Monthly Archive for January, 2010

I Heart the iPad (or at least its LED backlight…)

Published
by
Christine
on January 29, 2010
in Creative-Uses, LED Lights, National News and Reviews
. 3 Comments

safari_20100127Everyone’s talking about the iPad. It’s Apple’s newest contraption that will offer direct competition to the Amazon Kindle, a tablet or digital book device that came out a few months ago. Unlike the Kindle, however, the iPad offers much more than a little bit of reading. The device not only allows the user to read, watch movies, view and store photos, send emails and create basic documents,it also boasts a multi-touch, full color screen. And, like with the iPhone, the iPad will come with access to a full menu of apps. So why should you carry an iPad around instead of your laptop or iPhone? Why, in this over saturated, over techy world, do we need yet another gadget? Well, I’m not sure that we do. But here’s the argument most are making: First of all, this new genre of “tablets” offers a tweener level of accessibility and content creation. Tablets are, by definition bigger than a phone but smaller than a computer. They’re light enough- the Pad weighs in at 1.5 pounds- to carry around with you but big enough to make browsing the web and looking at content a lot easier than it is on your phone. In fact, Apple is so excited about the iPad, they’re calling it “magical.” That seems a little hyperbolic to me. I mean, what are they going to call the iUnicorn when it comes out next year?

 

But, one of the things that does make the iPad stand out in my opinion is its use of LEDs. Unlike the iPad, the Kindle doesn’t contain any interior lighting system. While this does allow the Kindle to have an exceedingly long battery life, it also means you can’t really read it in the dark without a night light. The iPad, on the other hand, contains a 9.7 inch backlit LED screen which is bright enough to make reading, working or movie-watching a joy. And, of course, the use of LEDs means the iPad didn’t have to compromise  weight or energy efficiency for high tech and high-powered lighting.

DOE Supports LEDs (Again)!

Published
by
Christine
on January 27, 2010
in Green-Eco-Friendly, Innovative Technology, LED Lights and National News
. 0 Comments

It’s hard to imagine a world without incandescent or florescent bulbs, but it seems that’s where we’re headed, in no small part because of the US Department of Energy. In its 6th round of funding for LED technology and solid state lighting, the DOE announced $37 million in grants to support more research for improving LEDs and supporting their development and manufacturing. The grants will benefit both the regular LED and OLED (carbon-containing organic light emitting diodes) marketplaces. As we all know, LEDs can be 10 times as efficient as incandescent bulbs and last hundreds of times longer. They’re safer, both because they’re more durable and because the emit much less heat, so risk of fire is lower. So, with all of these benefits, why is the government still concerned with funding LED research? Well, there are still a few areas that could be improved, namely “cost and color,” according to a Popular Mechanics article. The article states, “ Solid-state lighting available on the market today costs roughly three times as much as other lighting options. This is largely due to the materials involved and the limited economies of scale compared to the long-established techniques for manufacturing incandescents and fluorescents by the hundreds of millions every year. LEDs also have problems with light color—their whites appear too bluish and thereby render other colors poorly compared to traditional bulbs.”

But these small setbacks are but a blip on the radar screen of a continually burgeoning LED market. What’s more, the DOE awarded the $37 million in 17 grants based on three categories to address these issues and hopefully eradicate them for future LED consumers. For example, $4 million is reportedly allocated for “filling in key technology gaps and expanding the knowledge base.” $10.3 million will go towards product development, specifically making products more consumer-friendly. And $23.5 million is intended for a manufacturing category, which will allow companies to produce LEDs for less, therefore driving costs down for consumers.

It looks like all signs are pointing towards a future that’s bright with the light of LEDs…we’re well on our way, jump aboard!

LEDs light up a midtown gallery

Published
by
Dan
on January 26, 2010
in DIY
. 2 Comments

We recently spoke with Grimanesa Amorós, an artist who splits her time between New York City and Peru, about a recent gallery installation in which she used some of our flexible LED strip lighting. In the installation, titled La Incubadora (2010), she has re-envisioned the Lab Gallery at Roger Smith Hotel in Manhattan as a warm human incubator for her sculptures of imagined hybrid humans.

Did this kind of flexible LED strip lighting suggest how the pieces in La Incubadora would be installed, or did you have a vision of it prior to finding the lights?

“We have often used LED lights in other projects, so we understood the potential and capabilities that are unique to LEDs. We chose your warm white LED strips because they are flexible, low voltage and can be cut to any desired length. The idea was to create futuristic heating elements around each of the figures. It needed to be flexible strips to create a curve around the wombs and to be warm white to simulate heat. Simulated warmth was important because the sculptures are made of wax and hand made abaca pulp from the Philippines, which makes them sensitive to temperature changes.”

