LED Fun facts 

Article from: ambientlightingcorp.com/lighting-details/led-fun-facts


Mosquitoes and other bugs don’t buzz around LEDs

If you turn on a regular old fashioned light at nigh you will instantly become a magnet for bugs. LEDs don’t have the same effect on the insect population.  This is because LED bulbs do not emit wavelengths in the UV spectrum which is what the bugs are attracted to.  Think of the old bug zappers with the blue lights, a.k.a and infrared bulbs.

LEDs mimic natural light
LEDs operate in the color temperature range we call “Pure White” (5800 to 6200 Kelvin) providing Full Spectrum Light that is the closest thing to natural sunlight without the harmful UV rays.

LED lights help you to keep food fresher for longer.

LED lights do not emit ultraviolet rays and that is why they are better options for supermarkets, restaurants, and kitchen lighting. However, other light sources, natural and artificial, emit UV rays. Ultra Violet rays decrease nutrient levels in foods. In addition,LED lights do not give-off heat, keeping food fresher for longer.

The highest temperature good quality LEDs will reach is around 131 degrees compared with Halogens which get to more than 734 degree

LEDs don’t get hot

The highest temperature good quality LEDs will reach is around 131 degrees compared with Halogens which get to more than 734 degree

LEDs don’t create harmful ElectroMagnetic Fields

LEDs operate on DC (Direct Current), meaning electric current flows in one direction only, creating a static electromagnetic field (EMF). Static EMFs are not linked to the health issues associated with AC lights and appliances.

LEDs don’t get hot

The highest temperature good quality LEDs will reach is around 131 degrees compared with Halogens which get to more than 734 degree

LEDs don’t create harmful ElectroMagnetic Fields

LEDs operate on DC (Direct Current), meaning electric current flows in one direction only, creating a static electromagnetic field (EMF). Static EMFs are not linked to the health issues associated with AC lights and appliances.

LEDs have been around for a long time

The first LEDs were infrared. They were
developed in 1955. White light LEDs were not developed around 1995.  The regular light bub was invented in the 19th century

LED lights help you become a safer driver

Thinking about how it does that. LED headlights have a higher color temperature, which improves the vision of the driver in low-light conditions. Also, the amount of blue light in LED, aids with peripheral vision.

LED stands for Light Emitting Diodes

They are actually not bulbs.  An LED is a semiconductor diode. It consists of a chip of semiconducting material treated to create a structure called a p-n (positive-negative) junction. LEDs have no filament or moving parts, making them extremely durable and low maintenance.

Top 10 Benefits of Using LED Lights Instead of Conventional Lighting

Top 10 Benefits of Using LED Lights Instead of Conventional Lighting

You certainly hear and read a lot about the advantages and benefits of the energy efficiency of LED light emitting diodes vs traditional lighting. When you compare them to other energy-saving illumination methods that are available on the market today, you will find that LED lighting is by far the most power-saving and smart solution. Recent research and developments in the field of LED illumination is about to bring upon us an intelligent green LED lighting revolution that will help us save the planet. Join us now and become a part of it!

By far the most energy efficient, the cleanest and most eco-friendly way of illumination is LED lighting, which is basically digital light and comes with a multitude of amazing benefits.

In fact, in makes a big leap in technology that can been seen much as an upgrade from analog to digital. LED is digital light, and the advantages versus conventional ‘analog’ lighting are so huge and of major


1. Long Life
Long life time stands out as the number one benefit of LED lights. LED bulbs and diodes have an outstanding operational life time expectation of up to 100.000 hours. This is 11 years of continuous operation, or 22 years of 50% operation. If you leave on the LED fixture for 8h per day it would take around 20 years before you’d have to replace the LED bulb.
LED’s are different to standard lighting: They don’t really burn out and stop working like a standard light, moreover the lighting diodes emit lower output levels over a very long period of time and become less bright.


2. Energy Efficiency
Todays most efficient way of illumination and lighting, with an estimated energy efficiency of 80%-90% when compared to traditional lighting and conventional light bulbs. This means that about 80% of the electrical energy is converted to light, while a ca. 20% is lost and converted into other forms of energy such as heat.

With traditional incandescent light bulbs who operate at 20% energy efficiency only, a 80% of the electricity is lost as heat. Imagine the following scenario:

If you use traditional lighting and have an electricity bill of e.g US$ 100, then US$ 80 of that money has been used to heat the room, not to light it! Using LED illumination with 80% efficiency, the electricity costs would be around US$ 20 and you’d have saved around US$ 80.

The long operational life time acts as a multiplicator and helps achieve even more energy efficiency, especially large scale and when thinking in terms of urban infrastructure projects, such as cities, railroads and airports.

Think of e.g an airport using energy efficient LED lighting exclusively and achieving a 30% power consumption reduction in comparison with an airport using conventional lighting technology.

