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.

The Sanskrit word “prana” refers to a cosmic life force that originates in the sun and enters the body through the breath. In the act of breathing, we form a connection between ourselves and the universe.

Paul Mercier is heavily involved in the lighting industry. As the principal and founder of Lighting Design Innovations, with offices in Calgary, Alberta and Batavia, New York, recent textbook author, various industry association memberships and certifications, adjunct teaching positions in the US and Canada, and significant IES (Illuminating Engineering Society – www.ies.org) involvement, including the recent conclusion of his term as President of the society, his passion for lighting clearly shines.

Ripple effects from volatile Chinese stock market has directly impacted LED capital market, shaking many companies’ management structures. Up to 18 managers in listed LED manufacturers have resigned as of Aug. 25, 2015, nearly double the number of senior managers that retired in 2014.

Lamps can overheat and melt, posing a burn hazard.

Arsenal Football Club unveiled Musco’s new state-of-the-art LED floodlights at their first evening game of the 2015/16 season against Liverpool at Emirates Stadium.

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.

The City of Sonsonate in El Salvador became the first city in Latin America to adopt GE's intelligent lighting system, a powerful combination of white light LED fixtures and GE's LightGrid, a web central management system designed with municipalities and transportation departments in mind. The new intelligent system allows incremental savings in the electricity bill by controlling the lighting level of the fixtures, and by scheduling specific times for the lights to be on or off.

Today Royal Philips, the global leader in lighting, introduces the easiest smartest way to get flawless dimmable light at home. The Philips Hue wireless dimming kit is a no installation, straight out of the box solution for perfectly dimmable lights in your home without having to move from the sofa.

 Lunera® Lighting, a leader in lighting innovations accelerating the transformation to advanced LED technology, will be demonstrating the energy-saving advantages of its plug-and-play LED lamp replacements for conventional high-pressure sodium (HPS) or metal halide (MH) lamps at the upcoming NPA 64th Annual Convention & Expo, held August 31-September 3 in Miami Beach, FL. Visit booth #106 to learn more about how Lunera's innovative plug-and-play commercial lighting solutions will improve indoor or outdoor light quality, while dramatically lowering energy cost.

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.

Hubbell Lighting, a world leader in lighting innovation, launched today a sealed, high-output food processing LED highbay—Hubbell Industrial Lighting’s FPH Series.

EV Group (EVG), a leading supplier of wafer bonding and lithography equipment for the MEMS, nanotechnology and semiconductor markets, will host a special session at the 41st Micro and Nano Engineering (MNE 2015) conference--a leading international conference on micro- and nanofabrication and manufacturing using lithography and related techniques. The first EVG Photonics Workshop will take place at the World Forum in The Hague, The Netherlands, during the afternoon of the opening day of MNE 2015 on Wednesday, September 21.

In first half of 2015, 23 LED strip lights made in China were notified as dangerous products on the EU RAPEX alert system, according to a report by China Quality News Network (CNQ).

It all started with the director of pet-tech company Squeaker, Chris Forcucci, who is also a cyclist. He noticed that it’s extremely difficult to identify a dog in the dark on a shared sidewalk since cyclists have flashing lights, cars have lights and joggers wear reflective clothes for protection while our furry friends don’t have any on-road protection.

The marketing of the open industry digital dimming standard LEDOTRON can be traced back to EU incandescent lamp prohibition and the associated uncertainty of the compatibility of "conventional" dimmers with LED and energy-saving lamps. LEDOTRON was developed as a normalized and standardized dimming and control technology.

Fashion-forward jewelry brand Kendra Scott now features a central luminous patterned wall in several of its retail stores. In each store, the patterned wall is located behind the ColorBarTM by Kendra Scott experience, an area in the store where customers can customize their own jewelry. Third-party LED modules are used to backlight the frosted acrylic Danielle jewel shape that comprise the wall. Traxon & e:cue worked with the Kendra Scott design team to develop various scenes reflecting the colors of the jewelry. Each store location also has unique scenes programmed for their geographical region.

The new SFH 7060 sensor from Osram Opto Semiconductors is designed to measure pulse rates and the oxygen saturation level of blood. It offers excellent signal quality and low energy consumption. The main applications for this component include mobile devices such as smartwatches and fitness armbands – also known as wearables – for continuously monitoring fitness levels. The integrated optical sensor contains five light emitting diodes with three different wavelengths and one high-sensitivity photodiode.

In early August 2015, the renowned Polish rock band Skaldowie gave a big concert in the city of Gdów to celebrate their 50th anniversary. The national broadcasting corporation, TVP, organized the event and a live crowd of 15,000 attended the outdoor venue.

As of Aug. 21, 2015, 14 Chinese manufacturers have released their financial results for the first half of 2015. Some have become more profitable, while others have continued to incur heavy losses. LEDinside takes a closer look into these companies financial performance.

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.

Over the years, the role of Asia in the global economy has been continuously increasing in its importance, corresponding to the as in the saying that “Asia is the breadbasket of the world.” The value of exports and imports by Asia accounts for approximately one fourth of the global value of exports and imports. 

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.

Self-powered bicycle lights are nothing new. In fact, the traditional dynamo light has been around for years, and many cyclists still prefer to use dynamo-powered lights on their bikes for several reasons: these lights are always on a bike and always ready for action; as a result, there's no subsequent forgetting to put the light back on the bike, and there are no worries about the batteries unexpectedly giving out mid-ride. Dynamos, however, do have their own drawbacks. For example, friction-powered sidewall units slow a bike down and wear out a bike's tires, while dynamo hubs must be built into the wheel and add to the bike's revolving weight. In other words, dynamo lights take energy away from the momentum of the cyclist, who can feel a clear resistance when these lights are used.

Light in the Garden at the Atlanta Botanical Garden is British artist Bruce Munro’s sixth solo US exhibition. All summer long visitors can wander the paths throughout one of America’s most famous gardens to experience six immersive large-scale light-based installations created from hundreds of miles of optic fiber.