Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG AEX: PHIA), the global leader in lighting, has partnered with Green Sense Farms (GSF), a Chicago-area commercial grower, to develop one of the largest indoor commercial farms using LED grow lights tailored to their specific crops. This innovative farming model allows them to harvest 20-25 times a year by using ‘light recipes’ optimized for their produce, using 85 percent less energy. The result will be an increase in crop yields and reduced operating costs, while providing consumers with locally grown, fresh vegetables throughout the year.

As LED becomes increasingly widespread, Microsoft Research has also caught on with LiFi technology developments with proposed LED positioning system, Epsilon. The company’s Asia research division recently published a paper explaining the concept behind the positioning system.

Walt Disney Research Lab and ETH Zurich have designed LED two-wheeled robots named Pixelbots that are able to create animation in real time. 

Sonny Dickson has leaked more images of the Apple iPhone 6 dummy. If the images and information is correct, the new model seems to have taken a step back in terms of LED flash compared to previous models. 

A new method of Lipo Suction using LED lights offers patients a non-invasive alternative to surgery. When the body requires energy, the brain sends signals to adipose cells to break down stored fat. This process is called lipolysis. Free fatty acids are then released into the bloodstream and circulate throughout the body. Lipo Light acts in a similar manner where heat and light emitted through the device stimulates the release of energy. 

Smart Vision Lights — a designer and manufacturer of high-brightness LED lights for industrial applications, including machine vision — is pleased to introduce the XR256 Series High-Speed Strobe Lights for industrial and machine vision applications requiring high-speed, high-power, pulse initiated, or pulse following strobe lights.

On May 6, a group of 30 lighting and healthcare industry professionals will travel to the Lighting Research Center (LRC) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, N.Y. to attend the launch of the first “flagship” Light and Health Institute a two-day, hands-on seminar to teach the many ways in which light affects, and can be used to improve, health and wellbeing. The seminar is taught by Dr. Mariana Figueiro, LRC Light and Health Program director and professor at Rensselaer; Dr. Bernard Possidente, professor of biology at Skidmore College; Dr. Mark Rea, LRC director and professor at Rensselaer; and Andrew Bierman, LRC research scientist.

GT Advanced Technologies’ (GT) Arizona sapphire substrate facility reportedly began small scale sapphire production last month. Stephen Chin, analyst of UBS, revealed that the facility has also already begun shipping material to a Chinese supplier. 

Since being first introduced in the 1950’s, hula hoops have remained popular among both children and adults. Berlin even has a festival dedicated to the hula hoop. Started in 2005, this June will mark Hoopla! Berlin’s third annual festival.

Artificial lighting is threatening the sea turtle population. After emerging from their shells in the wee hours of the morning, sea turtle hatchlings instinctively find their way to the sea by the light reflected on the ocean. Modern society is now posing a threat to their survival as the brightest light is no longer coming from the ocean, but from hotels and shops along the ocean front.

Tomorrow night in Washington DC, EPA and DOE will honor businesses and organizations for their outstanding contribution to reducing greenhouse gas emission through energy efficiency at the 2014 Energy Star Award ceremony.

Leyard announced first quarter 2014 financial results on April 23, 2014. Operating revenue grew 28.43 percent YoY to NT$ 142 million (US$4.7 million). Net income attributed to shareholders was NT$10 million, up 29 percent YoY. EPS increased 16.67 percent YoY to NT$ 0.07. 

U.S. city Portland has installed blue LED lights next to red traffic lights at a six-way intersection to notify cyclists their bicycles have been detected, and traffic light will be changing soon to allow them pass through, according to a Oregon Live report. 

Sunny weather all year round is now achievable with the installation of nanoparticle LED panels developed by designer Paolo di Trapani and Italy’s University of Insubri, according to a Gizmodo report.

Displays made of organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) are very attractive. One of their advantages is that they can be less expensively manufactured using inkjet technology. Companies are aiming to make this process suitable for mass production — for example at AUO in Taiwan, one of the world’s leading display suppliers. 

Japanese cinematographer Takao Inoue has transformed common dandelions into luminescent flowers using OLED technology, according to a Tamago and Spoon Report.

The following Blog post was written by Dietmar Thomas, Manager Brand & Integrated Communications OLED, for Philips Lumiblade. On April 18th, Philips Lumiblade OLEDs did boldly go where no other OLED has gone before. Space. What sounds like the famous beginning of the original Star Trek television series was indeed a big step for the most modern light source on earth.

Major consumer electronic manufacturers such as Apple, Samsung, and Sony might be battling on the smartwatch front, but for the fashion-conscious the bulky designs have been rather unattractive. Keeping aesthetics in mind, a fairly new U.S.-based company, G-Wearables Team, has launched the world’s smallest LED fitness tracker.

More than one month has passed since Philips Lumiblade posted a teaser video on its Facebook account hinting the company’s OLEDs will be traveling to space on a NASA space shuttle. The tight lipped company has finally revealed the OLED application in space, and to our surprise had nothing to do with the shuttle’s interior lighting. 

Bulbing, a LED bulb designed by Studio Checha based in Israel may appear 3D to the naked eye, but a side-view reveals the luminaires are actually flat.

Dow Corning’s Chinese subsidy has recently filed an organosilicone patent infringement case in Shanghai First Intermediate People's Court against Beijing KMT Technology, according to a Chinese language OFweek report. In the complaint, Beijing KMT Technology was accused of selling Dow Corning’s patented organosilicone products as its own.

Researchers from Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, Shizuoka University in Japan find in this latest study that broccoli aging after harvest can be delayed by red LED lights, but blue LED lights had no effect on countering the yellowing process. The study conducted by Gang Maa, Lancui Zhanga, Chandra Kurnia Setiawana, Kazuki Yamawakia et al. has been published in Postharvest Biology and Technology journal.

New version of the first MINI with four doors, a large tailgate, five seats and optional all-wheel drive; new MINI Countryman (combined fuel consumption: 7.1- 4.2 l/100 km, combined CO2 emissions: 165 - 111 g/km) hones its profile as an all-round talent for versatile mobility and an active lifestyle.

In 2014, LED industry ushered in golden period of development, the competition and integration between enterprises kicked off. LED industry faces both opportunities and challenges: under the urging of the localization process, the upstream chip companies optimize capacity utilization, to compete with each other in technology. Flip chip technology breaks in full fury, which has attracted more and more attention of lighting and backlighting market gradually, becoming the most important developing item in this year. As the global LED lamp replacing tide comes, LED bulb and tub...

Japanese design studio YOY has created new LED luminaires capable of projecting its own lampshade this year, according to a Deezen report.

Chinese smartphone maker BBK’s next Vivo flagship smartphone will be using dual flash LED, according to a GSM Arena Report.

Manicures are getting techy and flashier in Japan with Takara Tomy Arts smart LED nails. 

Smart glasses and other wearable augmented reality devices are the most exciting and fastest growing sectors in consumer electronics technology. EpiCrystals Inc. of Finland has developed a revolutionary laser light source which is especially designed to improve the usability and image quality in advanced projection applications.

On the occasion of the Light+Building light fair, the Osram stand will be showing project partners how to further exploit the possibilities of light with lighting systems, light projects and various solutions and services. Light+Building is the leading light fair, taking place from 30 March to 4 April in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. Osram is located at Light+Building in Hall 2 ("Alte Festhalle").

A sideways triangle means “play.” A red hand signals “don’t cross.” A white outline of a woman in a dress indicates “women’s restroom.” These are some very basic symbols that translate information without anyone thinking twice about from where they came.