Because the long life span of LED lights, also the maintenance work - think of all the work and energy it would take to purchase, stock and change the conventional light bulbs of an airport - you’ll see that you can make significant energy savings also when it comes to maintenance and replacement due to the long operational life times of LED lighting.


3. Ecologically Friendly
LED lights are free of toxic chemicals. Most conventional fluorescent lighting bulbs contain a multitude of materials like e.g mercury that are dangerous for the environment.

LED lights contain no toxic materials and are 100% recyclable, and will help you to reduce your carbon footprint by up to a third. The long operational life time span mentioned above means also that one LED light bulb can save material and production of 25 incandescent light bulbs. A big step towards a greener future!


4. Durable Quality
LEDs are extremely durable and built with sturdy components that are highly rugged and can withstand even the roughest conditions.

Because LED lights are resistant to shock, vibrations and external impacts, they make great outdoor lighting systems for rough conditions and exposure to weather, wind, rain or even external vandalism, traffic related public exposure and construction or manufacturing sites.


5. Zero UV Emissions
LED illumination produces little infrared light and close to no UV emissions.

Because of this, LED lighting is highly suitable not only for goods and materials that are sensitive to heat due to the benefit of little radiated heat emission, but also for illumination of UV sensitive objects or materials such a in museums, art galleries, archeological sites etc.


6. Design Flexibility
LEDs can be combined in any shape to produce highly efficient illumination. Individual LEDs can be dimmed, resulting in a dynamic control of light, color and distribution. Well-designed LED illumination systems can achieve fantastic lighting effects, not only for the eye but also for the mood and the mind:

LED mood illumination is already being used in airplanes, classrooms and many more locations and we can expect to see a lot more LED mood illumination in our daily lives within the next few years.


7. Operational in Extremely Cold or Hot Temperatures
LED are ideal for operation under cold and low outdoor temperature settings. For fluorescent lamps, low temperatures may affect operation and present a challenge, but LED illumination operates well also in cold settings, such as for outdoor winter settings, freezer rooms etc.


8. Light Dispersement
LED is designed to focus its light and can be directed to a specific location without the use of an external reflector, achieving a higher application efficiency than conventional lighting. Well-designed LED illumination systems are able to deliver light more efficiently to the desired location.


9. Instant Lighting & Frequent Switching
LED lights brighten up immediately and when powered on, which has great advantages for infrastructure projects such as e.g traffic and signal lights.

Also, LED lights can switched off and on frequently and without affecting the LED’s lifetime or light emission. In contrast, traditional lighting may take several seconds to reach full brightness, and frequent on/off switching does drastically reduce operational life expectancy.

10. Low-Voltage
A low-voltage power supply is sufficient for LED illumination. This makes it easy to use LED lighting also in outdoor settings, by connecting an external solar-energy source and is a big advantage when it comes to using LED technology in remote or rural areas.

Did these top 10 benefits of LED lighting convince you? LED lighting has even more benefits and advantages, so make sure you go LED and save both the planet - and your money!

The Future of LEDs

The Future of LEDs

LEDs continue to get brighter, more efficient and cheaper. Some predict a 2 or 3 times improvement in efficiency and brightness before the decade is over with significant price decreases. Whether these predictions are true or not remains to be seen, but what is certain is that millions of dollars are being invested in this technology every year ensuring a bright future for LED technology.

The future of household lighting will soon be the wide spread adoption and use of white energy efficient LED light bulbs. Though the present market for finished white LED products is geared mainly towards enthusiasts and early-adopters, the efficiency and cost effectiveness of LED lighting systems will drive demand for more affordable LED lights. Opto-electronics is an exciting area and we predict, that in the near future, white LED lighting applications will be powerful and cheap enough to replace incandescent lighting for everyday use in our homes, in street lights, outdoor signs, and offices.
Advantages of LED Lights

The operational life of current white LED lamps is 100,000 hours. This is 11 years of continuous operation, or 22 years of 50% operation. The long operational life of an led lamp is a stark contrast to the average life of an incandescent bulb, which is approximately 5000 hours. If the lighting device needs to be embedded into a very inaccessible place, using LEDs would virtually eliminate the need for routine bulb replacement. 

There is no comparison between the cost of LED lights vs. traditional incandescent options. With incandescent bulbs, the true cost of the bulb is the cost of replacement bulbs and the labor expense and time needed to replace them. These are significant factors, especially where there are a large number of installed bulbs. For office buildings and skyscrapers, maintenance costs to replace bulbs can be enormous. These issues can all be virtually eliminated with the LED option. 

The key strength of LED lighting is reduced power consumption. When designed properly, an LED circuit will approach 80% efficiency, which means 80% of the electrical energy is converted to light energy. The remaining 20% is lost as heat energy. Compare that with incandescent bulbs which operate at about 20% efficiency (80% of the electrical energy is lost as heat). In real money terms, if a 100 Watt incandescent bulb is used for 1 year, with an electrical cost of 10 cents/kilowatt hour, $88 will be spent on electricity costs. Of the $88 expense, $70 will have been used to heat the room, not light the room. If an 80% efficient LED system had been used, the electricity cost would be $23 per year - there would be a cost savings of $65 on electricity during the year. Realistically the cost savings would be higher as most incandescent light bulbs blow out within a year and require replacements whereas LED light bulbs can be used easily for a decade without burning out. 

