“Digital signage is a driving force as companies, designers and artists look for new and inspiring ways to interact with consumers. The new LightScene solutions build on the success of the original models, delivering a unique design for aesthetically blending projection in virtually any environment. These new and improved models integrate lighting and projection with powerful, next-generation features to make the ordinary extraordinary and the invisible visible,” said Remi Del Mar, Product Manager, Epson America, Inc.

The new Bluetooth-enabled LightScene models feature motion sensing capabilities and a brighter laser light engine with up to 20,000 hours of virtually maintenance-free operation.(2) The display solutions are powered by software and mobile applications that can completely remove friction points, making them accessible for nearly any customer.

Osram Opto Semiconductors has worked on various assignments in the EffiLAS’ joint project EKOLAS along with their partners Laserline, Heraeus, Fraunhofer ILT, Fiberware and Welser Profile.

The target    

The fundamental objective was to develop highly efficient infrared laser bars with outstanding output powers and to demonstrate them in industrial materials processing.

The background

About 10 years ago, the best laser bars achieved a power of 200 watts with an efficiency of about 63%. Five years later, an output of 250 watts at an efficiency of no less than 60% was expected to be the limit of what could be achieved with the existing technologies. Conversion efficiency and cooling limited the output power of lasers at that time.

The new standard

The EKOLAS project, which was completed in February 2020, led to an infrared laser bar with an impressive maximum output of 400 watts in continuous-wave operation. With an output of 300 watts, the bar sets a new standard with an efficiency of about 70% in the wavelengths of 1000 and 1020 nanometres.

The new experience

By definition, Epitaxy means a type of crystal growth or material deposition in which new crystalline layers are formed with a well-defined orientation with respect to the crystalline substrate. The project partners were able to draw on experience gained in other ventures under the EffiLAS umbrella organization including an understanding of materials science and simulation in the field of epitaxy, as well as fundamental expertise in chip and facet technologies.

Narrating his complacence, Sebastian Hein, EKOLAS Project Manager at Osram Opto Semiconductors, said, “We are very excited to achieve, and in some cases even exceed, all of our targets in this project. The key to success was the development of innovative software tools for simulating the electro-optical properties of the lasers, which take into account the thermal distribution, temperature-dependent material properties and mode-dependent wave propagation in the resonator. These tools considerably accelerated and simplified the necessary test runs, making a fundamental contribution to the results of the project.”

The course ahead

The newly gained knowledge from the simulation of certain processes can now be transferred to other product groups and wavelengths in the range between 800 and 1060 nm. In addition to the advantages in product development, the results also strengthen and consolidate the establishment of supply chains in Germany and the rest of Europe, thereby sustainably strengthening the industrial location.

‘The Brothers: Celebrating 50-years of the Allman Brothers Band’ was a show staged at New York’s legendary Madison Square Garden just before the state went into lockdown in a massive effort to halt the spread of Covid-19. Lighting Designer – Chris Ragan utilized over 100 Robe fixtures paired with dynamic design for the four-hour performance. The Brothers’ were known for their dynamic fusion of blues, jazz and country with their distinctive rock music have stayed relevant long after their first period during their days of glory. To give insight into the lighting aspect, Ragan has numerous connections, the members, many of whom have been clients to the lighting rental vendor BML-Blackbird Theatrical Services. The Robe count included 44 x Spiider LED wash beams, 20 x BMFL Spots, 26 x MegaPointes and 12 x PixelPATTs, all supplied by BML-Blackbird.

As soon as the event reached the design stage, the show was sold in a 360 format, and Chris was well-aware of what was needed in terms of sightlines. He said: “We all wanted to involve the look and style in the show,” while speaking of a substantial visual challenge.

Chris sketched a “large mushroom” that would hang above the band onstage – adding a projection surface surrounded by lighting. The mushroom was originally adopted by the Allmans as a psychedelic orientated logo that had transcended the history and various line-ups of the band. To add effect, a 20ft by 30ft mushroom was created using an assortment of 12-inch truss circles. They then added four LED walls positioned at each corner of the stage to provide IMAG and to show custom show content created by Johnathan Singer, Marco Ferrero and Steve Pavlovsky. Adam Paul was the IMAG / camera / stream director.

