A Wacom Bamboo tablet I brought years ago has collected dust on top of my bookshelf for the last few years. After a few futile attempts of working with the tablet on the computer, I quickly became frustrated with the process. The tablet was definitely not functioning in the same way as physical paper, and the image evoked in my mind was not translating onto the computer screen very well.

LumiFi, a design and technology-centric company enabling people and businesses to unlock the full potential of connected lighting through a lighting control software, has filed for U.S. and international patents. LumiFi is seeking to patent its unique smart lighting algorithm that combines wireless lighting technology from multiple manufacturers and the expertise of award-winning designers to offer preconfigured and customizable lighting moods, transforming hotel, home and workplace environments.

Terralux, a leader in the design and manufacture of commercial LED retrofit products, can now provide property owners access to a larger rebate pool nationally through a new ENERGY STAR® certification program. The introduction of ENERGY STAR® Luminaires 2.0 Specification provides coverage for LED retrofit of ceiling mount and wall sconce style fixtures.

A Kickstarter campaign called OnCourse Goggles launches crowd funding for a pair of goggles that helps athletes swim in straight line with LED signal lights.

A Foxconn worker has confirmed the company has started assembling iPhone 6S, according to Japanese media iPhone Mania. There are a total of three new models, including iPhone 6c with a 4.7-inch screen, iPhone 6s with a 5 inch screen and iPhone 6s Plus with a 5.5 inch screen.

Globalized competition is inevitable in the LED industry with an increasing number of overseas LED companies entering Chinese market and vice versa.

Research reported in Applied Physics Express (APEX) by Tohru Oka and colleagues at the Research and Development Headquarters for TOYODA GOSEI Co., Ltd in Japan describe the development of ‘vertically orientated’ GaN-based transistors with blocking voltages exceeding 1kV. These findings are important for the application of nitride devices in automobiles and related areas. 

A Dartmouth College team has created the first light-sensing system that reconstructs human postures continuously and unobtrusively, furthering efforts to create smart spaces in which people control their environment with simple gestures.

Citizens around the world are raising hell over LED streetlights they don’t like. Cities should consult with citizens before undergoing a citywide replacement.

In late July this year, a Chinese tourist surnamed Yang accidentally crashed an unmanned drone into Taipei 101, sparking national security concerns in Taiwan. On average the 508 meter tall landmark of Taipei is hit by three drones per month, according to a Taiwan News reports.

IKEA urges customers who have a PATRULL nightlight to immediately stop using it and to bring it back to any IKEA store for a full refund. Proof of purchase (receipt) is not required to receive a full refund. 

Researchers from National Chiao Tung University, Taiwan have created highly flexible, efficient white LEDs with potential use in wearable displays and non-flat surfaces, such as curved and flexible television screens. While the design itself is new, the LED was completely fabricated from pre-existing technologies, allowing others to easily replicate and build on the platform.

A blue glowing device the size of a peppercorn can activate neurons of the brain, spinal cord or limbs in mice and is powered wirelessly using the mouse's own body to transfer energy. Developed by a Stanford Bio-X team, the device is the first to deliver optogenetic nerve stimulation in a fully implantable format.

Highly efficient, LEDs could slash the world’s electricity consumption. They are already sold in stores, but more widespread adoption of the technology has been hindered by high costs due to limited availability of raw materials and difficulties in achieving acceptable light quality. But researchers will report today that they have overcome these obstacles and have developed a less expensive, more sustainable white LED.

Orion Energy Systems, a leading designer and manufacturer of high-performance, energy-efficient retrofit lighting platforms, today announced Curtis Stout will represent all Orion lighting products in the mid-south region of the US as of August 19, 2015.

As part of the Graphene Applications Innovation Centre, CPI is bringing together specialist dispersion characterization, and applications testing capability alongside a team of leading scientists with a vast array of experience in industry, research and development and technology innovation.

Advances at Oregon State University in manufacturing technology for “quantum dots” may soon lead to a new generation of LED lighting that produces a more user-friendly white light, while using less toxic materials and low-cost manufacturing processes that take advantage of simple microwave heating.

Qualcomm announced that its indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary, Qualcomm Global Trading, has completed its acquisition of CSR, a leading fabless provider of end-to-end semiconductor and software solutions for the Internet of Everything (IoE) and automotive segments. The acquisition, which was completed at an enterprise value of approximately $2.2 billion ($2.4 billion equity value)*, complements Qualcomm Technologies, Inc.’s (Qualcomm Technologies) current offerings by adding a compelling portfolio of new products, sales channels and a large number of customers in the areas of IoE and automotive – both key growth priorities for Qualcomm Technologies.

