Osram has developed the world’s brightest white light-emitting diode. Known as Ostar Lighting, this LED supplies 200 lumens, thus literally putting light bulbs and neon lamps in the shade. The system has an average service life of 50,000 hours, or almost 18 years if used for eight hours a day. The new LED is currently being prepared for series production and is scheduled for market launch in early 2006.