With so many people living and working around the clock indoors under electric light, there have been many studies on the impact of light from both a photobiological safety and a wellbeing standpoint. No doubt, lighting that first does no harm and then is designed to positively impact the human condition has been a hot topic. While we’re not talking about circadian application here or a method of evaluating the circadian impact of light, note that we have an excellent Industry Insights piece coming to you in our June issue on a topic concerning that.
A less-scientific term often used of late to describe the desirable characteristics of light is “natural.” It came up at the recent Strategies in Light conference, as you can read in chief editor Maury Wright’s post-event report. And various companies such as Seoul Semiconductor, LEDvance, Nichia, and Bridgelux itself have touted LEDs and SSL end products that are engineered to output light with a spectral power distribution (SPD) closely matching daylight. But is that the end of the definition?
I write this because earlier today Maury reported on a proposed metric developed by LED and module technology provider Bridgelux, which utilizes as its approach a percentage called Average Spectral Difference (ASD). The Reader’s Digest version is that Bridgelux has based the method on comparing SPD of an LED with that of a reference illuminant that is meant to represent natural light. You can get the far more detailed picture from Maury’s news story.
So is “natural” just another marketing buzzword? How would you characterize “natural light” in terms of electric lighting in the built environment (without using the word “natural” to describe it, a true challenge)? And what do you think about the proposed ASD metric? E-mail us your thoughts, challenges, questions — or hit us up on the social below channels below.
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Carrie Meadows | Editor-in-Chief, LEDs Magazine
Carrie Meadows has more than 20 years of experience in the publishing and media industry. She worked with the PennWell Technology Group for more than 17 years, having been part of the editorial staff at Solid State Technology, Microlithography World, Lightwave, Portable Design, CleanRooms, Laser Focus World, and Vision Systems Design before the group was acquired by current parent company Endeavor Business Media.
Meadows has received finalist recognition for LEDs Magazine in the FOLIO Eddie Awards, and has volunteered as a judge on several B2B editorial awards committees. She received a BA in English literature from Saint Anselm College, and earned thesis honors in the college's Geisel Library. Without the patience to sit down and write a book of her own, she has gladly undertaken the role of editor for the writings of friends and family.
Meadows enjoys living in the beautiful but sometimes unpredictable four seasons of the New England region, volunteering with an animal shelter, reading (of course), and walking with friends and extended "dog family" in her spare time.
