Taiwan boosts LED street-lighting program, BLU market goes flat

Taiwan Premier Wu Den-yih has approved a project valued at NT$2 billion ($66 million), which will be used to help local governments install 250,000 LED street lamps in place of existing mercury vapor lamps, according to the Taiwan News. Once installed, the energy savings will amount to 110 million kWh or the elimination of 67,500 metric tons of CO2 emissions.

This announcement follows an earlier announcement last month by Shih Yen-shiang of Taiwan's Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA), of a NT$700 million ($23.25 million) project that will involve the replacement of 53,000 street lamps with LED lamps.

The new projects, along with a similar program that was previously launched, will involve LED street lights across the country's five special municipalities, 11 counties and three cities in Taiwan proper as well as three offshore islands. The projects are expected to generate a total production value of NT$4.48 billion ($150 million) for LED-related industries.

Meanwhile, according to statistics supplied by Taiwan's Photonics Industry & Technology Development Association, weak demand for LED backlight modules in 2011 is expected to result in flat revenues for this important LED market segment compared with last year. The total production value of the top 10 LED wafer and chip manufacturers in Taiwan is projected to reach NT$47 billion ($1.55 billion) for 2011, 1% lower than the 2010 level.

PIDA says that the backlighting market is responding to lower-than-expected demand for LCD TVs, inventory pressures, surplus LED volumes and TV pricing pressure. In addition, Korean LCD-TV makers have focused significantly on reducing the cost of LED backlight modules, while the modules themselves are requiring fewer LED chips per set, affecting revenues and profits of LED chip makers.

Although many LED chip manufacturers have shifted their production to LEDs for general-purpose lighting, some companies that rely more heavily on backlights, including wafer manufacturer Epistar and chip maker Formosa Epitaxy, are suffering from the poor market conditions in LED backlights.

PIDA researchers further suggested that the holiday shopping demand is not likely to alter the flat market for LED backlight modules.

I don't really understand why you'd want to do this, but I don't really understand a lot of that whole "body modification" kind of thing to begin with. At least this is totally temporary. In the video below, you can see Noda Akira showing off his latest creation: a blue LED that you stick up your nostril and it will respond to your breathing by lighting up.

Toward the end of the embedded video below, you'll also see Akira showing off another creation: the HeartCap mini. Again working with an LED light, this presumably senses your heart beating and pulses its light rhythmically in time with your old ticker.

Modern Dog Magazine Features the LIGHTWALKER Belt in its Holiday Gift Guide

Studio City, CA: The Winter 2011 issue of Modern Dog Magazine features its anticipated "The Ultimate Gift Guide" and the LIGHTWALKER is included in this prestigious list.

The items were especially selected by the Magazine's editor, who writes: "Nighttime walks just got a whole lot safer, easier, and more fun...keeps your hands free and the terrain and your dog illuminated." When Modern Dog Magazine hit the stands on December 1st, the LIGHTWALKER store only sold the belts in the USA. The Magazine's wide appeal and international distribution generated new interest from potential customers in the UK, Germany and Canada, so the creators of the LIGHTWALKER belt had to take action.

The LIGHTWALKER website started receiving emails and requests from outside the United States. When Bev wrote: "we have nothing like it here in the UK," Lisa from Canada emailed that she wants to give it to a friend for Christmas so that she can be safer walking 3 dogs, and Janine wrote: "Please ship to Germany!!"

Accessories L.A., the only company that sells the belt in the world, realized the LIGHTWALKER needed to expand its reach. "In the last week, we have updated the online store to process orders from the UK, Canada and Germany," says creator Sonia Alvarado. This is an example of how the internet makes it possible for a small Los Angeles based business to become global in a matter of days.

The LIGHTWALKER is the only belt worn around the waist with 18 LED bulbs that lights the path from 1-40 feet. It comes in various colors with two adjustable sizes designed to fit most men and women. It is an alternative to wearing a headlamp or carrying a flashlight. Wearing the light around the waist gets the light beam closer to the ground, it's more comfortable, doesn't disturb the hair, or blind your walking companion like a light on the forehead might. When holding a dog leash and walking stick, hands-free lighting is a better option than a flashlight.

