The global consumption value of packaged LEDs used in selected test and measurement equipment and in medical science devices and equipment is projected to increase to $34.18 million in 2012, up from $13.96 million in 2007, according to a report from ElectroniCast Consultants of Upper Lake, Calif. Strongly rising quantity growth is expected to be partially offset by a continuing decline of average prices.The global consumption of LEDs in test and measurement and in medical science applications is shown for 2007, and projected from 2008 to 2012, by regional end use in USD millions. The regions are the Americas, Europe (including the Middle East), and the Asia-Pacific area. Courtesy of ElectroniCast Consultants.By 2012, the consumption value of the packaged LEDs in the Americas is projected to rise to $17.7 million, up from $7.2 million in 2007. The use value of the LEDs in the European region — including the Middle East — is expected to rise to nearly $9 million and, in the Asia-Pacific region, to nearly $8 million in 2012. The Americas represented nearly 52 percent of packaged LEDs consumption worldwide in 2007. According to the company’s findings, red LEDs represented nearly 66 percent of the worldwide consumption of LEDs in these applications in 2007. This market share is expected to decrease to 54 percent as other colors gain. The red LED use value, however, is still expected to rise to $18.34 million in 2012.Green LED use is projected to gain in value from $3.85 million in 2007 to $10.83 million in 2012. Blue LED use is forecast to remain insignificant during the 2007 to 2012 period. The value of other colors is expected to rise from $890,000 to $4.89 million. Among them, UV fluorescence remains a standard technique for the detection of biological agent aerosols.Titled “LEDs in Test/Measurement and Medical Science Applications — Global Market Forecast,” the report includes the company’s research findings on the 2007 worldwide consumption of packaged single and multiple-chip packaged (single-bulb and multiple-chip/bulb single package) LEDs, and its market forecast covering the years 2008 through 2012. There is a demand for inexpensive, rugged, lightweight and compact test and measurement (analytical) devices for a variety of applications in the consumer, commercial, military and security sectors, according to Stephen Montgomery, president of ElectroniCast — Asia Pacific. He said the increased efficiency of LED manufacturing processes and the application-driven technology provided by US government-funded programs are among the factors that are leading to the increased use of LEDs in the analytical and medical device markets.