Qualcomm MEMS Technologies Inc. recently took the wraps off its first multicolor displays at the Society for Information Display conference, simultaneously revealing the first customer application for the displays.

All the properties that light sources need for backlighting medium-sized LCDs (5 to 20”)are combined in OSRAM’s new high-power Ceramos Reflector LED in its tiny package.Developed for injecting light into a light guide, it offers high brightness and impressiveefficiency. The LED also withstands temperatures as high as 150°C and is extremelydurable with a life of up to 50,000 hours.

Kim Lighting, a leading manufacturer of outdoor architectural lighting, announced today that its Lightvault Series and Minivault in-grade up light series both now include new super bright white LED technology.

With thermal management for compact electronic devices in mind, Molex Incorporated showcases its patent-pending LED socket technology at LIGHTFAIR International, Las Vegas, May 28-30. Molex LED socket technology reduces component count, permitting automated high-speed pick-and-placement of LEDs and resistors to greatly reduce cycle time and overall cost. Designed to support emerging solid state lighting (SSL) technologies, the new LED socket will be used to power Seoul Semiconductor's Acriche AC LED.

According to LIGHTimes, Osram Opto Semiconductors of Santa Clara, California USA, has introduced the Ceramos Reflector LED for backlighting mid-size (5''-20'') LCDs. According to the company, the Ceramos Reflector LED offers high brightness and power in a very small package.

Cree, Inc., a market leader in LED lighting, announces volume shipments in May of the LR4, a four-inch architectural recessed LED down light for new construction and renovation projects. The LR4 has been specified in a number of significant projects, including corporate campuses, full-service hotels, and global restaurant chains.  

It's reported that Renaissance Lighting, a specialist in LED architectural lighting, will introduce the world's highest-quality commercially available 4-inch solid-state LED downlight at LightFair International from May 28-30. The company unveiled a 6-inch prototype of the downlight last year at LightFair International. Now the downlight can come in a 4-inch and a much brighter 6-inch production model. Renaissance Lighting's recessed downlight, offers more than 16 million color combinations without glare or visible LEDs.

LEDtronics® introduces a new Micro High-Power LED Flashlight. While continuing the durability of its predecessors, the new Micro FlashLED is more powerful than most LED flashlights on the market today, the company says. It has a one-watt, 80-lumen LED chip that emits over 4,300 end foot-candles (4300cd) of bright Cool White (8000 Kelvin) light. Other LED light colors are available for qualified customers.

Some intriguing LED announcements this week: Molex is showing its LED socket technology for the Acriche high-brightness (HB) LED at LightFair in Las Vegas next week. This is apparently a mounting device for the Acriche LED that in turn goes into the socket that we as consumers are familiar with. The press release describes the Molex connector as conferring “[the] ability to connect with standard Edison-base, GU 24-base, or custom interface configurations.” The Acriche line of LEDs runs directly off the 110Vac mains.

Endicott Research Group (ERG) has released two high-efficiency, low-profile Smart Force LED driver boards as standard products for a wide range of industrial and medical LCDs. The SFDE (Economical) and SFDM (Mini) series provide full function power supplies with optimum power for high brightness as well as lower power consumption and lower cost in a compact size.

Architecturally inspired solid state lighting fixtures to be unveiled at LIGHTFAIR International   ilumisys, Inc. is unveiling a new line of five elegantly designed, contemporary LED lighting fixtures that exploit the unique characteristics of solid state lighting. Four of the Designer Series luminaire creations are pendant fixtures; the other is a table lamp.The ilumisys Designer Series meets the public next week at LIGHTFAIR International in Las Vegas (booth #2967).

OSTAR®-Projection LED modules from OSRAM Opto Semiconductors, Inc. are backlighting a new ultra-wide curved display from Ostendo Technologies, Inc. Frontal view of Ostendo CRVD™-42 display with keyboard & mouse. OSTAR®-Projection 6-chip LED modules using Thinfilm and ThinGan® chip architecture backlight the CRVD™-42 display.

The new CERAMOS™ Reflector LED from OSRAM Opto Semiconductors provides unprecedented high brightness and power in a very small package, the ideal solution for backlighting mid-size (5"-20") LCDs. Specifically designed for light guide-based backlighting of displays in high ambient light conditions, such as those found in today's TFT displays, automotive dashboards and aircraft cockpits, the slim profile of the CERAMOS™ Reflector LED is well suited for in-coupling into light guides as thin as 2 mm.

The new RGB MicroSIDELED® from OSRAM Opto Semiconductors features an ultra-slim design and delivers high brightness for in-coupling into light guides designed for backlighting in space-sensitive applications.New RGB MicroSIDELED combines outstanding brightness with a slim profile for backlighting thin displays.

Santa Clara, Calif. & Duesseldorf, Germany—NEC Electronics America Inc. and NEC Electronics (Europe) GmbH introduced an microcontroller (MCU), part number uPD78F8024, with a constant high-current driver (HCD). The HCD/LED MCU can be used in lighting applications that use more than one LED, in industrial control applications featuring stepping motor and solenoid drives, and in switching-mode power supplies. The uPD78F8024 has been developed in collaboration with LED solutions supplier Future Lighting Solutions (a division of Future Electronics).

