Brilliant!: Shuji Nakamura and the Revolution in Lighting Technology [Hardcover]

Bob Johnstone (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 12, 2007

A revolution in the way we use artificial lighting is underway, one that is every bit as sweeping and significant as Edison's invention of the light bulb. The technology of light emitting diodes is ready for widespread implementation. Its impacts will include a reduction in energy consumption for electric lighting by up to 80 per cent. This book tells the story of Shuli Nakamura, a gifted Japanese engineer who came out of nowhere to stun the world with his announcement that he had created the last piece in the puzzle needed for manufacturing solid-state white lights. The invention of this holy grail product which promises to make the ordinary light bulb obsolete, had eluded the best minds at the top electronics firms for 25 years. Until his startling announcement, Nakamura had not even been on the radar screen of most industry observers. The author is the first Western journalist to interview Nakamura and has received the brilliant engineer's full co-operation. He has also interviewed other key players in the imminent lighting revolution proving an exciting preview of the technological, entrepreneurial and artistic creativity that will soon be unleashed by Nakamura's inventions.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Australian technology writer Johnstone (Never Mind the Laptops) heralds what he believes will be a revolution in lighting: light emitting diodes, or LEDs, "tiny specks of semiconductor material that shine when hooked up to a voltage." They consume 80% less energy than incandescent bulbs and last up to 100,000 hours. According to Johnstone, in front of the revolution is Shuji Nakamura, a Japanese scientist who solved a series of difficult technical problems to develop a blue LED bright enough to be used in commercial settings. Johnstone is utterly enamored of Nakamura ("Shuji took off. It was as if he had rockets in his feet like Mighty Atom, his boyhood comic book superhero"), and two section of the book cover his technical triumph and the legal and professional complications that accompanied his departure from his Japanese employer. This section provides an interesting window into the differences between the Japanese and American approaches to scientific research. The book's other sections expound on the present and future uses of LEDs, for which Johnstone is evangelical in his enthusiasm. Since the technical descriptions of the chemical processes that produce blue LED are difficult, in the end, average readers may find Johnstone's infatuation with Nakamura and LEDs hard to share. Illus. (May)
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Review

"Part biography, part history, and part prediction of future lighting needs and issues, Brilliant! serves as an insight into the harnessing of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) as the next great evolution in illumination...the book is strong in understanding the importance of Nakamura's efforts to resolve a lighting dilemma and make a major impact in improving future environmental conditions. Appropriate for everyone...Highly recommended." -- Choice, November 2007 featuring Forthcoming Reference Titles

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 336 pages
• Publisher: Prometheus Books (April 12, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1591024625
• ISBN-13: 978-1591024620
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #481,424 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Bob Johnstone (Melbourne, Australia) is the author of Brilliant!: Shuji Nakamura and the Revolution in Lighting Technology; We Were Burning: Japanese Entrepreneurs and the Forging of the Electronic Age; and Never Mind the Laptops: Kids, Computers, and the Transformation of Learning. He has also contributed numerous articles on technology to Forbes, Nature, New Scientist, MIT Technology Review, Wired, and the Far Eastern Economic Review.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Must read book on Nakamura and LEDs, June 1, 2007

By 

J. Allen - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Brilliant!: Shuji Nakamura and the Revolution in Lighting Technology (Hardcover)

I heartily recommend this book for people who are interested in innovation, business, science, technology, etc. The book tells the fascinating story of Nakamura and the impact LEDs are having on the lighting industry.

Part One of the book tells the story of how Nakamura invented the first commercially successful GaN LED. Part Three explains how Nakamura became unwanted at Nichia and how he decided to move to UCSB. Parts Two and Four talk about some of the companies that are using LEDs to make exciting new products. I'll be a nit picker and say the book should be titled "Shuji Nakamura and the *Coming* revolution in Lighting Technology" because the revolution is just starting.

Although LEDs have been around for about four decades and everyone already owns products that incororate them, very few people understand the potential of LEDs and the impact that they will have on lighting over the next few years. The conversion to white LEDs for general lighting is underway. People will want to understand more about this phenomenon as they recognize the impact that LEDs are having on the lighting industry and energy consumption. The good news is that this book will serve as a tutorial for people who want to learn about LEDs.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A MUST READ for environmentalists and investors!!, May 14, 2007

By 

Vance G. Hallman "AnalyzeThis" (Ventura, CA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Brilliant!: Shuji Nakamura and the Revolution in Lighting Technology (Hardcover)

Brilliant!!! Refreshing!!! Bob Johnstone is correct in espousing Shuji Nakamura as the leader of the LED revolution. Shuji's list of patents and accomplishments in his field far outshine all of his peers put together. Definitely a Nobel Prize in the works for Mr. Nakamura and hopefully a Pulitzer for Mr. Johnstone for his ability to explain this complex subject to the average reader in a true tale of high intrigue! The LED scientific community is still rather small. The competition for the holy grail (replacing the everyday lightbulb) is phenomenal. Bob and Shuji have this unusual, provocative combination that tells the story of this new high tech race. Bob spends quite a few chapters explaining the unusual and life changing ramifications of LED development worlwide. A must read for any investor or those with eco-green concerns!!!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best Book on LED technology, August 10, 2009

By 

Robert T. Ahlin "drvita" (White Bear Lake, MN USA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Brilliant!: Shuji Nakamura and the Revolution in Lighting Technology (Hardcover)

Many people have said that energy conservation is the key to weaning ourselves of foreign oil and dirty coal but how do we do it? This book not only gives you the fascinating story behind the development of the blue LED but also provides a path to help us conserve energy. I would especially recommend this book to anybody who is thinking of starting a green business in 2009 or beyond.