A Randomized Controlled Trail for Comparing LED Color Temperature and Color Rendering Attributes in Different Illuminance Environments for Human-Centric Office Lighting

In this study, two experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of the color rendering index (CRI) and correlated color temperature (CCT) of light-emitting diode (LED) lighting on office user acceptance and to explore the proper color attributes for human-centric office lighting. Experiment 1 had four LED lights, with two levels for the CRI (CRI < 80: 79, 76; or CRI ≥ 80: 83, 84) and CCT (3000 K or 6500 K) at 300 lux. In experiment 2, there were four LED lights, with several levels for the CRI (CRI < 80: 78; or CRI ≥ 80: 87, 83) and CCT (3000 K or 6500 K) at 500 lux. Ninety-six participants in experiment 1 and ninety-four participants in experiment 2 performed a reading task. The results in experiment 1 and experiment 2 showed that LEDs with lower CRI values at warm color temperatures were rated as more acceptable than LEDs with higher CRI values at warm color temperatures. However, the positive effect extended to LEDs with higher CRI values at cool temperatures but not to LEDs with lower CRI values at cool temperatures. Therefore, the findings are that LEDs with lower CRI values at warm color temperatures and LEDs with higher CRI values at cool temperatures provide the right level of color attributes for office lighting.

Measuring Facial Illuminance with Smartphones and Mobile Devices

Introduction: To uncover a relationship between light exposure and myopia is complicated because of the challenging nature of measuring visually relevant illumination experienced by children. Objective: To find a methodology to measure face illuminance using a mobile device. Methods: Accuracy and precision of the mobile device’s built-in ambient light sensor were tested under three different lighting conditions: full-field, a single small light, and one mimicking typical office illumination. Face illuminance was computed in six faces with different skin reflectances using pixel values in face images captured by the device camera placed at 30 cm in front of the face. The results were compared with those obtained with a commercial light meter situated at the face. Results: The illuminance measured by the device’s ambient light sensor showed high linearity (R2 > 0.99) slightly under-estimating or conversely over-estimating face illuminance with full-field or single light sources but accurate for office lighting. Face illuminance measured by the devices’ camera under indoor conditions using the new methodology showed a mean relative error of 27% and a high linearity (R2 > 0.94). Conclusions: Introduction of an app can be used to assess the association between visually relevant environmental light levels and myopia progression.

The red eye

The red eye is one of the most common cause encountered in ophthalmic practice but a red eye is not always related to eye diseases, instead, it may be a clinical sign of several systemic diseases which may the alarmin signal of sight-threatening or life-threatening condition. Frequently, GPs, pediatricians, immunologists, and rheumatologists are the first landing of patients with a “red eye.” This paper is addressed to non-ophthalmic specialists who may be faced with patients having a red eye. Inspection of the external eye under standard office lighting or with a bright light can be easily and accurately made by a general practitioner. Three major caveats should alert the GPs to promptly refer the patient to the ophthalmologist: the presence of pain; the loss of the natural corneal transparency and specular reflex; and any patient-described reduction of visual acuity. In most cases, a red eye is due to occasional and mild ocular surface reaction as consequence of exposure of the external eye to irritants and naturally occurring environmental agents. In these cases washing the eye with a tear lubricant may help in relief of symptoms. If this treatment fails within a few days, a consultation with an ophthalmologist is suggested. The role of the general physician is crucial in the decision making to judge the severity of the ocular condition. Managing a red eye often requires the support of other specialists. Our goal is not only to preserve vision but to globally cure the patient health.

Can Dental Office Lighting Intensity Conditions Influence the Accuracy of Intraoral Scanning?

The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of different settings of ambient light intensity inside the dental office on the accuracy (trueness and precision) of an intraoral scanner (IOS). A full crown preparation was conducted on a resin molar which was scanned using a high resolution extraoral scanner to obtain a reference model. Six light settings were chosen based on the most clinically relevant light conditions inside the workspace, and the preparation was scanned using an intraoral scanner (PlanScan, Planmeca). The obtained data was analyzed using a professional 3D quality control software (Geomagic Control X). There was no statistically relevant difference between the groups when regarding trueness, although a slight influence of the light intensity could be observed on the trueness values. Regarding precision, the best results were obtained in the 3800 lux group, with the other groups presenting close values, excepting the extreme values (400 lux and 11 000 lux) groups that proved to be the most deficient.

Task-related Luminance Distributions for Office Lighting Scenarios

For the design of modern office environments, lighting is a central aspect. With regard to current practice, uniform illumination is most often applied in interiors. In this paper, however, further aspects of a more individual approach are investigated, that deliberately violate the usual demands for uniformity by explicitly considering task-related, emotional and psychological effects of lighting. For this purpose, two independent experiments were conducted in an office mock-up setting exploring the impact of spatially variable, non-uniform light distributions on the users’ illumination preferences for the accomplishment of a given task. In the first experiment, three predefined illumination settings wererated by a group of naïve observers. Although the respective light distributions differed in their spatial characteristics, no significant differences were found in the rating scores. In addition, these variations showed no significant effect on the users’ preferred position of task performance. In the second experiment, though, a clearly significant effect could be reported such that, once the users were granted control over the illumination settings, an explicit demand for locally increased illuminance levels at the position of task performance was observed. Furthermore, high rating scores of perceived lighting adequacy indicate the users’ general satisfaction with the degree of visual assistance provided by such a task-related illumination.

Personalized Office Lighting for Circadian Health and Improved Sleep

In modern society, the average person spends more than 90% of their time indoors. However, despite the growing scientific understanding of the impact of light on biological mechanisms, the existing light in the built environment is designed predominantly to meet visual performance requirements only. Lighting can also be exploited as a means to improve occupant health and well-being through the circadian functions that regulate sleep, mood, and alertness. The benefits of well-lit spaces map across other regularly occupied building types, such as residences and schools, as well as patient rooms in healthcare and assisted-living facilities. Presently, Human Centric Lighting is being offered based on generic insights on population average experiences. In this paper, we suggest a personalized bio-adaptive office lighting system, controlled to emit a lighting recipe tailored to the individual employee. We introduce a new mathematical optimization for lighting schedules that align the 24-h circadian cycle. Our algorithm estimates and optimizes parameters in experimentally validated models of the human circadian pacemaker. Moreover, it constrains deviations from the light levels desired and needed to perform daily activities. We further translate these into general principles for circadian lighting. We use experimentally validated models of the human circadian pacemaker to introduce a new algorithm to mathematically optimize lighting schedules to achieve circadian alignment to the 24-h cycle, with constrained deviations from the light levels desired for daily activities. Our suggested optimization algorithm was able to translate our findings into general principles for circadian lighting. In particular, our simulation results reveal: (1) how energy constrains drive the shape of optimal lighting profiles by dimming the light levels in the time window that light is less biologically effective; (2) how inter-individual variations in the characteristic internal duration of the day shift the timing of optimal lighting exposure; (3) how user habits and, in particular, late-evening light exposure result in differentiation in late afternoon office lighting.