ams OSRAM launches 20% brighter 1.2mm x 1.0mm x 0.6mm Chip LED delivering 14mW

With the measurement of heart rate in wearable devices continuing to be refined for even greater precision, ams OSRAM AG of Premstaetten, Austria and Munich, Germany has introduced a new miniaturized Chip LED featuring a powerful 500µm chip that delivers enhanced signal quality. Despite measuring just 1.2mm x 1.0mm x 0.6mm, the ultra-compact LED still delivers light output of 14mW.

Compared with its predecessor model, the Chip LED offers about 20% higher brightness in an even more compact design, enabling more efficient photoplethysmography (PPG).

This technology measures changes in blood volume in the vessels by emitting green light into the skin and analyzing the reflected signals. A more powerful light source can significantly boost measurement accuracy, especially in accessories such as smart rings or in-ear devices worn on well-perfused body limbs.

At the same time, this enhanced efficiency helps to reduce energy consumption — a crucial advantage for battery-powered devices designed for long-term use.

“ams OSRAM has demonstrated its expertise in vital sign monitoring over many years and is now further driving the trend toward miniaturization with its high-performance products,” says Florian Lex, product marketing manager. “Our new Chip LED enables more reliable heart rate monitoring, even in devices that are designed to be unobtrusive yet highly precise.”

Continuous monitoring of vital signs is gaining increasingly in importance — in both medical and fitness settings. Since fingers and earlobes have better blood circulation than the wrist, components placed in these areas of the body provide particularly accurate data. The new green single-emitter CT ELLN51.14 of the Chip LED family now enables these precise measurements even in extremely compact designs, aligning with the trend toward high-performance, unobtrusive wearables.

ams OSRAM notes that it has a long-standing track record of developing compact, high-performance LEDs, with more than 1500 granted patents and other intellectual property rights in the field of green emitters. An additional 200 patent rights in the field of vital sign monitoring highlight the firm’s expertise in this technology.