Our white LED lights currently come in packages which contain 36 or 48 LED lamps and can be adapted for use with any power supply or casing. Our clusters allow for conversion to operate from all common caving batteries, e.g. FX5/Kirby pack down to two AA cells, in case portability is needed. We have produced a seven-LED cluster light source as an alternative to low wattage light bulbs and a possible portable light source. 

The main limitation to the adoption of white LED lighting as a lighting standard is the current high cost of led bulbs. Although the cost keeps going down, LED light bulbs are still expensive. A single AC bulb (17 LED), replacing a 25 watt incandescent, will cost about $40. Although LED's are expensive, the cost is recouped over time and in energy cost savings. Factor in that it is significantly cheaper to maintain led lights, the best value comes from commercial use where maintenance and replacement costs are expensive. Traffic lights and outdoor signs, for example, are being switched over to LED's in many cities. Smaller arrays, such as those in flashlights, headlamps and small task lights are great for specialty and outdoor use. LED based automotive headlights are current being used in high end luxury cars.

It will be interesting to see what developments are coming for more residential applications of LED lights. LED lighting technology has been researched and developed for the past two decades and we are beginning to see practical applications from this work. There is already wide spread use of LED traffic signs and LED headlights where a premium is placed on a reliable light source that is cheaper and less labor intensive to maintain. We in the industry are certain that tomorrows LED lights will last longer and consume even less power than todays energy efficient led light bulbs. LED lighting will be used to replace virtually every type of light, bulb, and lamp that is currently in use. 

Some advantages of LED Lighting

Basic advantages of LED Light

• Energy efficient - LED’s are now capable of outputting 135 lumens/watt
• Long Lifetime - 50,000 hours or more if properly engineered
• Rugged - LED’s are also called “Solid State Lighting (SSL) as they are made of solid material with no filament or tube or bulb to break
• No warm-up period - LED’s light instantly – in nanoseconds
• Not affected by cold temperatures - LED’s “like” low temperatures and will startup even in subzero weather
• Directional - With LED’s you can direct the light where you want it, thus no light is wasted
• Excellent Color Rendering - LED’s do not wash out colors like other light sources such as fluorescents, making them perfect for displays and retail applications
• Environmentally friendly - LED’s contain no mercury or other hazardous substances
• Controllable - LED’s can be controlled for brightness and color

Why LED's are chosen for many applications

• LEDs are ideal for use in applications that are subject to frequent on-off cycling, unlike fluorescent lamps that burn out more quickly when cycled frequently, or HID lamps that require a long time before restarting.

• LEDs can very easily be dimmed or strobed.
• LEDs light up very quickly. A typical red indicator LED will achieve full brightness in microseconds.
• LEDs mostly fail by dimming over time, rather than the abrupt burn-out of incandescent bulbs
• LEDs, being solid state components, are difficult to damage with external shock, unlike fluorescent and incandescent bulbs which are fragile.
• LEDs can be very small and are easily populated onto printed circuit boards.
• LEDs do not contain mercury, unlike compact fluorescent lamps
• Disadvantages and challenges in using LEDs

LEDs are currently more expensive, price per lumen, on an initial capital cost basis, than more conventional lighting technologies. However, when considering the total cost of ownership (including energy and maintenance costs), LEDs far surpass incandescent or halogen sources and begin to threaten compact fluorescent lamps.
The Chart Below compares different light sources based upon the life of the bulb and the electrical cost at 10 cents per kWh (kilowatt hour). Note: fixture costs and installation costs are not included.

LED performance largely depends on correctly engineering the fixture to manage the heat generated by

the LED, which causes deterioration of the LED chip itself. Over-driving the LED or not engineering the product to manage heat in high ambient temperatures may result in overheating of the LED package, eventually leading to device failure. Adequate heat-sinking is required to maintain long life. The most common design of a heat sink is a metal device with many fins, which conducts the heat away from the LED. For more information on this, refer to the Thermal Management tab.
LEDs must be supplied with the correct voltage and current at a constant flow. This requires some electronics expertise to design the electronic drivers.
LED’s can shift color due to age and temperature.  Also two different white LED will have two different color characteristics, which affect how the light is perceived.

LEDs were first used for signal lighting, such as in a dashboard and later in tail lamps. In the past few years several companies have developed high power LEDs which are extremely bright and can now be used in applications that require a high light output, such as street lighting and task lighting. These are often referred to as "lighting class LEDs."

