First, Japan got the world’s first connected home garden device, and now it’s time for Nippon to get the world’s first cloud-based LED lighting system. Developed by Tokyo-based lighting tech startup Net LED Technology Corp., the so-called NetLED system will go on sale in Japan on February 20 (here‘s the company’s English website).

The 40W lights, which have a 40,000-hour lifespan, come with built-in Wi-Fi: users can control each tube over the web after installing the NetLed app on a smartphone, tablet, or computer (the iPhone app is already out, while iPad and Android apps will be released this summer). It’s possible to dim the lights (each tube has 10 different dimming levels) and to turn them on or off.

Users can control individual, multiple, or a set of lights (which can be located in separate rooms) via the app, which also offers a timer function. The system also makes it possible to track energy usage in real-time and to automatically aggregate data over an extended period of time.

Net LED says that when a company, for example, uses 200 of these lights, power consumption can be pushed down by up to 50%.

Using the app and Net LED’s servers is free.

The system’s own costs depend on how many lights are needed: the price for the control box/router set (see above) is fixed at US$780. One Wi-Fi-enabled tube (US$260) can be connected to up to three NetLED lights without a Wi-Fi module (those lights cost US$180 each), resulting in sets of four lights (as you can see above).

According to Philips, its bulb lasts 25 times longer and uses 80 percent less energy than the 60 watt incandescent bulb it was designed to replace. A company press statement reported that in order to obtain the Energy Star label, its LED bulb had to demonstrate a minimum light output of 800 lumens, a color temperature of 2700K (for soft white light), color rendering index (CRI) of 80 and a minimum three-year warranty; it actually offers 806 lumens, 2700K, a CRI of 80 and a six-year warranty. The bulbs are currently selling at Home Depot for $39.97.

A Philips company representative told TechCrunch the bulbs are also recyclable. The lighting corporation wasn’t issuing predictions about how much the Energy Star qualification would drive sales of its Ambient 12.5 watt bulbs. More macroscopically, however, Philips predicts LEDs will take 50 percent of the residential lighting market by 2015.

Other companies are sure to follow in Philips’ footsteps, from large and medium-sized businesses like Cree (NASDAQ: CREE) and the Lighting Science Group Corporation (OTCB: LSCG) to younger startups like Bridgelux.

The Durham, N.C.-based Cree now has a demonstration 60 watt incandescent replacement LED bulb — the TrueWhite Light — that the company claims is the industry’s brightest and most efficient, and meets Energy Star performance criteria. A company spokesperson said Tuesday that Cree submitted it to an independent testing facility, with testing on track to be completed by the fall. (Energy Star doesn’t test bulbs for certification.)

Meanwhile, LSCG has an Energy Star approved line, called DEFINITY. Bulbs in this line, the company announced today, have been installed in Yankee Candle Stores throughout New England. LSCG claims these are approximately 80% more efficient than the halogen bulbs that they replace, are “dimmable,” contain no mercury, and are completely recyclable. Yankee Candle received rebates from National Grid and Western Mass Electric Company through the Mass Save program, and other electric utility companies throughout New England.

In the latest spate of milestones: LED-chip-makers Bridgelux scored a $21 million investment; and Digital Lumens attained certifications that will help it export its energy-efficient lighting systems to Mexico and Canada.

Last week, President Obama proposed the Better Buildings Initiative, to improve energy efficiency in commercial buildings, making them 20 percent more energy-efficient over the next decade, across the country. The program will “catalyze private sector investment through a series of incentives to upgrade offices, stores, schools and other municipal buildings, universities, hospitals, and other commercial buildings across the U.S.” according to a Whitehouse press statement.

Last year (2010) commercial buildings domestically consumed about 20 percent of all energy in the U.S. economy. In 2009, according to the most recently available U.S. Energy Information Administration estimates, commercial and residential lighting used about 13.6% of total U.S. electricity consumption.

Meanwhile Home Depot and other retailers have begun to sell LED light bulbs made by everyone from Cree to Philips (image above), that can be used in the same kinds of lamps and fixtures as incandescents, and that sometimes prove more energy-efficient than the “pig tail” variety, Energy Star certified CFL bulbs.

Bridgelux, in Livermore, Calif., makes light emitting diode chips and arrays, domestically. Its latest $21 million convertible note investment was made public in an SEC filing today.

The company’s venture investors have included: VantagePoint, DCM, El Dorado Ventures, VentureTech Alliance, Chrysalix Energy Venture Capital, and Harris & Harris Group, along with undisclosed investors. Prior to the recent round, the company raised $113.5 million as Emma Ritch reported for Cleantech Group in January. Bridgelux did not respond immediately to requests for details on where it plans to spend its new-found capital.