You say in a statement about the piece that “the lighting in the space and the music…reinforce[s] the magical quality that many of us feel when confronting the wonders (or monsters?) of modern science.” How do you think the lighting helps to achieve this?

“LEDs are indicative of modernity and more and more everyday devices are incorporating built-in luminance as both a practical and an aesthetic feature. In nature, light predominately comes from the sky, therefore light from below has an eeriness which is indicative of humanity’s abstraction of nature.”

Without asking you to do the interpretation for us, how are the figures related to each other, in your view? Are they isolated? A community? What role does the lighting play in interpreting this piece?

“The humanoids are cooped up like livestock; some huddle for warmth, others try to escape. The round illumination both sustains and ensnares them. They were artificially inseminated so they have no mate outside of this space. They are all bound together under the same forced cohabitation, yet each alone.”

The final installation differs from the renderings, in that there are no silhouettes of the figures on the walls, and throughout there is just the warm white color of the lighting. What created these changes? Were there originally going to be elements of color and projection in the installation?

“I initially knew that I wanted lighting and shadow to play into this piece. I always wanted to have many more figures and the shadows would, in effect, duplicate their appearance. Unfortunately shadows are difficult to maintain in a windowed space with solar exposure, so the final execution was based on reenforcing the concept rather than multiplication of imagery.”

According to her statement, Amorós’s work “often makes use of sculpture, video, lighting and sound to create works that illuminate our notions of personal identity and community.” See more of this fascinating work at www.grimanesaamoros.com

Grimanesa Amoros's installation La Incubadora uses flexible LED strip lights.

Grimanesa Amoros's installation La Incubadora uses flexible LED strip lights.

Detail of the flexible LED lights used in La Incubadora.

Detail of the flexible LED lights used in La Incubadora.

Flexible LED strip lighting in the art installation "La Incubadora" by Grimanesa Amoros.

Flexible LED strip lighting in the art installation "La Incubadora" by Grimanesa Amoros.

Bend it Like Beckham, Light it with LEDs!

Published
by
Christine
on January 25, 2010
in Green-Eco-Friendly, Innovative Technology, International News and LED Lights
. 4 Comments

Soccer (or to some of you: football) fans rejoice! You may already know that the 2010 FIFA World Cup has been scheduled to take place June through July in South Africa, but you may not know that LED lights will play an integral role in ensuring that all soccer fans get the best view of what’s happening on the field. That’s because two of the World Cup soccer stadiums, the Nelson Mandela Bay in Port Elizabeth and the Mbombela stadium in Nelspruit, will offer new LED screens from Spectrum Visual Network, which will bring spectators the clearest-and most energy efficient-view of their favorite players on the field below. Each soccer stadium is capable of holding hundreds of thousands of fans, which means not all fans will be able to sit in an optimal viewing location. But thanks to the LED screens, every spectator will be treated to an unobstructed view of the game. Even better, because of their unparalleled brightness, LED screens provide the only technology that allow an image to be seen properly in daylight. Since most soccer games take place in the afternoon, this is an important feature. Also, LED light bulbs consume less energy, give off less heat, and last for up to 100,000 hours, which means reduced energy bills and maintenance costs for the stadiums. In fact, the LED screens are a key component in FIFA meeting its energy saving compliance requirements for 2010. Thanks to LEDs, the crowded stadium experience just got a lot more pleasant…now if only they could do something about those rowdy fans!

Coachella (and Cubatron) Countdown!

Published
by
Christine
on January 22, 2010
in Creative-Uses, Innovative Technology and National News
. 1 Comment

