ITRI will display innovative OLED and LED lighting applications at the pavilions of OLED Lighting (B0821), LED Lighting and Health (B1014), and Smart Light-Smart Life (B1222) at 2018 Taiwan International Lighting Show (TILS) between April 25th and 28th. Among the applications featured will be flexible OLED technology, an Energy Dome, and smart LED lighting able to detect failures. These applications offer insight into a next-generation lighting environment and highlight innovative LED and OLED technologies. In particular, ITRI are assisting local lighting manufacturers in identifying untapped growth opportunities, thereby generating value in smart lighting.

Light, thin, and flexible OLEDs offer an array of application scenarios
Dr. Chih-I Wu, ITRI’s Vice President and General Director of Electronic and Optoelectronic System Research Laboratories, remarked that advances in OLED materials and production methods have helped to greatly reduce OLED-related technology costs, while at the same time paving the way for more diverse applications. ITRI, he said, has comprehensive OLED lighting development capabilities and trial production capacities, enabling it to meet the specific needs of customers and solving cost issues related to roll-to-roll (R2R) production. For instance, ITRI has successfully introduced high-end FOLED products, overcoming significant challenges such as flexible substrate transfer, R2R production process integration, and soft light source system design. ITRI’s technical breakthroughs have greatly simplified production processes and have cut costs. Monthly output will be able to reach 50,000 pieces by this year. ITRI has shared its technology with 14 domestic lighting fixture factories, 15 schools, and 9 commercial areas. Moreover, ITRI is working with Depo Auto Parts Industrial, Vision Automobile Electronics Industrial, and Ado Optronics on the release of automobile headlights and drives, which is hastening the promotion of OLED lighting.

ITRI’s “OLED Lighting” pavilion focuses on the theme “Smart Living-Home Lighting” and demonstrates various applications of FOLED technologies. While in the past OLED was developed primarily on glass substrate, ITRI has developed FOLED using flexible substrate technology. This bendable panel weighs only 10.7 grams and is less than 0.5 mm thick. On display are lighting art featuring a palm tree, a scenario conducive to interaction between parents and their children, home furnishings, and auto lamps.

Adjustable spectrum LED lighting that conforms to circadian rhythms
The “LED Lighting and Health” pavilion spotlights adjustable spectrum LED using multi-chip multi-color module design. Specific wavelengths can be mixed to form white light to provide the human circadian rhythm health effects. The adjustable spectrum LED lighting module developed by ITRI provides white light with the same color temperature as seen by the eye, but the ratio of red, blue and green light is in fact different. This leads to different amounts of melatonin inhibited by light and consequently impacts one’s day and night perception unwittingly.

Dr. Wu stated that the increasing maturity of LED technology is gradually expanding the scope of applications in the LED lighting market. Contrasting with the past when LED lighting R&D centered on boosting efficiency, focus nowadays tends to be more on raising added value, he said. In practical terms, this marks a transition from “technology R&D centering on lighting alone” to “system integration and smart applications.” Taking an office setting for example, efforts today are centered on making lighting comfortable and energy efficient, while at the same time ensuring worker efficiency and health. Dr. Wu explained that ITRI hopes to combine its strengths in LED and ICT together with innovative ideas to help Taiwan’s LED industry escape from cutthroat competition that is engulfing much of the sector and instead set its sights on untapped Blue Ocean opportunities.

High quality light sources and energy efficient lamps
ITRI also set up a “Smart Light-Smart Life” pavilion that features smart LED power supply with failure detection and reporting functionality. ITRI has already transferred this technology to Great Connection System Co., Ltd., which in conjunction with other ICT has created a low cost, energy saving, and reliable LED lighting control system module that can detect failures. The development of this technology alleviates the need for additional sensors, as the system can instantly detect the status of the light fixture and report it directly to managers or the vendor, thereby ensuring real-time monitoring and reducing manpower and maintenance costs.

Dr. Robert Yie-Zu Hu, ITRI’s Vice President and General Director of Green Energy and Environment Research Laboratories, commented that ITRI has long been committed to developing smart and highly efficient lighting technologies, with a particular emphasis on quality in LED lighting. The smart LED lighting module that automatically reports failures provides greater convenience and speed in maintaining lamps. This will lead to greater customer satisfaction and boost product image, creating a win-win situation for managers and customers. Moreover, ITRI is working with partners on developing ultra-high power LED lighting technology that will boost the lighting efficiency of LED lamps. This technology has already been introduced at a stadium in Hsinchu County where the level of illumination has been more than doubled and has better uniformity.