Digital Lumens (DL) in Boston, revealed today that its Intelligent Light Engines — smart fixtures for light emitting diodes — attained new safety certifications allowing the hardware to be sold widely in Mexico and Canada.

Its hardware now carries the Mexican and Canadian equivalents of Underwriters Laboratory or UL Listings in the United States — NOM (Normas Oficiales Mexicanas) and ULC (Underwriters Laboratory Canada) marks. To attain these, a product has to meet the independent labs’ safety and performance criteria.

According to Digital Lumens’ website, the fixtures form “a wireless mesh network that collects detailed energy consumption and building occupancy details,” and help building managers and engineers control and reduce their lighting related energy costs and consumption.

Since the company spun out of Groom Energy in 2008, Digital Lumens has attained venture-funding from Black Coral Capital, Flybridge Partners and Stata. It has also drawn top clean tech talent from A123 Systems and ColorKinetics.

Looking at the market for efficient lighting, overall Groom Energy and Greentech Media Research predicted that:

“The LED enterprise lighting market should grow through 2011 by 30 percent, surpassing $1 billion in annual revenue by 2014…The 2010 U.S. market for commercial and industrial LED lighting was about $330 million.”

Another day, another 3D-related news item. I guess you never heard about Hibino, but the Tokyo-based electronics company has shown two interesting new products [JP, PDF] today. First, there’s the ChromaLED 3D6, a LED-based display system that’s sized at a whopping 280 inches (pictured above) and that can produce 3D images.

The ChromaLED 3D6 that Hibino showed today during a press conference in Tokyo is made of multiple LED 3D units which ares sized at 38 inches each and feature 730cd/m2 brightness. The 280-inch system has 1,024×576 resolution, with Hibino saying they can produce systems double the size, too, if there’s demand.

The company also showcased another model, the ChromaLED 3D4 (pictured below). While the 3D6 comes with 6mm pitch LED screens,the 74-inch 3D4 pitch even stands at just 4mm – a world’s first, according to Hibino. The screens the system is composed of are a little weaker though (for example, they just feature 510cd/m2 brightness).

Viewers can switch between 2D and 3D with the push of a a button, with both systems requiring glasses to view images in 3D.

They can be ordered from Hibino starting today (no word on pricing other than that the systems will be marketed with an “open price model”).

Via AV Watch [JP]

The Amazing Technicolor LED Fur Coat from Arren Parker on Vimeo.

The pimp person who made the jacket was kind enough to put up instructions on how to make your own technicolor LED coat, if you are so inclined.

It plans to use the capital to take its flourescent and LED lighting control systems — which are like dimmers on steroids and smart pills — from small to mid-sized commercial sites such as schools, courthouses and stores, to large scale commercial and industrial sites.

It will especially seek projects in “energy intensive” regions where the power supply may be limited, or strained by harsh weather for example.

Lumenergi’s systems were designed to help office and home owners to monitor, report on and optimize or reduce their use of energy for building wide lighting.

Some of Lumenergi’s systems make use of lower-power consuming LED lights. Others work with flourescents according to GreenTechMedia.

Flourescents are the most widely used lighting systems in U.S. office buildings today, according to research by the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

Braemar Energy Ventures led the $12.7 million series B round, joined by Townsend VC LLC, Low Carbon Accelerator Ltd. and Noventi Ventures.

Fortunately, these guys made that mistake for you. Check it out.

[via Make]

Troika’s project was just a proof of concept of course, and isn’t available commercially, but why not make your own? It’s fairly simple with a little bit of internet searching, and some Arduino bits and LEDs. In fact, there’s a kit available from Make to get you started. Just think of it as real life twitter: a spoon that says “EAT”, or a toilet that says “FLUSH” as you move it. Of course, everyone will then know that you are an electronics genius, and you’ll have to fight off the women, but what the heck, it’ll be worth it.

[via Make]

Each one is $180. Yeah, pricey. But at least their storage case doubles as a recharging station. Simply take one out and it turns on. Plug it back in, it turns off and resumes recharging. That’s nifty, but the high starting price might make some companies resistant at first.

GE just announced a new lightbulb that’s going to change all that. The new technology combines the omnidirectional light of a incandescent bulb, and the power savings of and LED. The new bulb is expected to last 17 years before it needs replaced, which is about 25 times longer then a 40w incandescent. There’s a down side to the new bulb though, it’s going to cost between $40 to $50. The new bulb produces 450 lumens, which is the equivalent of a 40w incandescent, or 10w CFL, but the LED will only consume 9w of power. Expect to see the new LED bulb sometime in 2011.

