The U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science has awarded four Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and one Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) grants for projects targeting critical advances in solid-state lighting (SSL) technology. The five Phase I Release 1 grants will explore the technical merit and commercial potential of different innovative concepts or technologies that are expected to contribute to the achievement of the price and performance goals described in DOE’s SSL R&D Plan. 

Noribachi, a leading US-based technology company with a focus on digital lighting announced today that on January 26th, the company will unveil its latest products and technologies aboard the iconic battleship USS Iowa in the Port of Los Angeles.

These days, it seems like gadgets are constantly improving, and now the next big development may be organic light-emitting diodes, or OLEDs. The technology promises to improve your phones' quality, durability and even foldability. An article in Chemical & Engineering News (C&EN), the weekly newsmagazine of the American Chemical Society, takes a look at the market for this technology and why it is expected to more than double by 2020.

Micro-LED became a hot keyword in 2016, despite being years away from commercialization. Most in the industry agree this exciting next generation display technology will not be realized for another 3-5 years, HSBC projects the earliest date of commercialization will be around 2019 earliest.

With judgment of Dec. 22, 2016 (docket number I-15 U 31/14), the Düsseldorf Court of Appeal in Germany has confirmed the infringement of YAG Patent EP 0 936 682 (DE 697 02 929) of Nichia Corporation (“Nichia“) by Taiwanese LED manufacturer Everlight Electronics Co., Ltd. and its German subsidiary Everlight Electronics Europe GmbH (both “Everlight“) concerning six accused white LED products.

Meyer Burger has shipped a CONx TFE thin film encapsulation system consisting of an inkjet printer and PECVD system to an Asian customer for encapsulation of OLEDs and other flexible electronics applications. This latest order confirms the market’s recognition of Meyer Burger’s integral and fully automated thin film encapsulation system.

Power management company Eaton today announced that the company has joined with the NextGen Home Experience® to inspire builders to build the homes of the future today. The 2017 NextGen First to the Future™ online television series will feature and promote the United States Department of Energy’s (DOE) Zero Energy Ready Home program, which educates and encourages builders to build high performance homes that feature energy savings, comfort, health and durability unparalleled in today’s marketplace.

Amerlux introduces the DOSM LED optically sealed module for exterior lighting fixtures that include a downlight component. Individual optics can be directed with controlled optics for precision aiming to accommodate the lighting needs in the strictest outdoor environments.

OLED TVs are making a comeback at the largest consumer electronic show in U.S. which runs from Jan. 5-8, 2017 in Las Vegas, most notable at this year’s show is Korean consumer electronic manufacturer LG is facing new competition from Japanese manufacturers Sony and Panasonic.

Telink Semiconductor, developer of highly integrated low power chips for Internet of Things (IoT) applications, has announced that its ZigBee RF SoC has passed the ZigBee compliant platform tests based on the latest ZigBee stack specification using DSR Corporation’s ZBOSS 3.0 ZigBee 3.0 wireless stack, and thus can start to provide a ZigBee 3.0 SDK (software development kit) to its customers.

Osram, a leading global lighting and technology company and the global No. 1 in automotive car lighting, is the exclusive lighting supplier for Oasis, the latest concept vehicle from Rinspeed. The Switzerland-based think tank is known for its visionary mobility concepts and this latest concept vehicle is designed to reimagine what the driverless vehicle experience could look and feel like in the future. Rinspeed will launch the Oasis at the 2017 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. The vehicle will be on display during CES 2017 at the Harman exhibit at the Hard Rock Hotel, Jan. 4-7, 2017.

Nanoco announced recently that it would be showcasing two prototype QD TVs respectively from Philips and Hisense at CES 2017, while partner TCL is presenting its commercialized QD TV at the annual consumer electronic show for the first time.  ll the TVs use Nanoco patented QD film technology manufactured by Wah Hong.

Korean electronic manufacturer LG displayed its premium TV products at CES 2017 this year, showcasing new display LCD TV with “nano cell” technology.

Booth themed “One Technology. A World of Choice.” to showcase nearly 100 products based on the zigbee alliance’s leading interoperability standard, and the first prototypes of Thread products speaking the zigbee alliance’s universal language for the IoT

The recent leak of Samsung’s new smartwatch-related patents including a full-length display smartwatch and a hangable smartwatch will definitely catch gadget lovers’ attention, reported AndroidHeadlines. The patents show more than two types of smartwatches with groundbreaking functions that have not been realized on the market before. Instead of remaking the crown of the watch, through those patents released, Samsung takes it up a notch and presents its creativity redeveloping the already existing concepts and designs.

