The chances are that you are reading this within a few feet of an LED light source, perhaps embedded in a key-ring in your pocket or on the front panel of a hi-fi system or television. High efficiency, compact LEDs are sweeping the world, replacing traditional light sources in everything from hand-held torches to the brilliant theatrical fighting used at rock concerts. After a period as unsung hero in specialist electronics applications, LEDs are set to become mainstream. A big growth area is in car stop lights and road traffic systems, applications for which they are ideally suited, due to their vibration resistance. The latest LEDs are fight years ahead of conventional filament or fluorescent fighting. Due to the intense colour and brilliance of their light, they are also being used widely for decorative and leisure purposes. If you found yourself arrested by dazzling Christmas lights this year, you almost certainly had a close encounter with an array of LEDs.
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