The modern world faces new challenges every day, and as the world’s largest online engineering community, element14 is asking its members to help address them with its latest RoadTest+
- Starting now, members have the chance to apply to participate and build devices using the latest technology from Wurth Elektronik and Texas Instruments (TI).
LED light sources present a long list of benefits for many industries 
and energy-saving LED light sources can reduce energy usage by 30-75 percent. When their colour mixing properties are utilised, LED lights allow the human eye to see objects with the same vividness as natural sunlight. LED lighting can also be used to optimise vertical farming by strategically adjusting the wavelengths of light at the proper times during the plants’ growth cycle.
“Those who are not following LED developments closely may feel they already understand the key benefit of using LED light sources as only for improving energy efficiency. In reality, there are many other exciting things LED technology today can do,” said John Perry, Marketing Manager, Lighting Power Products at TI. “The TPS92512 LED driver from TI is an excellent choice for many applications because it can drive a broad range of LED power levels and the independent analog/PWM dimming controls make it easy for the user to change brightness in real-time.”
The RoadTest+ will ask participants to harness the potential of LED light sources in order to solve world problems. TI and Wurth will provide the equipment, with TI supplying products in the kit as well as a INR 13,116 voucher for participants to use on additional products at element14.
The kit contains:
- TI Buck Regulator with Analog and PWM Dimming
- TI Ultra-Low-power MSP430™ FRAM-based MCU platform
- Bluetooth Low Energy Light Development Kit (CC2540TDK-LIGHT)
Wurth Elektronik will offer all participants power and filter inductors, wireless charging coils, capacitors, LEDs and connectors at the participants’ request, free of charge. Participants can visit www.we-online.com/products to view the full portfolio of products.
Applications will be accepted from now through Oct. 19. The 10 challengers will each be asked to submit five blog posts to element14’s Light Group, highlighting their designs as they progress throughout the build process.
The first place winner will receive an Apple Watch Sport and the second place winner will receive an Apple Watch. Winners will be announced on Feb. 2, 2016.
For more information on the challenge, visit the RoadTest+ page at the element14 Community.
