Lights & Lighting Research Guide

Lights & Lighting Research Guide Glossary Terms

Lights & Lighting Research Guide Glossary Definitions

Acetylene Return to Top
A colorless, highly flammable, and explosive gas that is commonly used for welding and cutting metal. In the early automotive days, it was used to fuel outboard lamps, and it's still used today as an illuminant.
Halogen Return to Top
Halogen bulbA halogen, from the Greek words Halo ( "salt") and Gen ("creator"), is any of the 5 chemical elements in Group 17 of the periodic table of the elements. These elements are fluorine, chlorine, bromine, iodine, and astatine. Iodine and bromine gas are commonly used inside halogen light bulbs to extend the life of the lamp.
HID Return to Top
High-Intensity Discharge lightingHID is short for High-Intensity Discharge lighting, which uses electrical arcs to create powerful illumination without drawing a lot of energy. Because of their energy efficiency and high power output, HID lighting is widely used for large, open spaces, such as stadiums, warehouses and roadways. More recently, HID technology has been developed for automotive lighting.
Kinetoscope Return to Top
The kinetoscope is the progenitor of today's modern movie projectors. Edison, inspired by Eadweard Muybridge's failed Zoopraxiscope, sought to build "an instrument which does for the Eye what the Phonograph has done for the Ear." It was basically a device that simulated motion by moving a continuous loop of standard 35mm film over a light source with a rapid shutter. The spectator would look inside the kinetoscope through a magnified porthole, and he or she would experience the illusion of live action through the motion of the film. A later model, the kinetophone, tried to link sound and motion, but film breaks and poorly trained operators kept this technology from gaining popularity.
OEM Return to Top
OEM is an abbreviation of Original Equipment Manufacturer. When a part is built OEM, it means that it meets the exact specifications of the auto manufacturer. In other words, the part is an exact replacement of the stock equipment.
PONG Return to Top
Atari and PONGPONG was the world's first successful video game. Released by the Atari corporation in 1972, PONG was simply an electronic adaptation of the highly competitive sport of table tennis. However, from these humble beginnings spawned a multi-billion dollar industry which brings wholesome entertainment to millions of devoted gamers from Tokyo to Toledo.
S.A.E. Return to Top
SAES.A.E. is short for the Society of Automotive Engineers, an international organization dedicated to improving humanity through the development of automotive standards. They are responsible for bringing the world community together on such important issues as bolt sizes, brake pad compounds and even the proper alignment of automotive lighting.
Tungsten Return to Top
TungstenTungsten, the metal formerly known as wolfram, is the 74th element on the periodic table. It is widely known for its robust physical properties (e.g. highest melting point, lowest vapor pressure and highest tensile strength at temperatures above 1650° C of any other metal know to humankind), and is used in everything from light bulb filaments to professional darts.
Xenon Return to Top
XenonXenon, the 54th element on the periodic table, is a colorless, odorless and quite heavy noble gas. Besides being used in general anesthetics and nuclear reactors, xenon is famous as a light emitting gas. In short-arc HID lamps, xenon glows incredibly bright, and its blue light very nearly matches the color temperature of noontime daylight.