It's be fun to have a tunable one that could simulate other atmospheres as well. There are days retiring to Saturn seems a good option ;-)
With the added benefit you could use a low-power light for those distances.
CoeLux: Artificial Sunlight That’s Real Enough to Trick Your Camera and Brain
81–88 of 88 posts
Re: CoeLux: Artificial Sunlight That’s Real Enough to Trick Your Camera and Brain
#82Here's a video of an actual one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lD6VKLoS59g
It does look very realistic, but makes me wonder whether having an uneven light distribution is desirable or whether it's something that's needed to trick the body.
Re: CoeLux: Artificial Sunlight That’s Real Enough to Trick Your Camera and Brain
#83Re: CoeLux: Artificial Sunlight That’s Real Enough to Trick Your Camera and Brain
#84Earlier quoted context omitted.
LED bulbs started expensive as well. I just bought one for $1.97 (Cree 60w equiv) at Home Depot this evening. Manufacturing efficiencies take time.
That's an incredible price for a Cree. Is it a special sale?
HD was clearing out the first gen version with the larger heatsink at the base. I went back and bought the entire pallet. The newer V2 generation, with the plastic housing that no longer requires the large heat sink is running $3.97/piece.
I replace bulbs like Johnny Appleseed. I see an incandescent bulb that matches the soft yellow temp? Out it goes, gets replaced with a Cree bulb.
Re: CoeLux: Artificial Sunlight That’s Real Enough to Trick Your Camera and Brain
#85Artificial sunlight could be revolutionary if applied with scale in cities. It could enable new, far denser forms of architecture "built for people", mitigating the ill psychological effects of being without natural surroundings. The energy use would be heavy, but it might be worth the cost given the transportation energy savings and higher productivity and happiness of the city population.
That presumes that artificial sunlight is actually desirable. One of the important functions of a building is to block the sun. Very few people would want to live/work in direct sunlight. For circadian light you just need something that is sufficiently bright and blue. ... or just blue for that matter, blue LEDs are cheap and efficient. None of this can improve surroundings that are otherwise unpleasant...
I think that sunlight is highly desirable, to an extent!
A building's function is to block unpleasant sun, but a window's function is to let it in and to control it. Artificial sunlight could enable more control over the sunlight factor.
Regarding circadian rhythm, it is not fully understood and blue light may not be the only important factor. Perhaps the visual sense that there is sunlight is also an important cue. But yes, blue light is clearly important. I would hope that any public lighting system would strongly take it into account.
For example, the color and feel should reflect what happens in the natural world! The LED lights being installed on city streets right now might cause problems for us (not to mention the blue light in our screens).
Unpleasant surroundings take a huge toll on people in cities. I am dismayed by the noise, pollution, lack of overhead cover, and threatening cars when I walk around SOMA and so many other places. A single tech like artificial sunlight won't cure all ills, but it is a tool that will help cities become larger and more livable.
Construction robotics, new materials, methods to better maintain plants and trees, and obviously transportation are also important tools in this fight.
Re: CoeLux: Artificial Sunlight That’s Real Enough to Trick Your Camera and Brain
#86Artificial sunlight could be revolutionary if applied with scale in cities. It could enable new, far denser forms of architecture "built for people", mitigating the ill psychological effects of being without natural surroundings. The energy use would be heavy, but it might be worth the cost given the transportation energy savings and higher productivity and happiness of the city population.
If many people are going to live close together maybe we also need sound proofing to match the artificial skylight.
Sound management for all of the cars, drones, and (probably) robots might be even more important than sunlight!
Re: CoeLux: Artificial Sunlight That’s Real Enough to Trick Your Camera and Brain
#87Is that Jason Bateman in two of the photos?