Optronic Laboratories : Light Measurement Experts

November 26, 2008…The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) proposed a new method for accurate and reproducible LED brightness and color measurement in a recent paper. The NIST announced the new method in a recent press release. The organization says that the new method is both accurate and economical.The new method calls for the control of the junction temperature during measurement.The NIST points out that the light quality of LEDs depends on the operating temperature. For faster production, LED manufacturers typically use a high-speed pulsed test to measure the color and brightness. However, pulsed measurements do not give the LED chip time to warm to its normal operating temperature. Therefore the measured light output quality is not the same as would be realized in actual lighting products.

Courtesy LIGHTimes Staff

The Army’s Research Instrumentation Grants provide support to U.S. universities that are current holders of research grants or contracts, to purchase instrumentation in support of the research or to develop new research capabilities in the areas important to national defense. Visit http://www07.grants.gov/search/search.do;jsessionid=0QhkJmhJTmMn7Bhh25m1n0ryvXLCY0vrx6BVy6Kg2yYDmGXGvBqG!183109128?oppId=41952&flag2006=false&mode=VIEW

Courtesey: ERAU Grant Opportunities Update

Courtesy - New York Times (09/26/08) Taub, Eric A. [Via Optical Society of America]

The U.S. Department of Energy is offering up to $10 million to a company that can come up with a new generation solid-state LED replacement for the standard 60 watt incandescent bulb. Called the L (Lightning) Prize, the competition is designed to spur energy efficiency and set manufacturing standards to overcome some of the quality issues that the emerging LED industry has faced. The winning entry must produce light equivalent to 60 watts but use less than 10 watts and last longer than 25,000 hours. Though not a requirement, the guidelines also call for the LED replacement to cost no more than $8 by the third year of commercialization. The winner must be able to manufacture at least 250,000 units during the first year, and production of the LED chip must take place in the United States. The winning product will be promoted by utilities across the country, will automatically qualify for Energy Star status, and may be advertised on television. Currently, LED replacement bulbs cost around $80-100 each. The 40-watt equivalent uses only 4 watts and reportedly lasts 50,000 hours, but the color, though described as “warm,” is whiter than standard bulbs. A second prize will be awarded for a replacement for PAR 38 halogen reflector lamps; the replacement bulb must be able to generate the equivalent of 60 watts of light while using less than 11 watts.
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If you are running Microsoft Vista, Office ’97 will not work with the direct reporting feature.  Vista will work with Office XP, Office 2003, and Office 2007.  This applies to all applications software.  Most people who have Vista are not using Office ’97 and there is no fix for this combination. Vista users should not run ’97 if they require use of the direct reporting feature.

Tim Eastham,

Software Engineering Manager