What is a LED Tube Light?

The latest thing in Japanese orthodontistry involves putting LEDs into braces. Actually, no, but hip young Japanese kids can have their teeth outfitted with led tube to light up their smiles like a Christmas tree.

These LED lights were designed by Motoi Ishibashi [JP] and Daito Manabe [JP] for an advertising campaign for Laforet Harajuku [JP] (a Japanese department store), and while they aren’t available for purchase at this point, I’m sure it’s only matter of time. They will undoubtedly become very popular among Japanese teens.

The lights flicker in varying colors at varying speeds, and are controlled wirelessly by a computer. Of course, it’s best to make sure that your choppers are pretty darned led tube clean before they start lighting up.

I’m pretty sure that it’s one of those fads that won’t take off in the US anytime soon, even if they are someday available for purchase in Japan.

Makers of TFT-LCD modules are boosting output and stepping up to new-generation LCD production lines to keep pace with electronics trends.
Touchscreen and LED backlighting technologies are shaping China’s TFT-LCD module industry. In line with trends in consumer electronics, particularly the popularity of the iPod, iPhone and iPad, more releases now incorporate capacitive touch panels. Some companies have developed transmissive and transflective sunlight-readable models.

LED-backlit panels measuring larger than 40in are forecast to register faster growth than staple small and midsize units, according to DisplaySearch. Modules belonging to the led tube last two categories are typically targeted at portable terminals, automotive onboard displays, industrial apparatuses, medical equipment and amusement devices.

Makers in China are also increasing resolution and supporting 3D capability. Other R&D trends point to higher brightness, wider viewing angle and operating temperature range, lower power consumption and anti-glare.

With mobile phones still the top application, a-Si TFT-LCD modules remain dominant. More than 60 percent of handsets this year will adopt it, while upscale phones go for LTPS.

Most enterprises are optimistic of continued growth after registering as much as 40 percent upturn last year. Although the global industry experienced an oversupply in 2H10, a rising number of local manufacturers are looking to expand capacity to meet mounting domestic demand and boost overseas business. A few are in fact bolstering exports. China Display Technology Co. Ltd attended the 2011 International CES last January to reach more clients from the US and Europe. Its new factory in Huangshan, Anhui province, will start operations in June, churning out capacitive touchscreen panels and 3D glasses.

Tianma, meanwhile, has commenced manufacture of TFT LCDs and color filters at its Wuhan province facility. Once in full operation, the plant will have a monthly capacity of 30,000 panels, 90,000 color filters and 20 million TFT-LCD modules. The enterprise is authorized to establish a national standard for onboard TFT modules for cars. Its Chengdu factory in Sichuan province has also started mass-manufacturing TFT-LCD modules.

BOE has finished building its 8G TFT-LCD line, which aims to yield 2,200x2,500mm panels for 26, 32, 47, 52 and 55in LCD TVs.

If the 8.5G lines of BOE and TCL kick off mass production by end-2011, China is expected to surpass the capacity of Japan and become the third-largest hub for this line worldwide.

Optimism for the sector and the low technology threshold have been expanding China’s maker pool, which currently numbers nearly 100. More than half of manufacturers are led tube clustered in the Pearl River Delta region, taking advantage of the area’s solid supply chain and local government subsidies. Others are located in the Yangtze River Delta region, Fujian province and in the port city of Dalian in Liaoning province.

Many major globalplayers also have manufacturing facilities in China.

With production costs rising in eastern coastal areas due to mounting labor and operational expenses, a number of tier 1 manufacturers have set up new factories inland to skirt both issues. Wuhan, Sichuan and Anhui provinces are among the top options. Plant equipment is typically purchased from Japan, South Korea and the US.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has begun a special inspection at the Cooper Nuclear Station to review the circumstances surrounding a maintenance procedure that led to unplanned radiation exposures to three workers.


The incident occurred on April 3, when workers led tube removed a long tube contaminated with highly radioactive material through the bottom of the reactor vessel, rather than through the top as is usually done, triggering radiation alarms. The workers set the tube down and immediately left the area. The licensee does not believe the workers received radiation exposures in excess of NRC limits.


The plant is operated by the Nebraska Public Power District (NPPD).


Inspectors, who began their work April 11, will look at the circumstances and decision-making by NPPD officials that led to the exposures, review the licensee’s response to the event, calculate the exposures the workers received and review corrective actions taken to prevent a recurrence.


“We want to understand why normal work practices were not followed, resulting in unplanned radiation exposures to three workers,” said Region IV Administrator Elmo E. Collins.


The team consisting of two NRC inspectors will write an inspection report on their findings within 45 days of the end of the inspection.

An 84-year-old woman died after doctors attempted to insert a tube down her throat and into her stomach while she was distressed and weak, an inquest heard.

Doreen Braxton went into Royal Berkshire Hospital for knee surgery and her condition deteriorated as she struggled to recover from the anaesthetic.

A consultant admitted action should have been taken earlier to treat the elderly patient, who continued vomiting for days after the surgery.

The inquest at the Civic Offices heard osteo-arthritis sufferer Mrs Braxton, of Stephens Road, Mortimer, was admitted to hospital for surgery on Monday, July 26 last year.

Orthopaedic consultant Richard Dodds said the operation went well and the following day Mrs Braxton was feeling nauseous and vomiting, a common reaction to anaesthetic.

On the Thursday Mr Dodds was away and a colleague visited Mrs Braxton. He noted she had continued to be sick.

On the Saturday morning a doctor was called to her bed because she was persistently vomiting and her bowel had stopped working.

The doctor decided to insert a nasogastric tube, which goes into the nose and down the throat into the stomach, to introduce fluid into the system.

Mr Dodds told the inquest: “She was in a distressed state prior to that. The decision was correct to pass a nasogastric tube, otherwise she would have persisted to vomit.”

The medical team tried once or twice unsuccessfully to insert the tube and had to use a nebuliser on the asthmatic Mrs Braxton before succeeding.

However, this caused her to vomit and some gastric content entered her lungs, a condition known as aspiration. She then suffered a fatal heart attack.

Mr Dodds said had he been on duty he would have started introducing fluids into the body on Thursday.