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A snap-in LED light (photos)

LED light source maker Bridgelux has designed a lighting module that includes the light engine and the driver electronics showing how LED lighting opens up new design possibilities.

Martin LaMonica
Martin LaMonica is a senior writer covering green tech and cutting-edge technologies. He joined CNET in 2002 to cover enterprise IT and Web development and was previously executive editor of IT publication InfoWorld.
Martin LaMonica
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1 of 4 Martin LaMonica/CNET

A new light "bulb?"

Is something like this the successor to the Edison screw-in light bulb base? It's the Helion LED lighting module from Bridgelux and partner Molex, a product the company plans to start producing early next year aimed primarily at commercial customers. The module includes the electronics called a driver needed for power conversion within the device, rather than as a separate "brick." That means the modules can be fitted into light fixtures and then upgraded by replacing the module without having to update the driver.

See related story, Inventing a new light socket for LED lighting.

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2 of 4 Martin LaMonica/CNET

LED

A closer look inside the lighting component. The coin-size yellow disk is the LED light "engine," a semiconductor which produces light. LEDs produce blue light so there is a yellow phosphor which covers it to produce a white light. The color of LED lights can be adjusted depending on what sort of phosphor is used.

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3 of 4 Martin LaMonica/CNET

Snap in

A look at how the LED module snaps into a demonstration fixture which Bridgelux and Molex designed. It's a track lighting product. The companies' prospective customers are light fixture makers who will incorporate the module into their products.

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4 of 4 Martin LaMonica/CNET

Heat sink

This demonstration light, which is made out of metal, includes a large heat sink, the left-hand side of this light. Heat sinks are needed to dissipate heat created by LED light sources, which helps ensure a longer life.

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