Another lighting event has been postponed due to the increased spread of the coronavirus in Europe. Messe Frankfurt announced that Prolight + Sound 2020 will be moved to May 26 to 29 2020 after intensive consultations. The event was originally taking place from March 31 to April 3 2020. (Image: Prolight + Sound) Prolight + Sound offers a communication platform for business covering light and sound with integration between theater, stage, AV system, display and media technology. Since late February, the confirmed cases of coronavirus continue to surge in Europe,...

The world spreading coronavirus has brought people’s attention to infection prevention with masks and disinfecting products in short supply. UV lights with disinfecting function also become popular. Conventional UV lights with mercury lamps have been in hot sale for disinfection with the outbreak of coronavirus, leading to shortage in materials such as quartz glass and lamp frame. UV LED, as another UV light source, also become a market focus as people are getting more aware of the infection. UV LED technology developers seize the opportunity to push their UV ...

Somfy Systems announced partnership with Osram to improve natural and artificial light management in building environments. The combination of Osram Encelium and Somfy Digital Network® (SDN) creates a centralized interface for facility managers and streamlines the light management process. This unified control experience makes it simple to maximize the combination of natural and artificial light. (Image: Somfy) “Somfy is proud to partner with Osram to simplify lighting management,” said David Parrett, Lighting and Partnerships Business Developm...

Signify announced that it has completed the acquisition of Cooper Lighting Solutions from Eaton on March 2, which follows the schedule set by the two companies. Signify also introduced its new integrated charge controller which enable solar-powered lighting. Signify reported the purchase of Cooper Lighting Solutions from Eaton in October 2019 for US$ 1.4 billion with the aim to strengthen its market position in the North American lighting market. (Image: Pixabay) Meanwhile, the Dutch company launched the new integrated Philips Combo Charge Controller which e...

It has been reported that Apple will launch new products with Mini LED backlight technology including iPad Pro and MacBook Pro in 2020 and 2021. Recently, Apple is reportedly developing six products adopting Mini LED technology including a 12.9-inch iPad Pro, a 27-inch iMac Pro, a 14.1-inch MacBook Pro, a 16-inch MacBook Pro, a 10.2-inch iPad and a 7.9-inch iPad mini. (Image: Pixabay) Apple’s products with Mini LED display technology are believed to boost demands in the Mini LED market. Taiwan-based LED chip manufacturer Epistar, who i...

According to TCL’s latest update, the Chinese display company built strategic partnership with Sanan Semiconductor, a subsidiary of Sanan Optoelectronics. The two companies will establish a joint laboratory to develop Micro LED display technology. TCL and Sanan signed a strategic partnership MOU on March 3. According to the MOU, the two partners will set up a laboratory to develop Micro LED technology from end to end, addressing key issues of the engineering techniques and accelerating Micro LED production and applications. The partnership aims t...

Signify announced its expanded partnership with Planet Farms, a European operator of vertical farms based in Italy. With the latest agreement, Signify will provide its horticulture LEDs and management system to Europe’s largest vertical farm to boost the quality and yield of the crops. The updated collaboration will enables Planet Farms to produce and deliver aromatic herbs and lettuce to its customers in Italy all year round. (Image: Signify) Signify has also reached an agreement to provide horticultural LED grow lights to an additional five vertical farms t...

The novel coronavirus outbreak starting in China has led to cities lockdown in the country and the delay in production resume as local governments in China are trying hard to manage the epidemic. Despite that February 10 was set to be the official restarting day for work, several provinces and cities have postponed the date as they were afraid that the coronavirus would further spread. Also, many of the workers traveling from their hometown to the work places were required to take 14 days self-quarantine before going back to the factories and offices. As a result, operation can har...

Despite that the world spreading coronavirus epidemic seems to lead to economic decline, LED chip maker Epistar still sees growing demands for Mini LED and has decided to increase capital expenditure to expand capacity for Mini LED chip production. As one of the first Mini LED chip maker, Taiwan-based Epistar has been progressing its Mini LED development for years and began to collaborate with several clients to build Mini LED backlit notebooks, monitors and TVs. As the clients are ready to launch the new products, Epistar is expecting blooming demands fo...

Seoul Viosys, a subsidiary of Seoul Semiconductor focusing on UV LED technology, announced that customer inquiries for its violeds UV LED products has increased more than five times over the previous month, fueled by concerns over the continuing global spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). With the growing concerns over the global spread of the coronavirus, numerous automotive companies in China are actively reviewing adoption of Seoul’s violeds UV LED technology in sterilization systems for vehicle interiors. In addition, violeds UV LED techno...

