“The 100-year reign of the incandescent light bulb will end in 2012 as the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 mandates the phase-out of most incandescent bulbs in favor of more efficacious forms of lighting. New forms of lighting will also need to meet consumers’ expectations for light color, dimming performance, lifetime, and the light pattern that a bulb casts.” -EDN.

Philips think they have the solution. Introducing an LED phosphorous hybrid. The new bulb combines the color rendering and efficiency of an LED with the warmth of an incandescent. They achieve this by coating the inside of the bulb with the same light reactive chemical that coats the inside of incandescent and florescent bulbs; phosphorous.

Check out the comparisons below from EDN.

“To evaluate light patterns, I used a home-made jig that’s basically a slanted rim—a conical section of light cardboard—that encircles a light bulb, reflecting its light over the 360° around the bulb.”

Read more at EDN.

The following infographics were  discovered on Bulbrite’s site; here and again here. I danced a jig when I found it; I was so excited to find this.  It was originally tweeted via @Bulbrite.  Thank you Bulbrite!

LED BULB

HOW IT WORKS

A light emitting diode (LED) is composed of negatively charged semiconductors. When voltage is applied, electrons in the semicoWductors combine to create a unit of light (photon).

WHERE WILL YOU SEE ONE?

• Outdoor lighting
• Landscape lighting
• Decorative lighting
• Task lighting
• Professional lighting
• Entertainment lighting

EXAMPLE

INCANDESCENT BULB

HOW IT WORKS

Electric current passes through a filament and causes it to glow to incandescence.

WHERE WILL YOU SEE ONE?

• Everywhere

EXAMPLE: INCANDESCENT VS. LED

FLUORESCENT AND CFL

Fluorescent Bulb

HOW IT WORKS

Electric arc passes between cathodes to excite mercury and other gases producing radiant energy. Phosphor coating converts energy to visible light. CFL produces light as linear fluorescent but use of amalgam increases performance.

WHERE WILL YOU SEE ONE?

• Office buildings
• Schools
• Commercial, industrial and institutional buildings
• General usage
• Hotels and other multi-unit dwellings
• Restaurants

EXAMPLE:  FLUORESCENT VS. LED

HALOGEN BULB

HOW IT WORKS

Incandescent bulb with halogen gas allows evaporated tungsten to be redeposited onto the filament. This “Halogen Cycle” only performs properly when the operating temperature of the bulb filament is very high and the halogen gas is under the appropriate pressure. Quartz glass is used to protect against the increased heat.

WHERE WILL YOU SEE ONE?

• Displays
• Accent lighting
• Task lighting
• General lighting
• Undercabinet

EXAMPLE: HALOGEN VS. LED

HID BULB

HOW IT WORKS

Arc passes between cathodes in a pressurized tube causes metallic additives to vaporize creating light.

WHERE WILL YOU SEE ONE?

• Security lighting
• Parking lots
• Roadways and stadiums
• Malls

EXAMPLE: HID VS. LED

LED Street Light Retrofit project details are included in the case study provided below.

CCI Case Study Los Angeles LED Retrofit

Related Links:

SustainableBusiness

TreeHugger

[Photo: eternaleds]

Why are colors rich and vibrant in one type of lighting and deep and foreboding in another? It’s a question that the lighting industry is tackling with a fervor. The national ban on incandescents is on our heels and with that, a monumental shift in lighting is being thrust upon us. Two lighting sources are fighting to fill the vacuum left by the 131 year old incandescent champ: CFLs and LEDS. We’ve had plenty of time to warm up to Edison’s baby and we are comfortable bathed in its light. We know how colors look and feel under an incandescent bulb. We don’t, however, have a lot of experience with LED or CFL light. It’s relatively new. The effects, just to name a few, reach into the world of fashion, home decor, photography, and even how you look in your bathroom mirror. Now the stakes are high, right?

No worries! Science to the rescue! See how researchers are studying the science of light in this video from the National Institute of Standards and Technology.  Afterwards, let us know what you think in the comments.  Which one is your champ:  CFL or LED?

[via physorg.com]

Walmart Before LED Lighting

I was born and raised in Arkansas which is the proud home of the Walmart Empire.  The picture above is Walmart’s typical parking lot lighting scheme.  Now, contrast that with the picture below which represents a break from thier traditional lighting methods.  These pictures detail Walmart’s LED lighting installation before and after.  The picture below shows the same parking lot illuminated using LED lighting.

Walmart After LED Lighting

Notice how the scene is evenly layered with an afternoon like brightness.  Contrast that once again with the dark splotchy patches from the first picture.  LED lighting presents a more natural feel and eliminates the shadows.  For the sake of fairness, an LED installation can be botched, leaving the subject looking worse, but he LED installation above was designed professionally and with the intent to blow traditional lighting schemes out of the water.  You can read more about Walmart’s installation here.

[via androidcental]

“If you are the type who just can’t resist gadgets that have the extra bit of cool factor, and have US $299 to blow on some (I know you’re out there), you have to check out iGloLEDset now that it’s come to the Android platform.” [via androidcental]

Control my LED lights with my phone?  Yes!!!  Adding this level of control to our phones was certain to occur sooner or later as more and more people make the jump to smartphones and they increasing become a key component in our everyday lives.  This level of convergence shouldn’t surprise anyone, yet what is a bit surprising is the $299 price tag.  That is unfortunate, but it is a small price to pay for AWESOME!

The hardware can be purchased here and the the application can be purchased from the Android Market Place for $2.99 from your Android phone (Droid, HTC EVO, Samsung Epic, and many others) or through iTunes for you iPhone (iOS) users.  Below is a demo of the LED lights in action.

How about pimping your ride out a bit?  Add LED light to your automobile and impress the folks in adjacent lanes during those awkward moments at red lights.