The LIGHTWALKER belt was born out of necessity. Sonia Alvarado, an animal lover and rescuer, twisted her ankle while walking her four big dogs one evening. She didn't have a free hand for a flashlight so she couldn't see the dangerous obstructions on the sidewalk.

That same night, she envisioned a belt that would light her path.“The Modern Magazine mention is an honor and very important to us since more dog lovers can now learn about our product,” says Sonia. The ultimate goal is to share the company's success with animal rescue organizations by donating a percentage of profits to these groups.

The LIGHTWALKER belt was originally designed for dog walking, but it's also used as a utility and emergency light, as well as a running, hiking and camping light. It's even a holiday shopping light! When the creator of the LIGHTWALKER was trying to make a final purchase at a department store last Sunday night, they announced that the store was closing and shut off the lights in the linen department.

Sonia quickly reached into her purse and took out her LIGHTWALKER to find the blanket she was looking for. Whatever the use, the LIGHTWALKER belt is a versatile Christmas gift in the USA and abroad.

Case for LED lighting to become overwhelming - Marl

What is the biggest barrier to growth in the architectural LED market?

Adrian Rawlinson: Within five years, I believe that 90% of RGB architectural lighting will have converted to LED technology. There are a number of reasons why I don't think this will happen any more quickly.

If you look at the true cost of ownership, and factor in their exceptionally long life as well as low energy use, LED lighting is very economic, but the initial purchase price is much higher, and this is tending to put buyers off.

As volumes increase and larger fixture manufacturers move into the market, prices are sure to come down, making the case for LED overwhelming.

As the industry matures and consolidates, clear universally accepted standards for measuring light output and efficiency better standards should emerge. This will help buyers who remain confused about the specifications of the product that they are buying.

Currently, only some companies deliver a ready to install light complete with all the drivers and connectors required. Many still leave customers to sort out the complexities themselves.

Is there any form of lighting that cannot, in principle, be replaced by an LED light?

Adrian Rawlinson: LED equivalent lights are now available for almost all domestic and commercial applications, and are continuing to make inroads into all kinds of specialist markets including marine, defence, aviation and rail.

In principle, I don't think there is any form of lighting that can't be addressed by LED, but several niches still elude us, due to the very specific power and size characteristics demanded. The issue is often thermal management. Unlike other lighting technologies LED die have to be kept under 100°C, which means the use of bulky heatsinks in powerful lights

Car headlights, the highest efficiency fluorescents, stadium floodlights and gas discharge lamps are major lighting applications where LED lighting cannot provide the performance required at the moment. Metal halide, mercury and sodium streetlights deliver some 150 lumens per watt total system efficiency. LEDs are at least 2-3 years away from matching that.

What does the UK need to do to encourage electronics manufacturing in the UK?

Adrian Rawlinson: Marl has just had a good year, and a sustainable recovery could already be underway, in my view, if the true value of wealth creation through manufacturing was recognised as a starting point, and understood valued and embraced.

Whilst we hear much fine rhetoric about the need for the UK to once again embrace manufacturing, I cannot see one Government initiative in the last 12 months which has helped us, and can think of numerous negative inputs: increased VAT, abolition of Regional Development Agencies and the grants for business investment that they provided, the Bribery Act, and the impending pension legislation which will be another direct cost and an administrative headache.

Coupled with this is the lack of real commitment to support UK manufacturing in government contracts.

Lights that help you sleep

It's an agonizing irony for anyone recovering in a hospital bed: Rest helps, but it can be hard to get a good night's sleep in a busy ward.

Holland's Maastricht University Medical Center has taken a step towards improving that by trialling a lighting system in its cardiac unit where patients slept on average 8 percent longer than a control group of patients who recovered under normal lighting.

The HealWell lighting system, provided by Philips, mimicked the day-night light cycle with a combination of centrally controlled fluorescent and LED lights (not only are the lights helpful healers, they also save energy compared to less efficient incandescent bulbs).

