Plastic Could Make House Lights Obsolete

Posted by Queuebot in Architecture, Gadget, Home & Garden, Science & Tech on February 4, 2009 at 8:18 pm


Could flexible organic light-emitting diodes, or OLEDs, be the future of lighting? Don’t worry; I don’t understand that sentence either. Keep reading for a jargon-free explanation.

On General Electric’s research campus in Niskayuna, NY, there is a machine that prints lights. This machine is so good at its job the lights it creates could make traditional lamps and lighting fixtures obsolete. In what sounds to be a relatively simple process, the semitrailer-size machine coats an 8” wide plastic film with chemicals and seals it with a layer of metal foil. When an electric current is applied to the plastic sheet, be prepared to throw on a pair of shades as it emits an ethereal blue glow.

Light from the sheet is produced using compounds known as organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs). OLEDs are currently used in television and cell-phone displays and have been embraced by large
manufacturers such as Siemens and Philips.



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COMMENT

3 comments to "Plastic Could Make House Lights Obsolete"

  1. Ron Mertens
    February 5th, 2009 at 12:23 am

    For more information on OLED lighting, you can see our site:

    http://www.oled-info.com/oled-light

    There are many companies all over the world trying to do OLED lighting - from Japan, EU and the US of course.

    The biggest advantages are great efficiency, no bad metals, thin design and potentially cheap price.

    Ron

  2. Goober
    February 5th, 2009 at 11:38 am

    Anybody who thinks that an "etheral blue glow" is going to replace real lighting is smoking dope.

  3. Walter Seiler
    February 5th, 2009 at 8:38 pm

    Two questions.
    What is the status on OLED natural white light
    and is the system dimmable. Please respond
    Walter


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