Once all this was determined, Chris positioned his lighting fixtures. The Robe BMFL Spots were rigged on the upstage and overhead trusses; the Spiiders were also on these two trusses and downstage on the deck; the MegaPointes were on the upstage deck and overheads, and the PixelPATTs on a series of upstage truss towers at different heights. BMFLs are Chris’ ‘go-to’ powerful profile fixture. MegaPointes were chosen for their renowned speed and a diverse range of features which proved great for framing the stage and providing a prism effect. The Spiiders and PixelPATTs were used primarily as wash lights, together with their jazzy and dynamic pixel ‘tricks’ and the Spiiders doubled for “very effective” painting of the audience utilizing their flower effect.

“I love having the ability to mask pixels, it gives so many combinations and looks from one type of fixture and all of this helps keep the show fresh!” stated Chris.

As you can imagine, four hours, with one interval – a major challenge was evolving and growing the visuality and atmosphere and ensuring that there was always something interesting and dramatic to look at. Also, the MSG rig were some profile moving lights for keys, plenty of strobes and approximately 100 lights dedicated just to audience illumination.

Battling constraints:

Time was a massive challenge on-site as they had only one day to load-in and get show-ready. After that, the next challenge was the length of the show. The 90-minute sets were punctuated by a 30-minute interval and this was followed by a 30-minute encore timing in at approximately four hours. Chris was inspired by many variables whilst working on this landmark show.

Driving Factors in the Global Ambient Lighting Market

Figure 1: Need For Energy-Efficient Lighting Solutions To Drive The Ambient Lighting Market
Source: American Lighting Association, Middle East Lighting Association, Investor Presentations, Annual Reports, Press Releases, Expert Interviews, and MarketsandMarkets Analysis

Driving factors and opportunities that are expected to boost the growth of the ambient lighting market in the future have been listed below:

• Modernisation of infrastructure and increasing demand for innovative lighting solutions
  • Need for energy-efficient lighting solutions
  • Rising demand for automated and connected lighting systems
  • Increasing applications of ambient lighting strips in vehicles
  • Introduction of wireless technology in ambient lighting systems
  • Rise in vehicle production fueling the growth of the ambient lighting market in Europe and the Middle East

Benefits of using lighting control units in ambient lighting systems

• Offers an energy-efficient lighting solution
  • Reduces dependence on humans to turn lights off
  • Extends life span of lamps and luminaires
  • Ensures reduced installation costs and increased flexibility by using wireless lighting control
  • Offers flexibility in lighting a specific space by using dimmers
  • Helps in regulating the lights according to the presence of humans in space by using motion and time sensor control units

Industry experts on ambient lighting market:
Source: Industry Experts and Primary Interviews

Key Competitors in the Ambient Lighting Market:

The presence of numerous local lighting market players worldwide has led to an increase in competition in the ambient lighting market. The leading players operating in the ambient lighting market include:

1. Philips Lighting Holding B.V. (Netherlands): The company offers an extensive array of lighting solutions for the residential, commercial, and public sectors. It operates through five major segments: Lamps, LED, Professional, Home, and Others.
   2. General Electric Company (US): The company manufactures and sells a variety of energy-efficient solutions for use in commercial, industrial, municipal, and residential applications worldwide. Its solutions are integrated with LED, fluorescent, halogen, and HID technologies.
   3. OSRAM Licht AG (Germany): The company operates through its Specialty Lighting, Opto Semiconductors, Lighting Solutions and Systems, and Lamps segments. It also provides lighting solutions and specialty products featuring energy-saving technologies.
   4. Acuity Brands Lighting, Inc. (US): The company offers conventional lighting solutions and connected lighting control technology for consumer, industrial, and decorative lighting applications. Its key offerings include devices such as luminaires, lighting controls, lighting components, power supplies, and integrated lighting systems for indoor and outdoor applications.
   5. Cree, Inc. (US): The company develops and manufactures lighting-class LED products, lighting products, and semiconductors for Use in power and radio-frequency applications. It provides products for indoor and outdoor lighting, video displays, transportation, electronic signs and signals, power supplies, inverters, and wireless systems.

Key Innovators Increasing their Market Presence

Several new players are entering the ambient lighting market. Some of the key innovators in the ambient lighting market are Ketra (US), Iluminarc (US), TAO Light (China), Nualight limited (Ireland), and Lafit lighting (India).

