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Do Smartphones Really Use Smart Lighting?

Sep 252012

Tablet Do Smartphones Really Use Smart Lighting?
It’s the start of a new school year and the iPhone 5 has just splashed down on the scene. That can only mean one thing: we’re all spending more time staring at screens. But who can blame us? At times you have no choice but to stay up late catching up on current events, and when you’re not doing that, who can resist watching the latest episode of The Tonight Show?

In light of this (pun intended) I think a recent study on self-luminous technology led by Mariana Figueiro of the Lighting Research Center (we’ve seen her before) hits especially close to home. Results show that using glowing devices like tablets and smartphones before bed can lead to muddled circadian rhythms.

How Does It Happen?

The bluish, bright light emitted from the screens of our favorite devices comes in short wavelengths, and prolonged exposure to this can decrease melatonin levels in our bodies. Using a tablet or smartphone for more than two hours at a time can suppress melatonin levels by 22%, according to the study.

Melatonin is the hormone that helps regulate circadian rhythm, produced in the pineal gland at night to help the body fall and remain asleep. Wonky levels can cause insomnia, sleep disruption, and even lead to diabetes and obesity. In the most extreme cases, after years of circadian disruption (as seen in night shift workers), subjects have even been more prone to diseases like breast cancer. Continue reading »

Pegasus Lighting Roundup: Dreamers, Skeptics, and Current Affairs

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Aug 282012

Surprise, surprise, everyone’s talking about energy efficient lighting. We’re no exception in this blog post. But here’s a twist: not everything we’ve heard recently is as bright and pretty as a brand new LED. This lighting roundup is a mixed bag…

In lighting news…

New energy efficient lighting has the potential to supercharge the job market in Michigan. Jay Wrobel, Executive Director of the Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance explained, “Michigan is on the cusp of becoming a manufacturing leader in one of the advanced technologies of the 21^st century. New energy efficient lighting technologies provide an ideal platform for new jobs and energy savings in Michigan.” As the demand for LEDs increases, so will the supply of jobs. You can learn more MWAlliance.org.

Meanwhile, though the 2012 Summer Olympics have ended, London is only beginning to reap the benefits of their new LED lighting installations. The new lights on the Tower Bridge (more than 2km of GE Lighting’s Tetra Contour architectural LED lighting installed just in time for the games) are expected to last the city at least 25 years, while saving 40% of the bridge’s previous energy consumption.

Tower Bridge 300x173 Pegasus Lighting Roundup: Dreamers, Skeptics, and Current Affairs

Courtesy of Olympic.org

While energy efficient lighting seems to always be on our minds and in our light fixtures, there are times when we must realize it’s still a developing technology. The PLUS (Public Lighting Strategies for Sustainable Urban Spaces) project conducted a recent study on LEDs as a possible solution for the problem of finding energy efficient public lighting. The study determined that LED lights are one of the most energy efficient options, but they might not be the best answer for all cities at the moment. LEDs certainly offer a new set of innovative possibilities, but today they’re not the final answer. Many cities are better off waiting until the cost of LEDs goes down, or until the rapidly improving technology reaches a relative stasis. Continue reading »

Looking Ahead at Headlights

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Aug 142012

LED Headlights 300x225 Looking Ahead at Headlights

Courtesy of USAToday.com

LEDs, which seem to be the protagonist in almost every lighting story these days, are also doing wonders for cars.

You’ve probably spotted those signature LED “eyebrows” on the newest cars, and all those pretty jewel-like taillights. But, LEDs aren’t just about enhanced styling – they can also help reduce fuel consumption.

LEDs only use 14 watts of electricity instead of a conventional lamp’s 65 watts. For electric vehicles, LEDs can extend a charge up to 6 miles!

So yes, LED headlights are great, but that’s not the end of the road. New headlight technology could help us in disaster situations like this:

Culture, Fitness, and LEDs in Edinburgh

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Aug 102012

Last night, thousands of walkers and hundreds of runners in Edinburgh kicked off the Edinburgh International Festival with a remarkable synthesis of public art and fitness – NVA’s Speed of Light 2012. (The NVA is a Glasgow-based arts organization).

After nightfall in the city, the walkers and runners began to ascend in well timed groups to the 251 meter summit of the city’s iconic mountain: King Arthur’s Seat. The best part of all – these thousands of volunteers were decked out in LEDs. The light display was a layered and ever-changing feat choreographed to a score created by Resonance Radio Orchestra, wowing the entire city with its otherworldly beauty.

Here’s a photo of King Arthur’s Seat during the day:

King Arthurs Seat Daytime Culture, Fitness, and LEDs in Edinburgh

Courtesy of BestOfEdinburgh.com

And here’s one of it during the festivities:

King Arthurs Seat Illuminated Culture, Fitness, and LEDs in Edinburgh

Courtesy of NVA.org.uk

Good Night Moon, Good Night Stars, Good Night Spaceman

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Aug 062012

iStock 000017978444XSmall 300x198 Good Night Moon, Good Night Stars, Good Night Spaceman New research shows a fresh lighting scheme could help astronauts sleep better, and oh boy, do they need it.

