Future lighting systems

Abstract

Contemporary lighting systems may consist of many individual light sources that can be controlled on various parameters (e.g. intensity, colour, spatial position). Therefore, opening up freedom of control to the user in a comprehensive manner is a challenge. We present a lighting system with three different interfaces that suit different usage scenarios in terms of control effort and freedom. The system consists of modular ceiling tiles for down-lighting and colored wall-washing for atmospheric lighting. The LightPad allows people to quickly adjust all light sources with an expressive touch; duration and force determine respectively the light color and intensity. This could be used near the entrance of a space to quickly set the lighting. The LightCube allows users to choose between various presets that are related to different activities. The top-facing preset is activated. The LightApp is a tablet interface that allows users to control many light sources in detail using simple gestures: dragging, pinching, rotating and wiping. This could be used to create specific atmospheres, or to create presets for the LightCube.