LED lighting closer than we think

EUROPEAN partnerships with Japanese companies could result in LED lighting arriving earlier than anyone expected, according to the findings of a mission funded by UK Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).

The department is promoting an event called EuroLEDS which is being held in Birmingham on the 16th and 17th of May this year.

And the DTI itself is holding a seminar called "Identifying Disruptive Technologies and Applications within the Solid State Lighting Industry" on the 18th of May.

The seminar will give several examples of LEDs in transport and in healthcare. A mission to Japan was shown traffic lights which used LED variants, rainbow coloured traffic signals, and three aspect LED road traffic symbols mounted on a flexible board with a separate power supply which can be rolled up and used for different traffic conditions.

The mission team of leading academics and industrialists found that Japan has introduced a five year ¥2,642 million programme for developing LED medical equipment and therapeutics. Projects include specialised light sources for highlighting veins or incision points, and the use of UV LED light to kill bacteria.

Meijo University is developing LED lights for tiny cameras used inside the body, while LEDs may be used to treat cancer. µ

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