LED display manufacturer Daktronics announces that it has participated in a Series A investment round in X Display Company (XDC). XDC is a spinoff of X-Celeprint, who creates and owns leading intellectual property (IP) and capabilities in Micro LED mass transfer technology. Series A investments will support XDC’s further development in Micro LED capabilities and applications. Micro LED technologies support Daktronics’ line of narrow pixel pitch LED displays and will enable solutions to move into the realm of less than 1-millimeter line s...

Legrand, North and Central America (LNCA), announced the acquisition of Focal Point, a manufacturer of architectural lighting products. This acquisition is Legrand’s fifth addition to its Lighting Sector and marks the company’s elevation to a full solutions provider in the architectural lighting space. Legrand provides a high degree of autonomy to its lighting companies and supports Focal Point's business leadership team in the pursuit of innovation and growth. Legrand’s scale and infrastructure will allow Focal Point to deliver innovative light...

Due to the increased spread of the coronavirus, Light + Building 2020 had been postponed with a new date. LpS, LED professional Symposium + Expo, which scheduled from September 22 to 24, on the other hand, has been cancelled. (Image: Pixabay) After the announcement of Light + Building 2020 postponement, Messe Frankfurt announced the new date for the event. The largest fair of the lighting and building technology industry will take place from September 27 to October 2, 2020, at the Frankfurt exhibition center. Meanwhile, the other lighting event in Europe, LE...

Germany-based semiconductor equipment provider AIXTRON reported that one of its employees at the headquarters in Herzogenrath, Germany, had been tested positive for the novel coronavirus. (Image: Pixabay) The case was confirmed in the evening of February 27 which is related to other already known cases in the district. AIXTRON noted that the employee has only contacted with only a few colleagues and its chain of contact was indemnified. Those who had contacted the confirmed cases have been informed and instructed to stay home. AIXTRON addressed that its ...

Light Engine Design’s wholly-owned subsidiary, Tall Trees LED Company, announces an expanding partnership with a prominent nutraceutical company in Oklahoma. Tall Trees will be providing technical consulting and operational management, as well as LED lighting for both the indoor and greenhouse facilities. Tall Trees LED Company, the wholly-owned subsidiary of Light Engine Design, focuses on research, development, manufacturing, and sales of Solid-State Lighting (SSL) in the Controlled Environment Agriculture industries. The facility in Oklahom...

Human centric lighting and circadian lighting applications have become popular as people are getting more aware of the effect of lighting on our physical and psychological condition. To further understand the connection between lighting and people’s wellbeing, a new study found a cell in the retina which create the effect of light on human. Researchers at the University of Washington Health Sciences (UW Medicine) identifies a cell in the retina, which plays an important role in signaling our brain centers that regulate circadian rhythms, boost alertness, help memory and co...

Velodyne Lidar announced a sales agreement with Idriverplus to provide Puck™ sensors over three years. The LiDAR sensor from Velodyne will be used in mass production of commercial autonomous vehicles, including street cleaners, passenger cars and logistics vehicles. Idriverplus is a Chinese company focusing on driverless technology and plans to place into commercial operation in China thousands of units of its unmanned, electric street cleaning vehicles, called WOXIAOBAI, with each vehicle equipped with two Puck sensors to ensure security and perception. Idri...

Samsung continues to expand the market of its cinema LED display Onyx and the screen has landed in Australia for the first time at HOYTS Entertainment Quarter in Moore Park, Sydney. The new installment features Samsung’s latest 14-meter Onyx Cinema LED screen. Another 10-meter Onyx screen will also be installed at HOYTS Highpoint in Melbourne, Australia, by March 2020. (Image: Samsung) “As the cinema landscape continues to evolve globally, theaters are looking for new ways to enhance the movie-going experience,” said Hyeseung Ha,...

Energy Focus, a U.S. LED lighting company, announced that it has been awarded a contract valued at approximately US$3.4 million to supply tubular LED lighting products to the U.S. Navy by Defense Logistics Agency (DLA), a combat support agency in the U.S. Department of Defense with more than 26,000 civilian and military personnel throughout the world. The Company expects to deliver on the contract beginning in the second quarter of 2020 with completion expected by year-end. James Tu, Chairman & CEO of Energy Focus, said, “This contract refle...

Media from Taiwan reported that Apple has placed Mini LED orders to Innolux, a display manufacturer of the Foxconn group, for the new iPad Pro scheduled to launch in 2H20. In response to the report, Innolux announced that the company did not reveal relationships with its clients and the information was not correct. (Image: Pixabay) It was reported that Innolux has sent display samples to Apple for the new Mini LED based iPad Pro. Innolux has been a strong player in Mini LED and Micro LED technology development. As a member of the Foxconn Group, the ...