INTRODUCTION TO THREE TYPES OF LIGHTING

INTRODUCTION TO THREE TYPES OF LIGHTING

There are three basic types of lighting: ambient, accent, and task. While it's not required that every space have all three types present, the best lit rooms and spaces will. The best designs will integrate layers of light to create moods and draw the eye to key points of interest. It’s not just recessed cans, it’s not just table lamps, it’s not just accent lighting; it’s the integration of these sources to create a balanced design.

Note that often decorative lighting is considered a 4th type of lighting. Personally, I don't consider lighting that is purely decorative to be part of a lighting scheme. A purely decorative source (that doesn't produce ambient light) is really a piece of art.

CREATING AMBIENT LIGHT

Sometimes referred to as "general lighting," this is the primary lighting element of the room. Ambient lighting will determine the look and feel of the space; think of it as your overall illumination, although that doesn't mean you need to light every corner of the room. Ambient light is the primary lighting choice, and all others fall in around that.

Ambient lighting is commonly created using:

Reflected Light
Recessed Downlights
Concept section - recessed down light.

The recessed downlight (commonly referred to as a high hat) became popular in the 1980s and remains a staple of interior design. Recessed into the ceiling, they create a hole flush with the ceiling plane from which light pours downward. Recessed downlights are capable of accepting compact fluorescent and halogen A-lamps, as well as a wide variety of halogen and LED point sources. CFL and Halogen A-lamps in recessed downlights are truly down lights. Point sources in recessed cans can be aimed (more on that soon).

Since recessed downlights are installed in your ceiling, there are some things to consider (these will apply to their adjustable cousins as well). In the U.S., all electrical connections must be protected within a junction box. So recessed down lights have some version of a housing, and it is within that housing that the electrician will make their wiring connections. Whether you’re building the room as new construction or a renovation, the space between your ceiling and the structure above and whether the ceiling is insulated will all determine what kind of housing is required.

The last thing to consider is what the fixture will look like in your ceiling and how easy it will be to change light bulbs when the time comes. Manufactures have come up with a wide variety of ways to finish the hole created in the ceiling so that the fixture becomes a true architectural element. Usually, these treatments are called trims. A trim is a plate (options include square, round, overlapping the ceiling, flush to the ceiling, deep regress, shallow regress, lensed, all in a multitude of colors, etc.) that will be removed to change a light bulb. It’s important to understand how trims are installed and removed, because these fixtures will have to be maintained over time, even if it’s just changing light bulbs.

Recessed downlights are great for providing illumination, but be careful: The tendency with these is to use too many and over-light the room. Downlight isn't the most complimentary angle to light people or objects; good for general ambiance, yes, but don't rely too heavily on this concept.


Table and Floor Lamps

No surprise here: Table and floor lamps have been a staple since the kerosene era. Most older table and floor lamps are based around incandescent bulbs (refer back to Part I for the various replacements to the A-lamp including CFL, LED and halogen). People often ask me if there's a problem only lighting a room with table and floor lamps, and there isn't. It's just important to understand that table and floor lamps offer only ambient light. Usually, a glow cast in all directions all the time; if that's the effect you want, then that's great. The right lamps with the right light source can make a room magical. At the same time, table and floor lamps are often a fallback when other ideas seem too daunting. Don't fall into that trap.

Cove Lighting

One of the most underused lighting concepts in residential lighting is the cove light. Ambient cove lighting can provide a spectacular indirect light source for your room. If the architecture supports it,
think about coves as a way to bounce light off your ceiling, or wash light down your walls. Cove lighting can be achieved with linear and compact fluorescent, halogen strips, and increasingly with LEDS. Cove lighting is especially great for creating luminous surfaces, like walls in a bathroom or vaulted ceilings in an older home. Make sure you understand the design of cove lighting so you can ensure proper maintenance.

Surface Mounted Decorative Fixtures
These are fixtures mounted tight to walls and ceilings and are meant to be viewed. Surface mounted fixtures can be amazing when they fit with the decor and provide the desired lighting effect. Here's my cautionary note with surface mounted fixtures: Big box stores that shall remain unnamed have pushed lots of sub-par fixtures into the market. Don't get me wrong; you can find a decent fixture at your local big box retailer, but if you're looking for great lighting, do your research.

There are amazing fixtures from all over the country that are works of art in and of themselves and will dramatically improve the execution of your design. Look at photos online and go to shops if you can, because finding the right fixture can change everything.

Chandeliers and Wall Sconces

The mother of all decorative fixtures, a chandelier can be utterly spectacular. When the word is uttered,
most people think of a crystal piece with dozens of tiny lamps. I invite you to expand your concept of what a chandelier is to modern forms and singular light sources. I think of a chandelier as any hanging light source that is some height below the ceiling. Like other decorative sources, expand your thinking from what's available at the local big box store; I've seen chandeliers made of used spoons, hubcaps, and painted glass. Chandeliers can be totally expressive pieces of art as well as good ambient light sources.

