Philips carrys the torch for LED home lightingSteve Bush Philips Research in the US has set up a programme to determine how LEDs can be used fordomestic and commercial lighting. One aim is to generate control algorithms "that carefully balance the manyvariations which occur in LEDs" said the company. The lighting industry, in which Philips is heavily involved, is looking to produce red,green and blue LED-based light sources which are variable in beam angle, intensity andcolour under user control. Algorithms already developed for microcontrollers by Philips are said to includecompensation for device to device light output variations, output drop with age, changewith temperature and wavelength variation with current. The company may add optical sensors to the control system which currently employsinitial calibration. Optical mixing methods are also under investigation to produce a spatially uniformlight output. Backlighting for LCD monitors will also be looked in to.
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