The LED is 50! · AditNow Community

Mine exploration, photographs and mining history for mine explorers, industrial archaeologists, researchers and historians

a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z

simonrl
51% (Neutral)
Administration Topic Starter

12 years ago

"BBC News" wrote:
The light-emitting diode has brightened our lives for half a century - from lighting up the city streets at night, to decorating Christmas trees each December.

The LED started life in October 1962, as a single red illumination in a General Electric research lab in New York state.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-19886534

I wonder if the original inventors every dreamt they'd be as bright as they are today?!

my orders are to sit here and watch the world go by

Wanna join the discussion?! Login to your AditNow Community forum account or Register a new forum account

Edd
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

12 years ago

A hell of a change from there original conception :)

'I started reading it with full intention to read it all and then got bored and went and got beer instead!'

NewStuff
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

12 years ago

"simonrl" wrote:
I wonder if the original inventors every dreamt they'd be as bright as they are today?!

I suspect that today's researchers will be amazed at what happens to them in the next 10-15 years, let alone the next 50!

I say Bring it on! I'll finally be happy the day I can light up certain chambers in Wrysgan with just my caplamp, and not cause the battery a small meltdown in the process.

Searching for the ever elusive Underground Titty Bar.

DDDWH CC

Boy Engineer
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

12 years ago

:happybday:

royfellows
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

12 years ago

Simon if you are around.

Remember posting some years ago during the lamp building frenzy:
"Who will be the first to crack the 1000 lumens barrier"

I think it was Morlock who answered "Probably Roy" and he was right.
I have a lot to answer for
:lol:

EDIT
Chris Cowdery has produced a lamp with an output of 11300 lumens. Not a Typo.
I wont say how much it cost him to build or how long it will sustain full power

My avatar is a poor likeness.

sinker
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

12 years ago

"royfellows" wrote:

.....11300 lumens. Not a Typo.

😮

Yma O Hyd....

ChrisJC
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

12 years ago

If you are interested, the info is here:
http://www.cowdery.org.uk/gloworm.php
It does 5 seconds at 11300lm, when it reduces to 6400lm until the chassis reaches 70degrees (about 5mins), when it drops to 400. It will last 8 hours at 400lm.

Some of the PDMHS / Masson saw it in action at Coniston / Carrock over the weekend, but still I don't have any particularly demonstrative underground photos.

It did light up entire chambers in Fron Boeth though.

To go back to topic, indeed LED's have come on along way!

Chris.

BertyBasset
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

12 years ago

Nice lamp Chris. Maybe a lamp running linux next? Actually I've got a Raspberry pi in one of my drawers. Could be a nice winter project - running in python.

simonrl
51% (Neutral)
Administration Topic Starter

12 years ago

Awesome Chris :thumbsup:

I've seen it briefly but never in use underground 😢

my orders are to sit here and watch the world go by

ChrisJC
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

12 years ago

#10

"BertyBasset" wrote:
Nice lamp Chris. Maybe a lamp running linux next? Actually I've got a Raspberry pi in one of my drawers. Could be a nice winter project - running in python.

And I thought that running a 32-bit ARM processor in an LED torch was excessive!

Maybe my torch is the worlds first 32-bit torch.

Chris.

BertyBasset
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

12 years ago

#11

I thought it might have been linux rather than a microcontroller when is saw it was a 32 bit arm processor. I'm still playing with lowly PIC16 series chips.

simonrl
51% (Neutral)
Administration Topic Starter

12 years ago

#12

"ChrisJC" wrote:

"BertyBasset" wrote:
Nice lamp Chris. Maybe a lamp running linux next? Actually I've got a Raspberry pi in one of my drawers. Could be a nice winter project - running in python.

And I thought that running a 32-bit ARM processor in an LED torch was excessive!

Maybe my torch is the worlds first 32-bit torch.

Chris.

You'll be running RISC OS on it next Chris ;)

The world's fist torch that can play !Zarch

my orders are to sit here and watch the world go by

ChrisJC
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

12 years ago

#13

I'm using PIC16 at work, and it's like having a cactus inserted where the sun doesn't shine compared to using the ARM-Cortex-M series.

I did originally make a wish list for this torch, basing it on the possibilities given by the ARM chip. It included things like a video camera writing to micro-SD and 3-axis accelerometer & magnetometer for automatic surveying as you went along.

But I decided to 'get real' and just try to build the torch, and that took 18 months for something quite straightforward!

Chris.

BertyBasset
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

12 years ago

#14

It'll be quantum computer torches next 😎

sinker
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

12 years ago

#15

"ChrisJC" wrote:

Maybe my torch is the worlds first 32-bit torch.

Chris.

No I have a 32-bit torch....a Petzl Zoom that I dropped down the shaft at Moel Fferna....the lens was in [/i]at least[i] 32 bits.... :lol:

Yma O Hyd....

royfellows
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

12 years ago

#16

"sinker" wrote:

"ChrisJC" wrote:

Maybe my torch is the worlds first 32-bit torch.

Chris.

No I have a 32-bit torch....a Petzl Zoom that I dropped down the shaft at Moel Fferna....the lens was in [/i]at least[i] 32 bits.... :lol:

:lol: :lol: :lol:

My avatar is a poor likeness.