Wall sconces are decorative pieces mounted at some distance off the wall. There are as many kinds of sconces as there are kinds of taste. When walls themselves become luminous,  good things can happen. Good sconces, like table and floor lamps provide ambient light from a relatively low angle. This soft glow creates complimentary shadows on the faces of people and furniture. Light from lower
angles (though not uplight from the floor) will also be perceived as warmer and more inviting.

Basic Types Of Lighting

 Basic Types Of Lighting

Ambient lighting provides an area with overall
illumination. Also known as general lighting, it radiates a comfortable level of brightness without glare and allows you to see and walk about safely. In some spaces such as laundry rooms, the ambient lighting also serves as the primary source of task lighting.

It can be accomplished with chandeliers, ceiling or wall-mounted fixtures, recessed or track lights and with lanterns mounted on the outside of the home. Having a central source of ambient light in all rooms is fundamental to a good lighting plan.

Task lighting helps you perform specific tasks, such as reading, grooming, preparing and cooking food, doing homework, working on hobbies,

playing games and balancing your check-book. It can be provided by recessed and track lighting, pendant lighting and under-cabinet lighting, as well as by portable floor and desk lamps.

Task lighting should be free of distracting glare and shadows and should be bright enough to prevent eye strain.

Accent lighting adds drama to a room by creating visual interest. As part of an interior design scheme, it is used to draw the eye to houseplants, paintings, sculptures and other prized possessions. It can also be used to highlight the texture of a brick or stone wall, window treatments or outdoor landscaping.

To be effective, accent lighting requires as least three times as much light on the focal point as the general lighting surrounding it.

Accent lighting is usually provided by recessed and track lighting or wall-mounted picture lights.

Recommend Us

Muxmedia

LED Ambient Lighting by Electrical Contractor for Toronto and GTA

OFFICE

The philosophy of lighting an office used to be to provide a uniform level of illumination throughout. Today, however, there is a growing awareness that efficiency can improve considerably if the lighting is more balanced, and adapted to each function. Reflections on computer screens can prove tiring as the day draws on, and as concentration drops, so does efficiency.

Muxmedia provides LED based lighting solutions not only that it will offer flexibility and adaptability, but it can help make people feel more comfortable at work and help stimulate their performance, while experiencing considerable energy and maintenance cost reductions.

OUTDOOR

The needs of urban lighting are changing. It is no longer simply a matter of providing enough light in our towns and cities to ensure visibility and security; today, lighting is increasingly being used to create a nocturnal environment in which the city takes on a new identity, creating a more livable community that residents are proud of.

LEDs lighting provide an unparalleled way of illuminating our outside environment in an exciting and practical manner. They are highly adaptable, allowing designers to move away from the static lighting of the past and venture into creating flexible ambiances that could, for example, change with the weather or the season, and provide festive colour options on public holidays. And all this with energy consumption that is only a fraction of conventional lighting techniques.

RETAIL

Shopping today has become an experience. And lighting plays a vital role in creating that experience, whether in a small, trendy boutique or in a major department store. LED solutions are uniquely suited to retail outlets. It can provide a wide range of effects, from the strikingly dramatic to the intriguing and inviting that contribute to the total shopping experience. It can highlight a product, create drama and interest, but it can also reflect mood, helping create the perfect environment for the shopping experience.

LED lighting systems are so adaptable, so flexible, that a single lighting system can conjure up an almost limitless number of effects, moods and ambiances. Thanks to the ultra-long life of LEDs and their high energy efficiency, cost-savings on energy can be very significant.

ENTERTAINMENT - EVENTS

Lighting and entertainment energize us. It can make an ordinary environment into something extraordinary. Our flexible lighting solutions allow people to create experiences that are unique, adjustable and totally responsive in either outside on walls or to the inside, even under the table.

RESIDENTIAL

Our specialists will transform your home into a beautiful, cozy and inviting living space. Our Residential lighting solutions are elegant and very appealing with a luxury accents that until now only extremely expensive properties could enjoy these illumination effects.

The illumination with LED's provides about 50 times longer life than conventional incandescent bulbs and it consumes about 70% to 90% less energy for the same amount of light in comparison with the same classic bulb light. We will provide solutions for every budget transforming your living space in a very special one.

We hold Canadian patents related to specific ambient lighting. Our patented Illuminated Crown Moulding and Illuminated Side-boards solution has a wide applicability in almost any home adding a great touch of luxury and comfort.

HOME THEATRE WITH AMBILIGHT - BOBLIGHT SYSTEM

The idea is simple: A home theatre provides a theatre-like experience in your home.
But what exactly does that entail?
The quick answer is, there's no quick answer. A home theatre can be as simple as a few A/V devices in your living room or as complex as a completely renovated basement designed to look like Hollywood's El Capitan Theatre. At its core, a home theatre system should provide a high-quality video experience and an immersive audio experience that breathe life into your favourite movies, but a number of roads can lead to that destination.

