What Is an LED?

<sidebar>Sidebar: What Is a Component?</sidebar> A Light-emitting diode (LED) is a semiconductor light source - commonly a small 'lamp' which lights up on command as an indication in the application, they can be programmed to flash in a pattern and is often used in conjunction with other components etc.

LEDs are commonly used for displaying that a command or event has occurred and is can used to display that a separate component or even a whole system is on/enabled. You can use LEDs to create and simulate applications such as car and motorcycle indicators and traffic lights.

You can change the colour of LEDs even in simulation, you can also create your own LED or add similar functionality to any shapes and some components using the LED Base to control the connection, polarity and colour of the target when on and off as well as set the default state of your LED.

The LED Array component allows you to add up to 8 LEDs which are aligned in a row on either the X, Y or Z axis which operate fluently together, each LED can have a different colour or they can all be the same colour and be changed as one with ease, the spacing between each LED element can be changed with ease.

LED Arrays are specifically used more often in modern traffic lights, cameras and lighting applications, LED Arrays are generally used in bigger projects and applications and allow for smoother operation and greater efficiency, whilst also enhancing more complicated programs as well as providing a more powerful output in comparison.

LEDs are commonly used as indicator lamps and are often used for other lighting applications such as street and house (architectural) lighting, automotive lighting on cars, motorcycles and bicycles as well as back-lighting for LCD televisions, laptops and projectors etc.