“It is only a matter of time before white LEDs using blue LED chips will disappear from the market,” said Shuji Nakamura at a forum on GaN technology in July organized by Nikkei Asian Review. The comment from the inventor of the blue LED chip and Nobel Laureate shocked the industry. Nakamura shares a Nobel Prize in Physics with two Japanese inventors Isamu Akasaki and Hiroshi Amano for their invention of the blue LED. Yet, Nakamura’s recent remark completely derails his previous accomplishments. Industry insiders in China try to decode Nakamura’s comments to determine whether it reflects embedded flaws in blue LEDs design, or whether his motive is to promote Soraa’s purple LEDs.

More wearable projects have surfaced on the net as tech-savvy girls try to add LEDs to their wardrobes. Apparently, the cute, innocent Hikaru Skirt is not for everyone, some have started to redesign the tutu skirt. Moreover, many wearables are not designed for daily use, but for special shows or Cosplay conventions. A female designer known as SexyCyborg on Reddit set out to customize her own "adult version of Hikaru Skirt," and later matched the skirt with a pair of sparkling LEDs platform high heels.

Professor Kyung-Cheol Choi and his research team from the School of Electrical Engineering at KAIST have developed fiber-like LEDs, which can be applied in wearable displays. The research findings were published online in the July 14th issue of Advanced Electronic Materials.

Previous rumors surrounding Apple’s sapphire usage were focused on whether iPhones would be equipped with sapphire screens in the future, but new reports claim the company has received a new sapphire antenna patent.

A Kent State University professor in the College of Arts and Sciences has received a grant from the Binational Science Foundation to continue his development of a combined LED and organic transistor that could be used in flexible displays. Bjorn Lussem, Ph.D., an assistant professor of physics, was awarded US $180,000 to use vertical transistors to create organic displays that are more power efficient and could potentially have a higher resolution.

Philips Hue LED bulbs and other smart home devices that incorporate ZigBee wireless standards are vulnerable to hacking, according to recent findings by IT firm Cognosec.

Scientists are tapping into photographs taken by astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) to reliably measure the amount of light pollution worldwide. This study not only includes the well-known signatures of cities and streets, but also the effects of faint indirectly scattered light, which up to now had not been measured quantitatively. The new results confirm that this diffuse glow, which is seen from space, is scattered light from streetlights and buildings. This is the component responsible for the brightening of the night skies in and around cities, which drastically limits the visibility of faint stars and the Milky Way.

Ameresco, a leading energy efficiency and renewable energy company, announced today that it has completed an LED street lighting and control project for the City of West Richland, WA. The project team converted 1,097 high pressure sodium (HPS) street lights to energy efficient LED luminaires and installed a wireless monitoring and control system. The new LED street lights are expected to reduce the system’s annual electricity consumption by 61 percent, saving the City approximately $67,000 in energy costs per year. Under an agreement with the City’s electric utility, Benton Rural Electric Authority (REA), the lighting control system will enable the City to implement dimming strategies projected to reduce energy use by an additional 10 to 20 percent.

Shopping in a big department store can quickly devolve from a simple errand to an odyssey filled with frustration. What section do they put the bath towels in again? Is there a route to take that avoids the chemical attack of the perfume aisle on the way to kitchenware? Where do they put the on-sale jackets?

Bordine’s is the largest family-owned grower and retail garden center operation in Michigan. The original Bordine’s location, which opened in 1939 in Rochester Hills, is one of the nation’s busiest garden centers. In the company’s 75-year history, Bordine’s has expanded to four locations including the 100-acre Bordine’s Farm in Grand Blanc, which was purchased in 1999.

Forest Lighting (also know as MLS) plans to non-public issue stocks 6.1 million shares at RMB 38.11 (US$ 6) per share. The offering will raise about RMB 2.3 billion and will be used to fund several initiatives, including Xiaolan SMD LED packaging technical innovation project, phase one of Ji’an SMD LED packaging facility construction project and phase one of Xinyu LED application construction.

Museums around the world are swapping conventional lights in favor of LEDs to protect famous paintings from being damaged by light exposure, according to a Wired report.