We work with the customer, builder and/or designer within the given budget to provide best solution and execution for a perfect Home Theatre System. Starting with basic HDTV and up to 4KTV. The sound could start as low as 2.1 channels or a basic sound bar up to the most sophisticated audio systems. We make sure that we will provide full explanation what you will get.

As a unique feature, Muxmedia provides Ambilight system as special customizations in terms of light and sound. Imagine Ambilight System as a smudge or an extension of dynamic and synchronized light projected on the walls or ceiling, as seen in the image above.
"A picture is a thousand words" and a video perhaps more...

Contact: contact@muxmedia.com

Philips Hue LED smart lights hacked, home blacked out by security researcher

Within a the last two decades, lighting has very rapidly moved from Thomas Edison’s highly controlled burning to semiconductor-based illumination. The logical next step after our lights became electronic devices was to turn them into internet-connected gadgets, which Philips did quite successfully with the Hue lighting system. Joining the internet of things is an important advance for lighting, but it means that these devices are subject to the same security issues that all other connected products must face. This week we learned that Philips fell short in its security precautions and a security researcher was able to crack into the Hue’s supposedly closed system, creating a localized blackout.

Using a malware script, Nitesh Dhanjani hacked into a Hue installation and issued a blackout command through the bridge (the Hue’s router) turning the connected lights out entirely. This is essentially the connected home equivalent of a hacker taking over your car, except that Dhanjani actually did it and documented the entire process.

The attack itself doesn’t seem too interesting — theoretically, the hacker gets a bit of malware onto the victim’s computer which tells the Hue bulbs connected to a bridge on the same network to turn off. The bulbs are still powered but they are not not producing light, which is the standard off-state for Hue. This shouldn’t be that bad because the Hue bulbs are designed to revert to the on state after they lose power for any period — say, a wall switch is flipped — but in this case the malware script runs continuously, so the bulbs are commanded to turn off immediately after they are powered up.

By compromising a device on the network — not the Hue system itself — this malware would completely break the Hue for almost any user, unless they thought to try the bulbswithout the bridge installed. In this case the Hue bulbs would not respond to app commands or be able to change color, leaving the owner with a set of very expensive, white Philips LED bulbs (but at least they would work).

In his paper on the hack Dhanjani walks through the Hue’s security — which is otherwise adequate — and makes the point that connected devices must focus on security. He details how the highly connected Hue can be attacked through multiple vectors, including links on Facebook, IFTTT recipes, or by theoretically finding a flaw in the radio protocol (Zigbee Light Link). By placing the malware on a local PC it becomes persistent and much more effective then attacking the Hue itself. Not only does this method circumvent the Hue’s otherwise adequate security, but it would render replacement Hue systems useless as well.

This proof-of-concept hack might not seem very concerning — it’s an exploit, coded by a director at Ernst & Young who’s the whitest of white hat hackers, that disables a few bulbs in a very small number of homes — but its point is clear enough. Philips needs need get smarter about its security, and be more careful about steps that are skipped solely for ease of use. In this case the Hue’s whitelist tokens cannot be edited once they are in place without accessing the debugger, which is not only the malware’s attack vector but also the reason the malware can continue to operate, causing a perpetual blackout.

Anolis Lights Iconic Industrial Landmark

The heritage-listed Newstead Gas Ring is an iconic piece of Brisbane’s historical industrial architecture that is now at the hub of a major urban regeneration project, Gasworks, a plan started over two decades ago to transform the formally derelict post-industrial wasteland into a busy and vibrant contemporary living, working and commercial environment.

The newly launched Gasworks Plaza element of this project stands below the superstructure of the former gas storage ring which still majestically towers above the land below... and has now been illuminated with over 500 Anolis LED lighting fixtures.

These bring its stunning Victorian architecture to life in a spectacular lighting and sound installation concept bridging the gap between its former functionality and its new funkiness.
The old gasworks that once stood on the site adjacent to the Brisbane River was opened in 1887 and provided lighting to the Brisbane area for decades. Now it is living, breathing and being appreciated again with the intricate and beautiful colours unique to gas flames.

These ‘flames’ linking past-to-present on the classic steel structure were the brainchild of Lighting Designer Heath Williamson of Brisbane creative lighting practice Firefly, who collaborated closely with Jono Perry, Technical Director of the Brisbane Festival.

The pair have over 30 years aggregate experience in the event and theatre production and cinematography industries... plus a huge connection with the structure.

It was Williamson who initially pushed the Newstead area’s developers FKP to let him re-imagine the landmark Gas Ring as a giant public sculpture for all to enjoy.

Once this had received the green light, he had an open brief to bring the specific sense of colour, kinesys and fluidity he wanted to the art ... and he chose to work with Anolis.

He chose Anolis because it is a quality LED brand, for the great service offered by Australian distributors’ The ULA Group and because he wanted to use cutting-edge technology for the scheme.
The Gas Ring is 40 metres in diameter with a circumference of 152 metres and features 20 spires each 20 metres tall.

