Showing posts with label Optics and Optical Components. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Optics and Optical Components. Show all posts

LED Technology and Its Effect on US

The launch of LED technology in the world was a path breaking achievement on part of the researchers who were actively involved in invading those products that were traditionally used for general illumination. The benefits of using LED have also had an impact on the consumers who are now switching to these lights than the conventional light bulbs. Besides, home and office, the traffic signals, port headlamps and flashlights are too using this inexpensive LED technology for better and eco friendly illumination.

This write up highlights some of the benefits as well as developments in the LED technology.

Energy Conservation – This is perhaps one of the most important as well as universally known aspect of LED's. In the electrical hardware industry, LED lighting is known to be representing a fundamental difference in the use of electrical energy for illumination. While incandescent bulbs rely upon a glowing filament for the production of light. The Light emitting diodes bulb on the other hand use all the energy to light up the lamp. Thus saving heat energy. The low cost of maintenance as well as longer shelf life makes this technology a better purchase. In America, where 20% of the energy is consumed in lighting, the LED has proven exceptionally efficient in saving a considerable portion of this energy.

Technology for Replacement – Another pioneer step that has rendered an extra edge to this technology is the option of replacement wherein an another bulb known as CRS MR 16 (produced by CRS Electronics), directly replaces fluorescent tubes without modification to the electrical lighting fixtures. This linear tube bulb is also bedecked with the advantage of life expectancy that is beyond 40,000 hours. Another product under this segment is the CRS MR16, that too is capable of saving energy consumption up to 87%.

Expanding Applications – The use of LED's today have not remained confined to home and office where they are known to illuminate the area. In the modern world, their worth is rapidly being realized in many medicinal applications as well. One such use is in the restorative dentistry where blue light emitting diodes are being used for the cure of light activated oral bio materials. In clinical trials conducted by the researchers, it came to notice that a blue light emitting diode (LED) light curing unit (LCU) is capable in the production of equal dental complex depth via a halogen LCU which is adjusted in a manner that gives an irradiance of 300 mWcm–2.

Light emitting diodes are a huge counterpart of the optical and optics components industry. The various researches catering to these LED's, that are still under progress are surely going to give a great impetus to the light industry.

Revolutionizing LEDs : Bringing Relief In Cancer Clinical Trials

Light emitting diodes that were earlier associated as only an electronic light source, today has become a part of a noble cause – to help cure a person of cancer. This might sound a little abhorrent, but the truth is that the professors of neurology, pediatrics and hyper baric medicine at the Medical College of Wisconsin are convinced, that using LEDs can improve a bone-marrow transplant patient's quality of life, after conducting several successful human trials.

This light emitting diode, an indispensable part of the optics and optical components, ensures a painless and secure process wherein an array of light helps ease or prevent some of the pain and discomfort associated with cancer treatment. This clinical trial is presently in its second part. As the first part was very encouraging, the doctors could not resist themselves from indulging in the expansion of these trials to several U.S. and foreign hospitals.

The scientists as well as the researchers are of the opine that the cells exposed to near infrared light from LEDs, grow 150 to 200 percent faster than cells not stimulated by such light. Thus, the healing process speeds up as the light arrays increase energy inside these cells. It came to notice that in the first trial, the use of LEDs showed a significant relief to pediatric bone-marrow transplant patients suffering the ravages of oral mucositis. Thus, LEDs were found to be effective in overcoming the common side effects of chemotherapy and radiation treatments. It was also found to be effective in the reduction of the mucositis problem which is very painful.

The treatment device that is creating this magic is the 3-by-5-inch portable, flat array of light-emitting diodes that is held on the outside of the patients cheek. However, a foil is placed between the flesh and the LED array to avoid any kind of sham treatment. This clinical trial will go on for about three more years to complete with a total of 80 patients.

After comparing the result of the first trial it was found that the percentage of patients with ulcerative oral mucositis to historical epidemiological controls were just 53 percent of the treated patients in the bone- marrow transplant group developed mucositis, considerably less than the usual rate of 70-90 percent. The researchers are still awaiting the the approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, before the device can be made available for widespread use.

These Leds have proven to be of utmost importance in hundreds of applications. Among the optics and optical market, these light emitting diodes are also known to be beneficial in providing lights for plants that are grown on the Space Station as part of commercial experiments sponsored by NASA industry.