SiliconCore showcased its Lotus 0.83mm technology with a Micro LED display at ISE 2020. The Micro LED display, according to SiliconCore is three times as bright and 50% more power efficient. (Image: SiliconCore) SiliconCore LED displays features lowest power consumption, highest brightness, and lowest operating temperatures. The Lotus 0.83mm LED display with a brightness of 2000 nits surpasses the market with the brightest and most efficient sub-1mm pitch LED display in the world. A 4K resolution display can be achieved at 144-inch with a smooth, touc...

In view of the increasing spread of the coronavirus in Europe and after intensive consultations, Messe Frankfurt has decided to postpone Light + Building. The world’s leading trade fair for lighting and building-services technology will now be held in Frankfurt am Main between the middle and end of September 2020. The cooperation partners of the international trade fair, ZVEI and ZVEH, support this decision. (Image: Pixabay) The unexpected appearance of Covid-19 in Italy since last weekend demanded a new analysis of the situation in close cooperation with ...

Signify announced that it will not participate in Light + Building 2020 due to “health risks posed by the coronavirus.” Light + Building, the world’s biggest biannual fair of the lighting and building industry, will be taking place as planned during March 8 to 13, announced by its organizer Messe Frankfurt last week. Even though the organizer addressed the minor opportunity of getting infected with the coronavirus, Signify, the world’s biggest lighting company, decided not to participate in Light + Building this year. Eric Rondolat, CEO of Si...

Display applications adopting Mini LED technology is expected to bloom in 2020 following the rumors of Apple releasing Mini LED based iPad and MacBook this year. Since last year, related players in the industry are pushing production and development of Mini LED backlight as well as Mini LED RGB displays. (Image: Pixabay) Chip producer Epistar reported that its plans for Mini LED backlight products production and shipment will be process as scheduled, despite the ongoing coronavirus epidemic. Epistar has expanded its capacity in Taiwan for Mini LED...

Osram Opto Semiconductors recently began to work with a Polish company XTPL to initiate evaluation of adopting 3D printing technology solutions to address the challenges connected with the manufacture of future generations of lighting elements. Osram signed an agreement with XTPL on January 21, 2020, to access the possibility of implementing XTPL’s technology in Osram’s production processes for create conductive interconnections for semiconductors. The potential industrial application of the XTPL method in the lighting industry is yet another proof of ...

To fight against the continuously spreading coronavirus, China purchased self-driving disinfection robots with UVC light to run in hospitals. Danish company UVD Robots signed an agreement with a medical equipment supplier to the Chinese market, Sunay Healthcare Supply. The partnership will ship the UVC light equipped robots to China for hospital deployment. (Image: UVD Robots) UVD Robots is a Danish company established from a project between Odense University Hospital and Blue Robotics with their development of an UV-disinfection robot providing auto...

A research team at National Tsing Hua University (NTHU), Taiwan, recently announced the development of a new quantum dot material that provides more realistic color and is more stable. (Image: NTHU) Led by Professor Hsueh-Shih (Sean) Chen at Taiwan’s National Tsing Hua University, the research team developed a “shield” of approximately 1-nanometer at the crystal facets of each quantum dot to overcome the current technology difficulty of quantum dot which is unstable and easily damaged. The team has already applied for patents for the new mat...

The biannual event of the lighting industry, Light + Building will be held as scheduled from March 8 to 13 in Frankfurt Germany, announced the event organizer Messe Frankfurt. (Image: Light + Building) This year at Light + Building there are 2,640 registered exhibitors. Messe Frankfurt noted that these exhibitors are preparing to take part in the event. Based on the information and advises provided by the World Health Organization and other public health authorities, the risk of getting infected by the coronavirus is very low. The organizer addressed that it wil...

STMicroelectronics announced the collaboration with TSMC to accelerate the development of Gallium Nitride (GaN) process technology and the supply of both discrete and integrated GaN devices to market. Through this partnership, ST’s GaN products will be manufactured using TSMC’s GaN process technology. GaN is a wide bandgap semiconductor material which is considered outpacing traditional Silicon-based semiconductors for power applications. GaN is more energy efficient at high power and allows the design of more compact devices for better form fact...

Signify announced at EuroShop 2020 its further step in the Retail IoT space through the launch of Interact Retail multisite management – a cloud-based, connected lighting system designed for multiple stores and retail distribution centers. The system will be adopted by UK retailer Marks & Spencer (M&S). (Image: Signify) The new features make it possible to create a network of connected stores, helping s the retailer to create and manage uniform light schedules for its stores from a single dashboard. The retailers can thus define scenes and schedules on ...