Anolis ArcDots -- a super-bright Cree MC-E RGBW multichip based LED ‘pixel’ fixture with an IP67 rating for good weather resistance -- are used on every bracing cross-member of steel on the middle and top rings, which are approximately 1200mm apart. There are also five runs of 7 x ArcDots at 1200mm spacings on every fourth spire, and a further 40 units up-light the finials at the top of each spire.

In addition to these, 60 Anolis ArcSource 96s are utilised to up-light the main frames of each of the 20 spires … and 20 x ArcSource Integral MCs are ensconced in the ground beneath the trees around the Gasometer to complement the glowing metal.

Williamson loves the ArcSource 96s, commenting that in terms of output they were easily “The best” relatively compact outdoor LED flood that they tested. Ahead of making the final decision, he and Perry travelled to Singapore’s Garden By The Bay where they saw ArcSource 96s in action lighting the Supertrees, and that impressed them enough to confirm the fixtures for the Gas Ring. “I love the power and the throw,” he adds.

All the lighting is controlled via an e:cue DMX system which was programmed by Williamson and Perry. Perry produced four special 10 minute musical tracks for a weekend lightshow which plays out on Friday and Saturday nights. During the week the Ring is lit after dark in a signature scheme of different colours depending on season, events, etc.

The fixtures were supplied to the project by The ULA Group and installed on site by Eltech Electrical.

Blair Terrace, the Architectural Project Manager from the ULA Group comments, “This was a fantastic project to be involved in, working along side Heath and Jono in being a part of transforming this landmark from a derelict mud covered building site to an illuminated art piece was inspirational. This project has embraced world leading lighting technology with both hands and the reward is evident in the final result.”

“Congratulations to Heath and Jono and all involved on a spectacular piece of creative illumination,” adds Cuono Biviano, Managing Director of ULA Group.

“It gives me great pleasure that the ULA Group was a major supply partner in this landmark project and in the continual evolution of creative illumination throughout Australia and the globe. We pride ourselves in supplying the very best solutions and support for such demanding projects, and we look forward to many more in the future with Heath and Jono.”

Williamson first set eyes on the Gas Ring aged 17, when he was fresh out of high school and working for a film company on a NSW rugby tour with Tina Turner who performed under it. At the time he imagined that it would make an amazing light sculpture!

Several years later he saw an old Gasometer in Berlin lit for a music festival.... And this reignited the idea and the original dream in his head!

Perry spent eight years as a show director for Opera Australia integrating mixed and multi visual mediums with music... and so was a perfect partner to bring the magic of music to the Gas Ring and below it the Gasworks Plaza space, which is designed to host music and entertainment events of all types.

LED business news: Lutron and Crestron settle, Lextar, Revolution Lighting, and LSGC

Lutron Electronics has announced that it settled an RF-centric patent-infringement lawsuit against Crestron with the latter agreeing to license intellectual property (IP) related to wireless communications for remote control of automated shades and lighting including LED-based products. LED manufacturer Lextar (TAIEX:3698) has stated quarterly and annual profits and realized 36.8% year-over-year revenue growth. Revolution Lighting has acquired Value Lighting with the intent of penetrating the multi-family dwelling market with solid-state lighting (SSL). Lighting Science Group Corp (OTCQB:LSCG) has secured a new $53M (million) credit facility.

Lutron IP license

Lutron and Crestron did not reveal the details of their settlement of a lawsuit that was first filed in August 2009. Lutron claimed that Crestron products infringed two patents in the RF communications area and that Crestron also infringed a Lutron product design patent.

Crestron will now have a license to use the IP in question. The company will pay royalties to Lutron on past and future sales of products that use the covered RF technology. Lutron has previously licensed the IP in the RF patents to a number of other players in the lighting space including Control4, Cooper, Leviton, and Vantage Controls.

Lutron has a broad portfolio of control-centric products that can be used with both SSL and legacy lighting. Most recently the company rolled out new wired and wireless controls in February including an LED driver based on the company's wired EcoSystem technology and wireless dimmer control modules for use with 0-10V-based luminaires.

Lextar Q4 and year-end financials

Lextar's fourth-quarter 2013 and annual financial results were significantly improved from the prior year. Quarterly revenue was NT$3.32B (billion) or $110M and annual revenue totaled NT$13.75B ($450M). The annual gross margin of 12.7% yielded net profit of NT$948M ($1.3M).

Lextar president Allen Huang said that Lextar witnessed recovery in the LED business during 2013; however, he also noted that fierce competition is impacting component pricing and therefore profits. The company said that both backlighting and general lighting were responsible for the company's growth.

General lighting accounted for 30% of Lextar's business in 2013, and the company expects that figure to grow to 40% this year. The company expects that its China lighting venture Lextar Suzhou will help drive growth.

During 2013, the company integrated its operations with Wellypower Optronics, a company that Lextar acquired early in the year. That acquisition has helped Lextar become more vertically integrated and find more success in China.