cubatron13I’m in countdown mode, and I’ll tell you why. We are less than 80 days away from one of the best music festivals this country (if not this world!) has to offer. Yes, I’m talking about Coachella Music and Arts festival, held in Indio, CA in April! Now, I’m not only this excited because Coachella’s 2010 music lineup looks amazing (and it does, believe me). I’m also dying to see what the art line up will look like this year. See, one of my favorite things about Coachella besides the music is the stellar interactive and visual art lineup the festival curates each year. And one of my favorite pieces of past lineups has been an LED light installation called the Cubatron. Created by Mark Lotter, the Cubatron is “a 3D LED light sculpture. It consists of 5 Modular Cubatron arranged in a rectangle 8×40 feet wide and 13 ft high. Each Modular Cubatron is made up of 1000 lights within an 8×8x8ft open aluminum frame. They sit on top of a 5ft high steel pipe platform. People can view from any direction or crawl underneath.” Each light is individually controllable by computer to any color and brightness level. (Thanks to Mr. Lotter for that explanation!) Needless to say, the Cubatron is visually stunning, and also a ton of fun for festival-goers to explore. I love it because it’s beautiful and interactive, and allows you to create a peaceful, reflective moment in your otherwise jam-packed, hectic day spent bouncing from concert to concert. And, of course, the Cubatron couldn’t exist without the wonderful technology of LED lights. Because of their lightweight and energy-efficient nature, Lotter was able to use LEDs to put together a sculpture that is relatively easy to set up and store, and doesn’t use a lot of power, all of which Coachella appreciates, I’m sure. If you get a chance to go to Coachella this year, be sure to keep an eye out for the Cubatron…you’ll be glad you did!

“Bright” Just Got Brighter

Published
by
Christine
on January 20, 2010
in Company News, LED Lights and Reviews
. 0 Comments

Sometimes, “bright” just isn’t bright enough. I can think of plenty of times when I’ve wanted just a little more light, whether it be when I’m chopping ingredients for a salad in the kitchen, or working on an especially tedious project in the garage. Luckily, here at Elemental LED, we carry just the product for those times when you need to illuminate your life a little more than usual: our High Density 12V Brighter Flexible LED Strip Light. First and foremost, this LED strip lighting offers all of the benefits of our standard Brighter Flexible LED Strip Light. It’s flexible and discreet, so it can fit in almost any nook or cranny, and is perfect for cabinet lighting, cove lighting, interior applications, exhibitions, project lighting, etc. Unlike our standard strip lighting, however, the  High Density LED Strip Light boasts  twice as many high-powered tri-chip LEDs as the standard, so it is four times as bright! While the standard Brighter Flexible LED Strip Light weighs in at 180 lumens per foot, the High Density 12v Brighter Flexible LED Strip Light packs a wallop at 290 lumens of brightness per foot! This means the light is brighter and also can travel further, so it’s great for lighting larger projects over a bigger area. Amazingly, though there are 3 LEDs for every 2 inches of strip lighting on the High Density LED Strip Light, the product uses only 4.4 watts of electricity per foot! Even better, this product is rated to last 50,000 hours, which is the equivalent of leaving the lights on 24 hours a day for 6 years ! This is great news for those of you who need high-powered lighting at a low cost to you and to our planet’s natural resources. So if you thought LEDs couldn’t fulfill your every lighting need, think again! Your prospects just got brighter with the High Density 12v Brighter Flexible LED Strip Light!

LEDs Go International in the UAE!

Published
by
Christine
on January 19, 2010
in International News and LED Lights
. 1 Comment

Abu Dhabi, the capital of The United Arab Emirates, recently announced its decision to switch to LED lights in street lamps and buildings across the island. The decision comes after the World Future Energy Summit, which was held in Abu Dabi on Monday. The Department of Municipal Affairs is promoting the plan, which will reduce energy consumption across the city and Emirate by 30 to 40 percent. Abdullah Al Shamsi, the executive director of municipal infrastructure and assets structures, focused on the probability that the LED lights would not only save energy but would also reduce heat in the already scorching climate of the UAE. The switch to LEDs is part of a 4-pronged plan the UAE is unveiling as part of its goal of becoming more eco-conscious. Other areas the emirate intends on improving include surface drainage, irrigation, landscaping and supervisory control and data acquisition. Hopefully, surrounding countries and political territories will follow suit, as we all know that the more governments that publicly make the switch to LEDs, the better for our environment and for all of our economic freedom in the future!

Here at Elemental, we’ve got tons of products that could help practically any person (or any country for that matter) make the switch to LED lights. From our undercabinet LED lighting, our LED light bars, and our LED strip lighting to waterproof led lights, led puck lights and LED retrofit products and LED light bulbs, we have it all! It’s no wonder the UAE is joining the ranks of LED enthusiasts across the globe…and we say, the more the merrier!

Straight from the Set of Desperate Housewives!

Published
by
Christine
on January 15, 2010
in LED Lights
. 1 Comment

0115001201Ah, the beauty of living in LA. On any given day, you just might find yourself on the set of one of today’s most popular TV series. Or at least I did, because today I got to visit the set of Desperate Housewives. (It turns out that a good friend’s cousin works on the show!) Now, while I didn’t get a chance to glimpse Wysteria Lane in all of its flowers, butterflies and chirping-bird glory, I did get to see what the inside of Lynette’s house really is like (see the photo I snapped from my cell phone, left). (If all of this is so far meaningless to you, then you really should try watching the show. It’s sheer entertainment.) Did you know they put out real bacon to make it look like they’ve just had breakfast? Yum.