[via inhabit]

So you think you’ve got a bright flashlight. You got nothing! This guy built his own, with 500 LEDs (which consume a shockingly low 50 watts when it’s powered up. This guy is so good, he wasn’t just content to build the most ridiculously bright LED flashlight in the world, oh no. He also built a custom interface for it that allows him to make it flash, control the power levels, and even signal for help. So here’s to you, extreme flashlight guy. Sure, you did this a while ago, but it’s so cool it deserves a mention on a slow Sunday afternoon.

[via Hack N' Mod]

Approximately 90% of all LCD TVs currently on the market have CCFL backlights. A 32-inch LCD TV usually requires six CCFL tubes, but Sanken says their new lamps are so efficient that only two of them are enough (one at the top and another one at the bottom of the device).

The company also works on LED solutions for TVs but still expects sufficient demand for CCFL tubes for lower-end TVs in the future. Sanken plans to start volume production in one of their plants in Japan as early as this summer.

Via The Nikkei [registration required, paid subscription]

It looks like Tokyo-based acessory maker Thanko is trying to carve out a new niche for themselves, spy gadgets (apart from insane USB gadgets). The newest addition to their spy equipment lineup is the LED Spy Light HD [JP], an LED flashlight that records video in HD. Needless to say, the device lets you shoot photos, too.

To be more specific, the device has a built-in mini camera that lets you shoot video in 1,280×960 at 30fps and pictures in 1,600×1,200. And because it’s a flashlight, you can (supposedly) do that in the dark – just like a spy, as Thanko says. There’s no internal memory, but you can use SD/SDHC cards to store your material.

The device can also be used as a voice recorder, according to Thanko. All material can later be transferred to your PC (Windows XP, Vista and 7 only) via USB 2.0.

Geek Stuff 4 U is already listing the LED Spy Light HD for the international market (price: $106.01 plus shipping).

Here’s a sample video taken with the flashlight:

Via Akihabara News

PORTLAND, OR, FEBRUARY 1, 2010 — Seoul Semiconductor, a leading global LED manufacturer, announced today that it will introduce the first 100 lm/W AC LED light source during the first quarter of 2010. Offering 25% greater efficiency than existing LED light products, this latest offering from Seoul Semiconductor’s Acriche brand will be available for sampling by March 1. It will be supported with a global marketing campaign.

Seoul Semiconductor, which has pioneered development and manufacturing of next-generation LED light sources since 1992, notes that Acriche outlasts incandescent and compact fluorescent (CFL) bulbs, and due to its long life is less costly to use than traditional lighting methods.

Like other Acriche products, the new 100 lm/W LED needs no AC-DC converter. Additionally, it generates less than 1/10th the carbon emissions of an incandescent bulb, an important consideration in meeting new regulatory standards in markets worldwide.

Seoul Semiconductor is in the process of carrying out investment activities, active research and development activities, and marketing promotions to boost the supply of Acriche in the United States, and has thus far invested nearly $20 million with plans to expand the investment in the future. In particular, it is making a huge effort with Acriche’s patented technology for use in multiple lighting applications through continual research and development for dynamic evolution of the product.

“We’re proud to introduce this next-generation Acriche with its environmentally friendly profile, and cost-efficient application,” said Mr. S.M. Lee, Vice President of Seoul Semiconductor in Korea “This new product represents great strides by Seoul Semiconductor’s Technical Research Institute. Acriche now has up to ten times the efficiency of incandescent bulbs and greater system level performance as compared to generic DC LEDs.”

The global market for LEDs exceeds $5 billion annually, and is expected to grow at a pace of more than 24% annually. Acriche is expected to appeal to the U.S. market, where the race to instill “green” living practices has intensified, resulting in increased numbers of lighting systems being replaced or upgraded with LED solutions.

Anticipating a continued robust U.S. demand for Acriche, Seoul Semiconductor is dedicating foundry resources to ensure supplies of the product are readily available. Mass production of the new Acriche will begin in the first quarter of this year. In addition, research and marketing campaigns are underway to raise consumer awareness about the benefits of LED technology.

What is Acriche?

Seoul Semiconductor’s main product, Acriche, is an AC-driven semiconductor light source. Because the LED does not require a converter; it is more energy- and cost-efficient than DC LEDs. In addition, Acriche is officially recognized for its safety, having acquired CE and TÜV certifications as well as UL certification in the United States due to the reliability of its electronic parts. Acriche is easy to install. In addition, with a life span of more than 35,000 hours, Acriche LEDs meet Energy Star requirements for indoor and outdoor solid state lighting.