Revolution Lighting acquisition

LED Lighting vendor Revolution Lighting will pay $35.6M for Value Lighting and assume $3.5M in dept. The transaction will include a $7.5M cash payment with stock accounting for the remainder of the purchase. Revolution said that Value Lighting has revenue of $43M in 2013.

The acquisition will provide Revolution Lighting with access to the multi-family dwelling market such as apartments. Value Lighting has specialized in the multi-family housing sector and Revolution said that market is expected to grow faster than the long-term average in coming years.

"This is an exciting and highly complementary acquisition that will allow Revolution Lighting to penetrate new markets, including the fast-growing multifamily residential housing sector, and further accelerate our overall growth as a company," said Robert V. LaPenta, chairman and CEO of Revolution. "Value Lighting's existing and new build customers are seeking to expand into LED lighting solutions and will provide a new and significant distribution channel for our company."

Lighting Science Group

Lighting Science, meanwhile, has revealed a new credit line in a relationship with Medley Capital Corp. The $53M will be utilized to refinance existing debt and to fund operations as the company focuses increasingly on LED retrofit lamps that deliver biologically-corrected light. The lamps are part of the human-centric lighting trend and deliver spectral distributions that can either increase alertness or encourage rest.
"This transaction provides Lighting Science with additional and more flexible capital in order to continue to pursue our infrastructure-related objectives for the next several years as well as our innovative product and technology development strategies," said Richard Davis, Lighting Science interim CEO.

Notre Dame Refitted with LED Lights

The Notre Dame de Paris just got an electronic facelift. Last week, tech company Royal Philips supplied the 13th century Gothic cathedral with a brand new LED lighting scheme that exposes details of the church that have never been seen before. The new lighting illuminates the rose windows regardless of exterior lighting while a near-invisible spotlight reveals details of the renowned sculpture, “Virgin and Child.”

Not only do these new lights dramatize the cathedral, but a computerized system orchestrates all 400 luminaires. The system is able to adjust the mood lighting based on what events are taking place and what exterior light is coming through the windows. The new LED system also has an installed capacity of 30kW compared to the previous 140kW capacity, reducing energy consumption by 80 percent.

While some may miss the more traditional dim lighting of the cathedral, the new LEDs allow visitors to glimpse into the previously darkened vaults and corners of the cathedral and retrieve a new understanding of an old monument.

LIGHTFAIR CALL FOR SPEAKERS

In celebration of its 25th anniversary, the LIGHTFAIR^® International 2014 Conference curriculum will champion integrated design as a central theme linking all courses, workshops and seminars in common focus to illustrate how technology, tools, problem-solving and inspiration converge in contemporary practice.  The integrated design focus is advanced by the 2014 LFI Conference Advisory Committee to recognize the need for the creation of socially responsible, effective and aesthetically pleasing environments.

With integrated design as its platform, the LIGHTFAIR 2014 Conference will create a vibrant atmosphere in which experts from diverse disciplines come together to present, discuss, debate, exchange and explore best practices and emerging concepts. Presenters, groups and panels all are encouraged to address integrated design practices.

Inspiration sessions address rule-breakers, creators of new pathways, re-defining the human experience within the built environment. Tell us what feeds your passion!

Technology and Tools sessions should address new and innovative elements. Subjects might include software, sources, luminaire components, controls, alternative/solar energy sources, daylighting and beyond.

Problem-Solving sessions address the process of achieving a viable solution through the successful combination of ideas. Situations may range from business-related issues to technology and design.

Integrated Design sessions address the holistic design process of a product or an environment that incorporates the collaboration of design professionals, manufacturers, builders, owners and/or occupants. Case studies or in-depth review of solutions that emphasize how the collaborative process affected the outcome are encouraged.

LED - Solid State Lighting Assessment

Solid State Lighting Assessment Technical Information

Visible light is a form of electromagnetic energy, part of a spectrum that includes radio waves, X-rays, ultraviolet and infrared. Visible radiation is commonly called “light”, and is usually described by its wavelength, which is expressed in nanometers. One nanometer is one billionth of a meter, or roughly four ten-billionths of an inch. The relationship of light to other forms of energy is illustrated below. The human eye can only see a part of this energy spectrum – a very narrow band of wavelengths between about 380 and 780 nm. The hue we see as blue lies below 480 nm, green between approximately 480 and 560 nm, yellow between 560 and 590 nm, orange between 590 and 630 nm, and red appears at wavelengths above 630 nm.

Sources of light such as the sun, florescent lamps, tungsten-filament light bulbs and LEDs emit light that is composed of a combination of visible wavelengths. A curve showing the amount of each of the visible wavelengths emitted by a light source is known as its “spectral power distribution”. The hues we see of physical objects are directly affected by the spectral power distribution of their illuminating light sources. And more importantly for motion picture production, the hues seen by film stocks and digital motion picture cameras are also directly affected by the illuminant’s spectral power distribution in distinctly different ways than the human eye.