What Does The Future Hold for LEDs? BLT Direct Investigates

BLT Direct, one of the country’s leading online retailers of lighting solutions, is looking towards the future this week, with a number of predictions and expectations of the ubiquitous LED light bulbs over the coming years.

Fifty years ago, a science fiction writer and professor of biochemistry, Isaac Asimov, predicted that lights would be used to create seamless, luminous ceilings and walls that softly glow. This has now come to pass, with LED light bulbs being integrated not only in ceilings but also into carpets, clothes and a myriad of other everyday items. With Forbes predicting that the global market for LED lighting is set to double by 2020, the future looks resplendently bright for these supercharged light-emitting diodes.

Steven Ellwood, Managing Director of leading LED lighting supplier BLT Direct says, “LEDs are incredibly versatile and lend themselves to a plethora of different scenarios, from commercial kitchens and industrial warehouses to domestic living rooms and ambient restaurants. It’s unbelievably exciting to see the latest advancements in two-lead technology and as leading suppliers of all things LED, we can’t wait to see where they go next!”

As the world gains increasing environmental awareness, more and more businesses and households are making the switch to greener energy - and LED is at the forefront of this trend. The energy efficient credentials and long operating life of many LED light bulbs make them a fantastic eco-friendly option, and with the EU already beginning to phase out inefficient lighting sources, LED could soon become a legal requirement rather than an environmentally responsible choice.

Another exciting development on the horizon is the integration of intelligent LED lighting into everyday environments. Using smart light management systems, users will be able to control lighting temperature to improve quality of life. From neutral white lights in offices to warm white ambient glows in bars, expect to see LED used as a versatile lighting solution in a variety of commercial and domestic environments.

LED is also set to emerge as the bulb of choice for hospitals and health care centres across the globe. Recent research from LightingEurope revealed that LEDs have an array of incredible health benefits including lack of interference with the sleep inducing hormone of melatonin, eye cooling illumination effect and the ability to improve the moods of those suffering from mental illnesses such as depression and anxiety. LEDs are even used in the light therapy treatments of SAD sufferers. These unique developments are referred to by the scientific sphere as ‘Human Centric Lighting,’ a term that is set to revolutionise conventional perceptions of lighting as a purely practical source.

At the far end of the scale is a concept that would impress even the most far-fetched of science fiction authors. Referred to as ‘Li-Fi,’ LEDs have been pegged as the next big thing in Wi-Fi connectivity. Currently being researched by British and Chinese technological giants, the concept of Visible Light Communications (VLC) harnesses the power of micro LED bulbs to transmit data. Using parallel streams of light, the cutting edge new technology uses rapid changes in light intensity to emit a fully functional Wi-Fi signal.

From curing mental health diseases to streaming the latest YouTube video, the future of LED is set to be extraordinarily exciting.