Where Did LED Lighting Come From?
Imagine the ability to change the color of your car or the walls of your house as easily as you might change the background of your Facebook page. Or how about being able to wear your Facebook page on your back or on your car? These things may not be too far in the future, thanks to the Light-Emitting Diode (LED).
H. J. Round is considered to be the pioneer of the light-emitting diode, (LED) based on his experiment charging electrons to release photons, a phenomenon called electroluminescence. An experiment displayed a semiconductor such as gallium would emit a different color of light when different voltages were applied. The first LED appeared in 1927 Russia, created by inventor Oleg Losev, but practical use would not follow for nearly 30 more years. This occurred in the summer of 1962, when James "Bob" Biard and Gary Pittman of Texas Instruments filed a patent for the infrared (IR) light-emitting diode which was the first modern LED. Intended primarily to be used in laboratories testing electronics, the usefulness of the little LED would branch out to many other areas, from toaster ovens to digital watches. The 1990s saw LEDs expanding their usefulness in varied fields, encouraged by developments in reliability and color variation.
In the new century LEDs have become a popular choice for residential LED lighting, replacing incandescent bulbs in a variety of fixtures. LEDs can be retrofitted to suit any traditional light source and the versatility in light output allows for subtle applications such as mimicry of candlelight. Homeowners also value the reduction in energy costs which is provided by the added control over LED lights. Another advantage over incandescents comes from the smaller carbon footprint of LED light fixtures as a result of its lower heat output and longer lifespan. Traditional lighting also has a difficult time matching the range of sizes provided by LEDs, still fully functional and clear at a size as small as 2mm. It is no wonder, given these numerous advantages, that LEDs can be found in most places, like airports, depots, public transportation, billboards, scoreboards, road signals and homes.
Experiments with LEDs in the present look to bring even more innovative applications in the next one hundred years. For instance, scientists are currently developing an LED system dubbed FOLED (flexible organic light-emitting diode) which applies the signal from LEDs to be applied to thin (100 nm) flexible plastic films that can carry a signal even when bent. Groundbreaking inventions such as electronic paper and bendable displays, which will allow for greater durability and flexibility in mobile devices and video displays are already being designed with the FOLED's help. Branching off this concept, researchers have invented a textile-based LED which can be used to create clothing which emits light or larger displays such as Philip's "mood wall," part of their Lumalive line. The ability of an LED to cycle on and off millions of times per second makes it quite suitable for high data bandwidth in optical communication ("LiFi") and has high potential for continued use in the years to come. A sign of how useful LEDs have become, NASA has plans in the future to use the technology for safe mood regulators and light sources for plant growth, making gardens aboard space stations more productive and self-sufficient.
Skipping back to the present, we can see the path to these wonders in our future. Lightfall by 3M, for example, uses what the have named "virtual LED" to permit a large space to be lit by a single LED. Osram's flexible waterproof LED mounts have already given architects and engineers the ability to bend light displays.Similarly, Organic Lighting Systems is producing flexible LED strips, named LiniLED, with progressive polycarbonate resins that allow for vibrant color displays, subtle color blending and durability suited for LED's typically longer life span. With all that's happening now and all that is planned for the future, LEDs are sure to be turning up in a lot more places—maybe even on your living room walls.
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