Future is almost here: OLED wallpaper coming in 2012 [OLED]

We were hoping OLED wallpaper was on its way, but didn't realize it was going to be as soon as 2012. In just two years, gorgeous wallpaper like this will start to replace light bulbs. Don't like this design? OLED lighting will take on a variety of forms, limited only by the imaginations of its creators.


OLED lighting is tremendously efficient, 2.5 times more so than energy-saving compact fluorescent bulbs. That means a wallpaper panel like this can operate at an astonishing 150 lumens per watt, requiring just 3 to 5 Volts to power the OLED film that can function as anything from light-emitting wallpaper to a road sign.


This is all made possible by a breakthrough from British company called LOMOX, saying it's solved the main drawback of OLED lighting up until now: longevity. The company claims its OLED lighting will last longer than a compact fluorescent bulb. Better yet, it emits more lifelike light. The future looks bright.


[DVICE via OLED Display]

Sharp develops efficient solar cells for use in outer space

Earlier this year, we reported twice about Japan’s serious plans to go to outer space to generate solar energy and then beam it back to Mother Earth. And today, Sharp has shown the first solar cell that’s not only bendable (we’ve seen that before) but that also withstands conditions in space. In addition, the company says those cells boast a record-high solar efficiency of 36%.

The compound solar cells can not only be bent if needed but even folded. They are less than 20 microns thick and are made by stacking up single crystals of indium gallium, gallium arsenide and indium gallium arsenide. These single-crystal layers are grown on solid substrates before transferring them onto a flexible film base. As a result, the solar cells feature extreme flexibility material-wise.

There’s only a prototype available at this point (sorry for the small picture), but Sharp is working on getting a practical version ready in 2012. The solar cells can then be used for equipping satellites and other space applications.

[CrunchGear via Nikkei]

Panasonic's LED lightbulb shines for a whopping 19 years

How often do you change lightbulbs? Every few months, maybe? Well, when Panasonic's new LED bulbs hit shelves, change that time frame from months to decades.

Yes, these insanely efficient bulbs keep shining and shining, providing the brightness of a traditional 60-watt bulb. Of course, they won't be cheap, with pricing set at about $40 a bulb in Japan when they hit stores in October. But seeing as they cost a mere $2 to run per year in energy costs and last 19 years, that seems like a good deal in the long run.

[CNET via Inhabitat]