About Seoul Semiconductor

Seoul Semiconductor is the fourth largest LED company globally, according to IMS Research, a British electronics market research agency. The company has more than 5,000 patents and owns internationally recognized technology such as Acriche, developed by its own original technology; Deep UV LED; and Non-Polar LED implementations. The company runs 33 overseas operations, including three subsidiaries, and 150 worldwide distributor locations. Visit www.acriche.com for more information.

I’m not really sure if this is good or bad news for end consumers, but a couple of Japanese companies have developed a technology that makes it possible to transmit information from blinking LEDs fixed on advertisements to cell phones – using only light. The companies involved in the development include some big names such as Toshiba or NEC.

With this new system, Japanese cell phone users don’t have to scan the ubiquitous QR codes anymore to access more information on a certain product or to get coupons but can obtain the data without being physically close to the ads. If you have an ad measuring 1sqm and place LEDs on it, for example, the target user can stand as far as five meters away (the distance can be longer in the case of larger ads). If the users are interested in what’s being offered, it’s enough to point the cell phone to the ad to instantly view the information on the screen.

The LEDs blink about four million times per second and (obviously) require the use of a light-receiving handset (sorry for the silly picture – there are no official photos of the LED system yet). Advertisers can change the blinking frequency to change the content of the information they send to their potential customers.

The technology is on track to be commercialized by 2013.

Via Nikkei [registration required, paid subscription]

It’s a fairly basic watch, there’s no chronograph functionality (obviously) but it does display the time and date. Sure it’s not quite as bling as a Tokyoflash watch, but this one you might actually be able to read. Retail price starts at $200.

Now, the LED flashlight is king. Lower energy requirements, higher lumens, less heat; the LED really makes a difference. At first, there were problems with focusing the beam, however nowadays it’s not an issue. Most LED flashlights are quite functional, durable (try dropping an incandescent bulb light from 6 feet up) and if you’ll pardon the pun, the future is quite bright.

Enter the mPower. Designed to be used as an emergency flashlight, it’s main power source is a CR123 (photocell) battery, along with a special reserve battery. The reserve battery (which is technology that the builder mPhase specializes in) has a shelf life of 20 years.

In addition to this special power source, the mPower has a built in USB port for emergency charging your cell phone, as well as any other device. The best part: if the CR123 battery is dead, the backup cell will charge your device for you. We don’t know yet how many lumens or any of the other information that really matters to flashlight geeks like myself, unfortunately.

Expect to be released into the wild in March of 2010, the mPower flashlight will set you back somewhere between $250 and $300. Ouch.

[via CNET]

As a reader of CrunchGear, I can only assume that you’re familiar with a recent invention called “television.” It’s truly a remarkable thing: it transports lights and sounds from the four corners of the planet, and brings them right to your living room. It’s like you’re actually at the big game! A recent upgrade, called high-definition television, improves the quality of the picture. Samsung, which is a company based in far-away South Korea, has a new line of high-definition televisions called the 8500 Series. It uses something called light-emitting diodes (“LEDs”) to light up the image—no more replacing tubes!

This new line of television comes in two sizes: 46 and 55 inches. That’s as big as an elephant (but much thinner)!

And does it purr! You name it, it’s got it: 1080p, 240MHz refresh rate, 2ms response time, and, get this, Internet connectivity! Yes, you’re able to view popular Web site Yahoo-provided content, including photos from Flickr, news and weather; sports from USA Today; plus Twitter and YouTube. That’s right, tweet right from your couch!

How much would you pay for such a marvel? Did you say $3,599 for the 46-inch, and $4,499 for the 55-inch? Then you’d be right!

Both models should be shipping to your local retailer in August, which is in only a few days!

[PSGallery=9pd7dwbnho]

Now you, too, can get in on the fun for far less than you think. GraveyardMall.com is selling the “E-Plate Scrolling License Plate Frame” for just $14 plus shipping.

You can program up to five scrolling messages into the E-Plate and display them at a moment’s notice to the driver behind you. Imagine the possibilities!

Your driving? I don’t care for it.

Please observe the two second rule. You may be too close to my bumper!

Follow me if you like pancakes. I might be going to IHOP. Might!

Messages can apparently be “hundreds of letters and numbers long” so feel free to really load up your political and religious viewpoints in great detail.

E-Plate Scrolling License Plate Frame With Remote Control [GraveyardMall.com via dealnews]