Available:*
Library | Item Barcode | Call Number | Material Type | Item Category 1 | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Searching... | 30000010229411 | TK7871.89.L53 J65 2007 | Open Access Book | Book | Searching... |
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Summary
Summary
A revolution in the way we use artificial lighting is underway, one that is every bit as sweeping and significant as Edison's invention of the light bulb. The technology of light emitting diodes (LEDs) is ready for widespread implementation. Its impacts will include a reduction in energy consumption for electric lighting by up to 80 percent.
Brilliant! tells the story of Shuji Nakamura, a gifted Japanese engineer who came out of nowhere to stun the world with his announcement that he had created the last piece in the puzzle needed for manufacturing solid-state white lights. The invention of this holy-grail product, which promises to make Edison's light bulb obsolete, had eluded the best minds at the top electronic firms for twenty-five years. Until his startling announcement, Nakamura had not even been on the radar screen of most industry observers.
Author Notes
Authors Bio, not available
Reviews 2
Publisher's Weekly Review
Australian technology writer Johnstone (Never Mind the Laptops) heralds what he believes will be a revolution in lighting: light emitting diodes, or LEDs, "tiny specks of semiconductor material that shine when hooked up to a voltage." They consume 80% less energy than incandescent bulbs and last up to 100,000 hours. According to Johnstone, in front of the revolution is Shuji Nakamura, a Japanese scientist who solved a series of difficult technical problems to develop a blue LED bright enough to be used in commercial settings. Johnstone is utterly enamored of Nakamura ("Shuji took off. It was as if he had rockets in his feet like Mighty Atom, his boyhood comic book superhero"), and two section of the book cover his technical triumph and the legal and professional complications that accompanied his departure from his Japanese employer. This section provides an interesting window into the differences between the Japanese and American approaches to scientific research. The book's other sections expound on the present and future uses of LEDs, for which Johnstone is evangelical in his enthusiasm. Since the technical descriptions of the chemical processes that produce blue LED are difficult, in the end, average readers may find Johnstone's infatuation with Nakamura and LEDs hard to share. Illus. (May) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Choice Review
Part biography, part history, and part prediction of future lighting needs and issues, Brilliant! serves as an insight into the harnessing of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) as the next great evolution in illumination. LEDs are already being used in traffic lights, automobiles, electronic billboards, cell phones, and other hand-held technological items, and the hope is that they will continue to improve and eventually replace the age-old standard incandescent lamp in residences. Since lighting currently accounts for about one-third of electrical consumption, any attempts to reduce the amount of electricity used would go a long way in the abatement of what is becoming a rapidly wild global warming predicament. Author Johnstone is known for his many works on the impact of technology on society during the last two decades. Not blessed with many photos or graphic representations, the book is strong in understanding the importance of Nakamura's efforts to resolve a lighting dilemma and make a major impact in improving future environmental conditions. Appropriate for everyone. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All levels. R. P. Meden Marymount University
