The World of Inspiring Technology [3]The Future Transformed by the LED Revolution
LEDs are a revolutionary technology that transformed our lives in the 21st century.
On December 10, 2014, the Nobel Prize award ceremony was held in Stockholm. With a Japanese scientist winning the Nobel Prize in Physics, LEDs are once again in the spotlight. The breakthrough came with the advent of the blue LED, completing the three primary colors of light alongside red and green, enabling full-color display and accelerating widespread adoption. Furthermore, features like low power consumption and high durability gained attention, leading to widespread use in illumination, video displays, medicine, and fisheries. In the world of event spaces, it is also revolutionizing production and presentation methods. In the third installment of the "World of Inspiring Technology" column, we will explore the future of LED by examining the latest LED applications through three keywords: illuminate, captivate, and transmit.
①Illuminating LEDs - Lighting
LEDs feature low power consumption and long lifespan. Combined with the "eco boom," LED adoption rapidly advanced in the lighting field, replacing incandescent bulbs and fluorescent lamps. Street lighting, neon signs, and illuminations are also increasingly being replaced by LEDs. Furthermore, new technological developments are advancing. For example, the LED candle released by Ikex Industries in October features an electromagnet mechanism that creates a natural, flickering flame—an unprecedented LED candle. This realistic LED candle not only soothes people but also helps prevent fires. Beyond energy savings and lower costs, the combination with such specialized technologies suggests a trend where virtually all lighting in our lives will likely transition to LEDs.
②LED for Show – Production
This October, the New National Theatre's production of Wagner's opera "Parsifal" made headlines in the music world with its stage set utilizing approximately 640,000 LEDs. Even in the traditional opera world, numerous productions recently employ such cutting-edge technology, but a case utilizing this many LEDs is likely unprecedented globally.
Highly color-adjustable LEDs play a vital role not just as lighting fixtures, but also as performance tools. I believe LEDs have become widely used in various events and spaces due to the evolution of their expressive capabilities. The Toshiba Smart Community Center (Kawasaki) features an Excellent Entrance combining LEDs with half-mirrors. It creates a fantastical space with a sense of depth, demonstrating how LEDs, when combined with other elements, become devices with limitless expressive potential.
Furthermore, we are seeing many examples that combine LED technology with interactive methods to enhance entertainment value. The Christmas tree at Canal City Hakata, featuring three-dimensionally arranged full-color LED chips, allows spectators to decorate the tree using their smartphones or tablets. A representative from the production team, teamLab, explained, "The affordability of LEDs and control controllers, along with the miniaturization of LEDs, has expanded the possibilities for creative expression." Going forward, I believe we will see new performance techniques utilizing LEDs combined with wearables and other technologies.
③Transmit LED - Communication
Finally, LEDs serve as devices that "transmit" information. While Wi-Fi (public wireless LAN) using radio waves is currently widespread, research is advancing on "Li-Fi," an ultra-high-speed communication technology using LED light as the next-generation technology. Additionally, there are systems that utilize invisible changes in LED lighting to send location information within supermarkets or sales information to smartphones. This role of LEDs as "transmitting" devices is also noteworthy. In November, Fujitsu Laboratories developed technology to embed ID information within LED lighting. For example, simply holding a smartphone near an object or person illuminated by LEDs could provide corresponding product information or enable downloading songs by artists on stage. This makes it possible for various things to become information sources. An era where LED lighting becomes a "communication infrastructure" may be approaching.
How far will LEDs evolve?
We've explored the latest LED applications through three keywords: illuminate (lighting), captivate (presentation), and transmit (communication). Nobel Prize winner Professor Nakamura commented at a press conference, "Current LEDs convert about 50% of electricity into light, with the rest becoming heat. We aim to achieve 100% efficiency and eliminate power loss." The LED revolution continues.
Dentsu Inc. Experience Technology is a technology group creating unprecedented emotional experiences by combining diverse technologies, both digital and analog. Even ideas that seem impossible to realize may find a path to implementation through technology.
Please feel free to contact us at et-info@dentsu.co.jp (Attn: Yoneyama/Murakami) with any opinions, inquiries, or consultations.
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Keita Yoneyama
Dentsu Live Inc.
Joined Dentsu Inc. in 2000. After two years in promotions and two years in sales, he primarily focused on event and space operations. Since the establishment of the Experience & Technology Department, he has produced numerous technology-related events.