Samsung Electronics is making it clear that quantum dot (QD) technology will be at the center front of its 2017 TV product lineup, reported ZDnet.

As 2016 comes to an end, there were many exciting and surprising technology breakthroughs, based on statistics complied by LEDinside there were at least 10 major technology advancements this year.

LightPath Technologies (“LightPath,” the “Company,” or “we”), a leading vertically integrated global manufacturer, distributor, and integrator of proprietary optical and infrared components and high-level assemblies, today announced that it has completed the acquisition of ISP Optics Corporation (“ISP”) for a purchase price of US $18 million, subject to post-closing adjustments, of which $12 million was paid in cash with the balance in the form of five-year subordinated notes issued to the sellers. 

When Revolux, the automotive industry’s largest provider of dealership LED lighting solutions, recently visited Premier Automotive’s Toyota of New Orleans, it wasn’t to discuss how to light the showroom or service bays, but rather to help those in need see their way to their next hot meal.

To meet OLED display supplies for the next generation iPhone 8, Apple tracked down equipment maker Canon Tokki located in Japanese rice fields next to the city of Mitsuke in Niigata prefecture, reported Bloomberg.

GE, the world’s leading digital industrial company, executed on its agreement to acquire a 75% stake in Concept Laser of Germany. The agreement, announced in late October, allows for GE to take full ownership over the next several years.

Schréder, an intelligent outdoor lighting solutions provider, has become a partner of the Smart City Institute, a non-profit organization that aims to stimulate research, teaching, innovation and entrepreneurship to enable smart cities.

Large LED companies are increasingly turning to strategies focused on filing patent infringement lawsuits against competitors, Korean LED giant Seoul Semiconductor has become the latest company to take legal action against 29 firms worldwide for infringing backlight, filament, LED chip and package patents, reported Business Korea.

The upcoming iPhone 8 will overhaul basic form factor designs, gone will be the flat glass screen design to sport a curved plastic OLED display made by arch-rival Samsung, reported The Korean Herald.

Veeco Instruments announced  that OSRAM Opto Semiconductors GmbH has completed an agreement naming Veeco as the supplier for Metal Organic Chemical Vapor Deposition (MOCVD) and Precision Surface Processing (PSP) systems needed for high-volume LED production in Kulim. As part of the agreement, OSRAM Opto Semiconductors has ordered multiple TurboDisc® EPIK®700 Gallium Nitride (GaN) MOCVD, and WaferStorm® 3306 PSP Wet Process systems.

Scripps Networks Interactive, the leader in lifestyle media, surveyed 700 U.S. homeowners of all ages, finding that safety and comfort are the primary reasons consumers invest in smart home technology. The study was conducted through the company’s Under One Roof consumer panel, in partnership with the Consumer Technology Association; the National Kitchen and Bath Association; the National Association of Home Builders; CEDIA; and Shelly Palmer Strategic Advisors. The research findings will be presented at CES® 2017 and at Design and Construction Week 2017.

AIXTRON, a worldwide leading provider of deposition equipment to the semiconductor industry, announced that U.S. based Lumentum Holdings, a leading manufacturer of semiconductor photonic devices for communications, industrial, and consumer applications, has placed a repeat order for multiple AIX 2800G4-TM systems to produce devices for varied optoelectronic and laser applications.

Laser diode is a next generation lighting technology incubating in Shenzhen, China, giving hope that the region will emerge as a leading international laser lighting player soon.

LG Display is merging its businesses to specialize in OLED technology, a sector the company considers its next generation growth engine. To keep up with accelerated growth in the OLED market, the company intends to merge and restructure existing distributed business structure by product to optimize efficiency and synergy, reported Business Korea.

The ZigBee Alliance, an association of companies creating, maintaining and delivering open, global standards for the low-power wireless Internet of Things (IoT), and the Thread Group, an organization focused on making Thread the foundation for the Internet of Things in the home and beyond, today announced that multiple members of both organizations have demonstrated prototypes that run the ZigBee Alliance’s universal language for smart devices on Thread networks. The demonstrations, shown privately at the Thread Group’s Members Meeting in November and set for public display in both organizations’ booths at CES, are a key milestone in their liaison agreement, and highlight accelerating momentum behind an emerging ecosystem of connected products that will interoperate over Thread IP networks using the widely deployed ZigBee language.