the bulbs can save users hundreds of dollars for owners—and that’s just for a single bulb!
  6. They’re highly durable. LED bulbs are built to last and stand up well to being dropped and jostled meaning fewer get broken in transport and you’re much less likely to break one in your own home.

This post was contributed by Donna Scott, who writes about the online school. She welcomes your feedback at DonnaScott9929@yahoo.com

Elemental LEDs Sleep with the Fishes!

Published
by
Christine
on September 7, 2009
in Uncategorized
. 0 Comments

Don’t worry; the mob hasn’t gotten us (yet). But what does have us under its spell instead is the myriad possibilities available for using LEDs underwater, and how simple and easy it is to do so. When you think of pool lighting, for instance, mostly what comes to mind is one big, bright bulb at one end of the pool that’s used to light the whole body of water. That type of lighting creates about as inviting an atmosphere as the single light bulb that swings overhead in an interrogation room! But with waterproof LEDs, and especially waterproof flexible LED strips, the aesthetic of underwater lighting has totally changed, for the better.  Now, you can light the contours of your pool, pond, aquarium or alcove, and create any ambiance, from romantic to lively, with the help of waterproof flexible LEDs. Even better, you can light up any underwater area in style, in whatever color strikes your fancy, with RGB waterproof LED lights.

At Jellyfish Art, LLC, for instance, founder Alex Andon and his team use waterproof LEDs to accentuate the beautiful, live aquarium art they create using exotic jellyfish. According to the company’s website, “Jellyfish are the latest in exotic aquariums. Their mesmerizing forms and soothing movement create living works of art.  Jellyfish aquariums are a new kind of interior decoration, sources of light and life that become the focal point of any space.” But every aquarium needs a little light to help the jellyfish do their job, and that’s where LEDs come in. The company’s three-foot and desktop-sized tanks both utilize waterproof LEDs to highlight the beautiful creatures swimming inside. And because the LEDs don’t heat up like incandescent lights do, they don’t affect the temperature of the water, a key factor in maintaining a habitat that will support delicate underwater life forms like the jellyfish.

To learn more or to see pictures, visit www.jellyfishart.com
For some of Elemental LED’s waterproof lighting options, click here.