Function

Drawing inspiration from nature, this lighting system was designed to bring a sensory stimulating experience indoors. The fixture reacts to conditions outside based on information it receives from a small module placed outdoors. With this information, the light is able to translate sun, cloud and wind patterns into a lighting display that mimics the movement and transformation that is occurring naturally outside.

Inspiration

Between windows that don’t open, air that has been conditioned, and lighting that is inefficient and unappealing, being indoors has become less and less appealing over time. It seems as if we, as humans, have done everything we can to make indoor environments enjoyable. However where the real enjoyment comes from is the beauty of the outdoors.

Development

The development of this project was based around creating an outdoor experience inside. Everything in nature is in some way related to the sun. The lighting fixture acts in the same way. It uses things such as sun exposure, cloud coverage, light and shadow, as well as color and time transitions. Through changes in color and intensity I was able to achieve effects such as the passage of a cloud or the transitions from warm daytime lighting to cool evening lighting. By using programmed full-spectrum LEDs, the lamp is able to mimic motion, creating a sensory stimulating environment. Light therapy is the exposure to daylight or to specific wavelengths of light using LEDs or very bright, full-spectrum light. Light therapy can help to treat many medical disorders and diseases. On a commercial level, light therapy has been used to treat skin problems and sleeping disorders. It has also been used to treat psychiatric disorders such as seasonal depression.