Short for Light Emitting Diode and celebrating its 50th
anniversary last year, LED s have existed far longer than being the latest fad
in display technology and for a far better reason than just providing superior
contrast ratios for your cute smartphone or desktop screens. It’s possibly one
of the most underrated scientific and electronics breakthrough that rapidly
propelled the digital age we all live in, and has made the incandescent and
fluorescent light bulbs a thing of the past.
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An LED (as we know it) is a type of diode (basic building
blocks of any electronic circuit) that emits light (due to a phenomenon called
electroluminescence) and was developed by Nick Holonyak, Jr., at General
Electric in 1962- he’s often referred to as the “Father of the Light Emitting
Diode.” Early applications of LED s were found in seven segment displays
(remember them from Casio watches or digital calculators?) and indicator lamps.
These days, it’s difficult to name an electronic device they aren't found in,
they’re that indispensable.
It all boils down to this. Not only are LED s extremely power
efficient, they are extremely durable and have a shelf life that’s counted in
decades. They don’t have any mercury and are therefore, Eco-friendly, they also
don’t produce much heat. Most importantly, they put on a show unlike anything
else. All this while constantly undergoing refinements and transformations and
upping the ante to a whole new level.
