Worldwide LED manufacturers recently have transformed their businesses from general lighting to other niche applications. This industrial trend can be observed at NEPCON Japan as well. At NEPCON Japan 2019, most of the LED manufacturers emphasized non-general lighting LED applications. These categories mostly covered automotive LED products for interior and exterior applications, special lighting, invisible light sensors, and UV light applications.

1. Everlight
LED packaging manufacturer Everlight centered on automobile LED and infrared sensor modules at NEPCON Japan 2019. Speaking of its automobile LEDs, Everlight presented Mini-LED concept smart tail lamps. The Mini-LED RGB chip's size is 0606 with a pitch size of 0.9mm. This smart tail lamp can show text and images on demand, in order to inform drivers of cars behind. This automobile fine-pitch display caters more to ergonomic tail lamp design because human eyes can experience the best visual effect at the distance of about three meters. Meanwhile, Everlight showcased 3D visual effect tail lamp modules at the event.

(Everlight's 3D effect tail lamp)

Infrared sensors were also featured at Everlight's booth. Everlight Japan pointed out, there were different sizes and multi-beam angles of transmitters and receivers from Everlight presented at the show. In particular, one model of high power infrared sensor can enhance light supplement for smartphone facial recognition function. Besides, Everlight launched sensors for touch screens, e-books, and wearable devices.

Meanwhile, Everlight showcased UV LEDs, such as UVC sterilization modules and robot vacuum cleaners.

2. Optcom
LED lighting not only can improve plants' growth efficiency, but also can help animals grow. Japan lighting application company Optcom showed special organisms' lighting, covering horticulture LEDs and UV light sources for growth of reptiles and oceanic corals.

Optcom designed UV-B light sources for reptiles' growth. Currently, these lamps are used in an interactive zoo in Japan. As for AquaX with an UV light dimming function, Taiwan's National Museum of Marine Science & Technology uses it for growing corals.

3. GeneLite
In 2018, GeneLite presented Micro-LED chips, and in 2019, it showcased ultra-thin blue-ray flip-chip Mini-LED chips. In one product, there are totally 4608 Mini-LED chips (the size of 8 mil x 15 mil). These are 360 degree beam angle LEDs with ultra-high luminance.

GeneLite presented UV LED and related applications. Its handrail UV sterilizer can kill bacteria on escalator handrails. The power generation function is built in, so there is no need to connect to a power cord. Besides, its life span is long. Taoyuan International Airport in Taiwan uses sets of sterilization equipment from GeneLite.

4. JUST Auto Lighting
JUST Auto Lighting from Taiwan focuses on automobile LEDs. JUST Auto lighting product lines include general automotive products for exterior applications (headlights and tail lamps), and JUST develops one LED Projection Welcome Door Lamp. This lamp can project special brand symbols or other reminder icons. JUST's R & D center manager explained that in the past this type of aftermarket design was mostly optional. By contrast, now there are more OEMs using projection door lamps.