The system assured high levels of light during the day, and it also gradually changed brightness, which helped tune the patient's biological clock into a more natural sleep-wake rhythm.

"This has a positive effect on the patient's sleep patterns and that in turn has a positive effect on their biorhythm, which is important for their health and well-being," Maastricht UMC and Philips said in a joint press release on the deployment.

Patients in the HealWell system could also alter lighting themselves, which facilitated a positive state of mind, according to the press release.

Maastricht UMC cautioned that it is still too early to say whether the extra sleep has helped patients heal faster, but it seemed optimistic.

"The patient's mental state is an important factor that influences the prognosis for cardiac patients, and light could have a positive effect on this, as well as on the patient's health in the long term," said Maastricht UMC cardiologist Dr Petra Kuijpers. "This is, however, an area in which further research is required."

"That's an entire corridor that's set and ready to go for TOD. I don't think there's ever been a place like it where town after town after town has zoned, has been planning, has things ready to go."

He says the Hartford-New Britain busway is another example. It just received final approval from the federal government. Redeker spoke last week as part of a series of meetings sponsored by 1,000 Friends of Connecticut called "Talking Smart on Growing Smart."

Redeker also noted that the service plazas along the Merritt and Wilbur Cross Parkways and the Interstate highways are being completely rebuilt.

"They will have solar panels that have all LED. lighting. They are LEED-standard, have charging-station capabilities if we want to put them in, and have truck layover facilities where they can de-power and connect in, built into them."

Redeker said the department is also improving bicycle and pedestrian access, both on roads and as part of mass transit, with bike racks coming on all transit buses in the state as well as on some new Metro-North rail cars.

Abbott House Festival of Lights to shine Thursday

Providing the feel of a traditional, family Christmas is the goal of the Abbott House's Festival of Lights.

The fourth annual festival is at 5:15 p.m. Thursday at the Abbott House, 909 Court Merrill St., Mitchell.

The light show uses about a quarter of a million lights, synchronized to flash to the melodies of traditional Christmas carols. The show will include new lights this year, a large Frosty the Snowman and extra light-up Christmas trees and stars.

For about half the girls at the Abbott House, the Festival of Lights is an opportunity to celebrate Christmas, said Virginia Wishard Lambert, Abbott House director of development.

"At Christmas there are about 20 girls that have no place to go," she said. "What we do as a community is the Christmas they get. This is really a chance to enjoy the joy that can come from Christmas and the warmth it brings when they walk outside to see the lights."

That joy and sense of family is shared with the community throughout December with the light show each evening.

The Festival of Lights began as a fundraiser for the Abbott House's education program.

Each Abbott House girl has a curriculum tailored specifically to meet her needs. When girls arrive at the house, they are behind in their education, Wishard Lambert said.

"While here they improve one to two grade levels because of the individualized approach to learning," she said.

For girls who are placed in the house by their parents, the Abbott House does not receive funding for their education. For those 10 girls, it costs about $100,000 annually to support their education, Wishard Lambert added.

With the money raised during this year's Festival of Lights, online learning equipment will be bought, along with other software, art and classroom supplies.

Since the festival began, Wishard Lambert said the amount of money raised has increased.

Last year, about $20,000 was raised. Wishard Lambert said that money came mostly from sponsorships and not donations.

"We really encourage people to show their appreciation by leaving a donation after seeing the lights," she said. "This year, with budget cuts to education as well as our Medicaid, all of the money we raise from this event will help offset that." Donations can be dropped in the festival donation boxes, which are placed along the boulevard at the Abbott House.

Donations can also be mailed to P.O. Box 700, Mitchell, SD, 57301. It took 125 volunteers to string the lights, which will be on display from 5:30 to 10 p.m. until Jan. 2. Despite so many lights, Wishard Lambert said the Abbott House doesn't see a large increase in electricity bills. "All the lights flash. It's not like we have 250,000 lights on all the time," she said. She added that as the Abbott House adds and replaces lights, they are converting to LED Christmas lights. "They are energy-savers and they seem to be brighter," she said.