David Shiller

  It’s that time of year to complete business planning for 2026. There are so many changes occurring in the lighting industry, how can you stay on top of them all? LightNOW is here to help. We’ve published our white paper, Lighting Industry Trends For 2026, sponsored by the good people at naturaLED. This white paper [...]

  One of the most critical technologies to enable widespread electrification of homes is battery energy storage systems (BESS). LightNOW frequently writes about how the lighting industry is adopting electrification products in the face of LED ubiquity, market contraction, and commoditization. Many lighting manufacturers now offer EV chargers, and some have moved on to offering [...]

  For the legible version of the above image, click here. It’s worth it. This image was created by Stig Kristiansen, a consultant on light + health in Norway. He painstakingly mapped wavelengths of light to different biological functions. The resulting complexity is the most important takeaway. His LinkedIn post about this mapping can be [...]

  In 2025, the humanoid robot industry transitioned from experimental prototypes to early-stage industrial deployment. The adoption timeline is expected to follow a three-stage trajectory: moving from structured industrial environments to business services and eventually to private households. In industrial and logistics applications, there are currently less than 1,000 humanoid robots active in automotive factories and [...]

  Flament LED lamps have been around a long time, as have smart, color-changing lamps. What’s new is the combination……smart, color-changing filament lamps! Here are two good examples: SATCO|NUVO’s STARFISH® SMART Color Changing Lamps SATCO|NUVO’s STARFISH® SMART technology color changing lamps feature an eye-catching RGBTW decorative ribbon filament that is showcased through the clear glass [...]

  Eureka’s Lattice line is a ceiling suspended, 3D metal printed family of decorative luminaires that functions as both sculpture and ambient lighting for premium interior spaces. It is a printed-on-demand offering that leverages intricate aluminum lattice structures to deliver a soft, luxurious glow in hospitality, commercial, and high end residential environments. Core concept and [...]

  Power Diamond Systems (PDS), a Japanese startup spun out of Waseda University, is emerging as a pioneer in the use of synthetic diamond for next-generation power semiconductors. At SEMICON Japan 2025, the company made a strong debut by unveiling diamond-based power MOSFETs—metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistors—designed for high-voltage and high-temperature applications. Notably, PDS presented its [...]

Zhaga has recently announced the release of two standards: Book 21 (New):   Zhaga’s new Book 21 defines a standardized interface for linear socketable LED modules used in SELV (Safety Extra Low Voltage) luminaires, aiming to future‑proof product design and support circular economy goals. The specification covers electro‑mechanical, mechanical, electrical, thermal and photometrical interfaces so [...]

President Donald Trump’s December 18th executive order moving cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III marks a major federal policy shift that expands medical recognition and research access without fully legalizing the drug, and it sets the stage for significant growth and professionalization in cannabis cultivation. This growth is likely to increase demand for high‑performance, [...]