But, more to the point, I also got to talk to the lighting director for the entire show, and let me just tell you, he was quite vocal in his appreciation for LED lights. He told me the show uses LEDs for almost every application-to create a “daylight” effect, tungsten for an “indoor” effect, and also bright washes of color depending on the mood of the scene. He said that switching to LEDs has made shooting the show a lot easier because they can be digitally programmed to switch color and intensity. And also, the actors are a lot more comfortable because they’re no longer sweating under the heat of incandescent and halogen bulbs! LEDs stay cooler and so the actors are no longer dripping in their own make up. I bet that makes the make up artists happier as well. And let’s face it, LEDs save energy which means big financial savings for the network…always a good thing!

I guess I could go on to tell you a few of the details that will be happening later this season on the show, but that would just be downright mean, right? Suffice to say, when you’re watching Desperate Housewives this season, remember that LED lights are part of what makes the show possible!

Switch to LEDs to Keep Migraines at Bay!

Published
by
Christine
on January 13, 2010
in Health, Home, LED Lights and National News
. 0 Comments

We all know LEDs are great for the health of the planet and for the, shall we say, girth of your wallet. But did you know they can also help cure certain health ailments? One of the most recent discoveries on this topic concerns migraines, the splitting and sometimes unbearable headaches that affect millions of Americans. While lots of culprits may cause migraines  (including stress, allergens, contact lenses or glasses), new research by the Migraine Action Association shows that light exposure, especially exposure to “low-energy light” can cause the onset of migraines. Keep in mind that there is a difference between low-energy lighting and “energy-saving light bulbs.” Florescent and CFL bulbs are low-energy fixtures and have been linked to migraines. Lee Tomkins, director of Migraine Action, says that changing light bulbs could help avoid the problem. In fact, switching specifically to LED light bulbs can perhaps even cure migraines, according to the same organization. This new research confirms “some things we already knew, including the fact that light can exacerbate pain within a migraine attack and that migraineurs tend to be sensitive to the blue light waves in the light spectrum.” The research also illustrated that changing the light bulbs can provide relief.

So if you suffer from migraines and are looking to replace your florescent bulbs with something a little healthier, cheaper, brighter and all around better for you and the planet, take a look at some of our LED retrofit products. Our 60 W Replacement Bulb and 40 W Replacement bulb, for instance, can easily screw into most of your current lighting fixtures. Pretty soon, you’ll notice fewer headaches of all varieties–those caused by migraines and those caused by high electricity bills as well.

New iPhone Incorporates LEDs!

Published
by
Christine
on January 11, 2010
in Green-Eco-Friendly, Innovative Technology and LED Lights
. 1 Comment

19551462_largeIf you don’t own an iPhone, you know at least 10 people who do. After all, they’re the do-anything, take-anywhere, have-an-excuse-for-ignoring-anyone device of 2010! (According to yours truly, anyway.) I’ve gotta admit, though, with all of the users out there (CNN Money expects 40 to 45 million iPhones will be sold in 2010), iPhones must have their perks. One of the benefits I’ve been privy to is the photo quality achieved by that little built-in camera! I have to say, the clarity certainly can’t be rivaled by my flip phone, which was cool back in, oh, say 2004.

But now, the iPhone is taking its camera to the next level by installing a super-bright LED light to serve as its camera’s flash. Up until this new addition surfaced, iPhone users have had a hard time taking good, clear photos in low light situations like concerts and dinner parties. But with the bright light of LEDs, they can kiss the days of fuzzy, dim photos goodbye. Apparently, the LED flash will also enable iPhone users to record video in low light situations as well. And, because LEDs are so energy efficient, the flash will not take up more battery power than the already short-lived iPhone can handle. In fact, the next generation iPhone is also reportedly going to boast better battery life. Maybe the LEDs can take credit for some of that newfound longevity, or at least for not diminishing it.

Regardless, the teaming up of iPhone and LEDs seems inevitable to me since both markets are growing so rapidly. If you thought those CNN numbers about iPhones were impressive, check this out: CNN Money also reports that the LED market is expected to reach $1 billion before 2011. If that’s not impressive, I don’t know what is. Now, if only I had an iPhone, I could tell all my friends about it on Facebook..