Astronauts are allotted 8.5 hours for sleep out of every 24, but they actually average about 6 hours a night. Their leisure time is prone to occasional disruptions (emergency or docking procedures), plus there’s a new sunrise every 90 minutes, and of course that whole weightlessness thing. On month and even year-long missions (like the speculated 3 year voyage to Mars), it’s pretty darn easy to get frazzled.

When NASA announced they were planning to switch the space station’s outdated fluorescents to LEDs, Dr. George Brainard, a professor of neurology from Thomas Jefferson University, had a few ideas. Not only would the LEDs be more efficient and longer lasing than fluorescents, they could be beneficial for astronaut health. Continue reading »

“Light Therapy” Could Improve Alzheimer’s Patients’ Sleep Patterns

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Jul 272012

iStock 000006237030Small 198x300 “Light Therapy” Could Improve Alzheimer’s Patients’ Sleep Patterns
Did you know irregular light/dark patterns can disrupt your circadian rhythm? Not only that, a boggled circadian rhythm increases your risk of disease and reduces your quality of life. This is especially a problem for individuals with Alzheimer’s and related dementias (ADRD), because they spend more time indoors, exposed to lower light levels.

Irregular circadian patterns for individuals with Alzheimer’s or ADRD can become life-threatening if individuals leave their homes in the night and wander alone outside.

Light affects sleep patterns by acting on the retina (the part of the eye that’s sensitive to light) and syncing the suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN), the body’s master clock, to its own light/dark pattern. When we get enough sunlight, we sync up with the 24-hour solar day. When we’re not exposed to regular daily patterns of light, our sleep patterns go bonkers. Continue reading »

Lighting Emmy Nominees Are In! Part 2

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Jul 242012

In the second part of this two-part post on this year’s Emmy nominees for TV’s outstanding lighting (read part 1 here), I’m going to discuss the nominees for a variety special. Like the nominees for a variety series, these are super impressive.

Outstanding Lighting Design/Lighting Direction For A Variety Series

Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show 2011

Confession time: I couldn’t help staring…at John Kusner and Matt Firestone’s brilliant lighting designs! Under the direction of Harry Sangmeister and Nick Collier, this show had enough flash and dramatics to make any lighting professional blush.

CNBC victorias secret 05 Lighting Emmy Nominees Are In! Part 2

Courtesy of CNBC.com

Super Bowl XLVI Halftime Show Starring Madonna

The lighting in this astounding performance was really something to cheer about. There was so much going on in this show, I’m still reeling from the excitement of it all. Major credit goes to lighting designer Al Gurdon, and lighting directors Robert Barnhart, David Grill, and Michael Owen. Continue reading »

Lighting Emmy Nominees Are In! Part 1

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Jul 202012

This year I’m seriously jazzed about the 2012 Emmy nominees – especially for Outstanding Lighting Design. Admittedly, I’m a sucker for theatrics (dating back to long before those college stage makeup classes and my Cirque du Soilel-level Halloween costumes) but honestly, these nominees are amazing. Here’s what the Academy has laid out for us this year:

Outstanding Lighting Design/Lighting Direction For A Variety Series

So You Think You Can Dance

Last year’s winner is at it again, producing number after flashy number. Lighting designer Robert Barnhart along with lighting directors Matt Firestone, Pete Radice, and Patrick Boozer are ones to beat, for sure. Check out this dramatic jazz piece from the Season 8 finale, it’s truly unforgettable:

What LEDs Can Do

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Jul 172012

Ah…the possibilities. In our July lighting roundup, we mentioned The Clean Revolution campaign, launched at the 2012 Rio+20 Earth Summit in Brazil. The campaign is advocating a massive scale-up of clean energy and infrastructure, along with smart technologies and design. In the next 3 years, The Clean Revolution plans to raise awareness about the success of low-carbon transformations.

The great minds at The Clean Revolution recently created this informative infographic about how much energy we can save with LEDs. We think it’s worth sharing.

To learn more, visit thecleanrevolution.org.

Pegasus Lighting Roundup: Moving Forward

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Jul 162012

iStock 000011990336XSmall 300x199 Pegasus Lighting Roundup: Moving Forward
In lighting news…

As of July 1 this year, T12 fluorescent bulbs have begun to disappear, no longer being manufactured or imported into the US. This phase-out has been a long time coming, as T12s have been around for over 70 years now. By switching to newer technology like T5s or T8s, building owners will save nearly 50% of the energy they normally use each year! These new lamps are smaller in diameter, but can still provide the same light output as a T12. For those building owners who still have T12 fixtures, it will become increasingly difficult to find replacement parts. Check out this article from LampRecycling.com on strategizing for the phase-out.

Meanwhile, everyone is going nutso for LEDs. But with the impressive energy-saving stats and new innovations, we don’t blame them. According to IMS Research, the widespread implementation of retrofit LED lights will save us $100 billion globally over the next 5 years. To learn more, read this article from ECMWeb.com.

In June, at the Rio+20 U.N. development conference in Brazil, the Clean Revolution campaign began a trial in 12 major cities across the globe, testing the benefits and drawbacks of LED street lights. Each city has reduced energy use up to 85%! Continue reading »