Flowery Branch City Council Wednesday approved on first reading an amendment to the city sign ordinance to regulate LED billboards; the question was how long the electronic displays should last.Councilman Craig Lutz said the issue is safety; how distracting to interstate motorists passing by Flowery Branch are 10-second LED sign messages? He proposed at least 63 seconds.

It's reported that Microsemi Corp. and Chi Mei Optoelectronics (CMO) have partnered in the design of an advanced TV backlit with RGB LEDs. The system is on display at this week's 2008 Society for Information Display Conference in Los Angeles.

Apple has been criticized by some environmental groups for not being a leader in removing toxic chemicals from its new products, but the company has pledged to mend its ways. It appears now that Apple will indeed live up to its promise as it is set to replace all the CCFL backlights in its MacBook range with energy-efficient LED systems by 2009.

South Korea aims to become one of the top three manufacturers of light emitting diodes (LED) by 2012 by expanding facility investment and redoubling research efforts, the government said Thursday.The plan calls for the government to allocate 400 billion won (US$383 million) for research and development (R&D) and infrastructure building in the cited period, the Ministry of Knowledge Economy said.

Physicists at the University of St. Andrews (Fife, Scotland) have developed a laser with a variety of colors that is powered by a simple, low-cost light-emitting diode (LED). This compact visible laser can be created at a fraction of the cost of existing technologies and used for a wide range of applications, from medical treatment to light-emitting clothing.

New Product Introduction: SL-42 — reduced depth in-ground aimable pedestrian-level landscape lighting fixtures, with LED. Design: ALLSCAPE In-House Product Design Team. Manufacturer: ALLSCAPE, a Philips group brand.

xpedx announced on May 20 that it will be the exclusive U.S. marketer and distributor of the world's first LED-UV print curing system, an offset printing technology from Ryobi that provides significant environmental, pressroom and financial advantages. A 14"x20" RYOBI 525GX will be the initial platform for the LED-UV curing system, with plans to extend the system to press models such as the 23"x31" RYOBI 750 Series in the future.  The new technology will be demonstrated at drupa 2008 in Düsseldorf, Germany, May 29-June 11. 

The new CERAMOS™ Reflector LED from OSRAM Opto Semiconductors provides unprecedented high brightness and power in a very small package, the ideal solution for backlighting mid-size (5”-20”) LCDs. Specifically designed for light guide-based backlighting of displays in high ambient light conditions, such as those found in today’s TFT displays, automotive dashboards and aircraft cockpits, the slim profile of the CERAMOS™ Reflector LED is well suited for in-coupling into light guides as thin as 2 mm.

Billed as the ultimate immersive desktop display, the 42.4in Ostendo CRVD wraps around the viewer and delivers billions of colours with better than 300cd/m2 brightness. Ostar-Projection LED modules from Osram Opto Semiconductors are used to backlight a novel ultrawide curved display from Ostendo Technologies The Ostendo CRVD curved display measures 42.4in diagonal and provides a 2880 x 900 pixel resolution (double WXGA+)

BBQing at night is as American as apple pie, NASA and the occasional race riot. But even when there's enough ambient light to keep track of where everything essential is being kept, it's still kind of tough to see whether the burger is done without resorting to the kludgy solution of wielding a spatula in one hand and a flashlight in the other.

The automotive parts supplier Hella has developed new LED daytime running lights that can be retrofitted to the front bumper and switch on automatically when the engine is started up.The LEDayline can also be used as a position light and measures only 28 millimetres in height and 220 millimetres in width fitting elegantly into the contours of most modern vehicle front-ends, Hella said.

Carmanah Technologies Corporation (CMH - TSX, QCX - FWB, CMHXF - OTCBB_Pink_Sheets), Carmanah solar-powered area lights are now better and brighter than ever, thanks to a new partnership between Carmanah Technologies Corporation and Beta Lighting.

Units are IP54 certified and UL1310 Class 2 recognised, and so are suitable for outdoor and other locations where they may be exposed to moisture. A new range of high-power LED drivers from Marl Optosource are designed to power the Lamina TitanTurbo, billed as one of the world's brightest LED light enginesLED light engines can now match the luminosity of a 100W tungsten lamp - but this new generation of products imposes a much heavier load on the drive electronics.

Portland, Oregon LightsAndKnives.com, the Portland, Oregon based online retailer of discount LED lights and outdoor knives, will have the LED Lenser High Performance line of professional flashlights and headlamps available for online retail sale starting May 20th, 2008. LED Lenser HP tactical flashlights are built for use by law enforcement personnel, fire and rescue crews, military personnel and industrial workers. These products are now being offered to the general public for use as well.

LEDs are more energy-efficient than light bulbs, but fall short when it comes to light output. But a new optical component could change that by concentrating LED light like a spotlight and directing it precisely where needed.