Ambient Lighting Market: Key Trends

• LED lamps comprise a major segment of the ambient lighting market. LED lamps are expected to offer more complex solutions, ensuring comfort, security, and flexibility to end users.
  • The presence of major lighting players and the increasing population in APAC are contributing to the growth of the ambient lighting market in this region. A significant share of the population in this region prefers cool colours effects (cool colours are the hues from blue green) in their ambient lighting systems. The rising demand for interior designing has boosted the demand for ambient lighting in the residential sector.
  • The ambient lighting market in Europe is expected to mature first, owing to high standard of living of the people in this region. The hospitality and retail sectors in this region are expected to contribute to the growth of the ambient lighting market in this region in the coming years. Consumers in this region prefer warm colours (warm colours are hues from red) to cool colours.
  • In North America, the regulatory ban on incandescent light sources is boosting the demand for LEDs for use in ambient lighting. Extensive research and development is being carried out to implement automatic controlling unit mechanism in ambient lighting systems in North America. Acuity Brand Lighting Inc., Cree, Inc., and Hubbell Inc. are some of the major companies that offer ambient lighting solutions in this region.
  • In the Middle East, the hospitality industry is focusing more on replacing traditional lighting systems with ambient lighting systems owing to the benefits offered by them, such as better comfort, energy-efficient sources, and improved controllability of the lighting systems. The rising focus toward adjusting lights in various spaces according to the mood of users is further boosting the demand for ambient lights in this region.
  • APAC holds the largest share of the ambient lighting market, and this trend is expected to continue between 2017 and 2023.
  • On the basis of end-user applications, the ambient lighting market for the hospitality and retail sectors (Including hotels, restaurants, cafés, retail shops, and supermarkets) is likely to grow at the highest rate between 2017 and 2023; and the residential sector is expected to hold the largest share (in terms of revenue) of the market by 2023.
  • Among various light fixtures, the market for recessed and surface-mounted luminaires is expected to grow at a high rate owing to their wide application and presence in the residential and commercial sectors.
  Further advancements in products related to ambient lighting include maximising cost savings and enhancing the competence of the products.
  • Smart lighting systems, including automation and connected lighting, is expected to create huge growth opportunities for the players in the ambient lighting market.
  • The demand for LED strip lighting for use in vehicles is increasing. The ambient lighting in vehicles ensures comfort and safety of drivers, along with the presence of comfortable illumination inside the vehicles.

Future of LED Lamps in Ambient Lighting:

LED lamps offer comfortable and soothing illumination effect. The rising demand for energy-efficient lighting systems and the phasing out of incandescent lamps are increasing the awareness about and the usage of LED lamps in various applications. The implementation of control units and automation in LED lighting units makes ambient lighting simpler and more efficient. The LED luminaires of companies such as GE Lighting are backed by intelligent lighting control systems that are capable of delivering massive savings on energy costs. These products not only improve the look and feel of the space but also help create a positive corporate image using their outstanding aesthetics. The increasing competition among the companies to offer the latest technology-based products in the ambient lighting market is increasing their focus on R&D.

End Users of Ambient Lighting Systems:

Residential Sector:

• Increasing end-user awareness and falling prices of light sources
  • Implementation of LEDs in ambient lighting systems helps support zero carbon emissions­

Offices:

• Replacement of traditional light sources by energy efficient sources leading to energy saving
  • Comfortable ambience for employees resulting in greater productivity

Retail and Hospitality Sectors:

• High demand for ambient lighting systems in secondary facilities (corridors and staff rooms)
  • Increasing use of LEDs in ambient lighting for improving customers’ mood

Industrial Sector:

• Creating comfortable lighting environment for assembly and precision working processes
  • Suspended lights to offer precision in works performed

Healthcare:

• Relaxed light effects in rooms of patients

Automobile:

• Increasing use of LED strip lights in vehicles to offer comfort and safety to drivers

Summarising the Key Points of the Market:

The increasing need for energy-efficient lighting solutions and the rising number of lighting companies entering the market are contributing to the growth of the ambient lighting market. The phasing out of incandescent lamps from various applications in countries such as the US, the UK, Mexico, and Germany is driving the growth of the ambient lighting market for LED lamps. Ambient lighting systems are expected to be the combination of automation and controllable units in the near future; this would lead to the easy installation of complex lighting units and would ensure improved safety and comfort to users. However, a significant amount of the market revenue will be generated from the hospitality and retail sectors owing to the fact that these sectors are closely related to customer comfort.

If you want to share thoughts or feedback then please leave a comment below.