Designing a light controller for a multi-user lighting environment
Remco Magielse, Bart Bart Hengeveld, JW Joep Frens · TU/e Research Portal · 2013
Intelligent lighting systems of the future consist of many distributed, interconnected light sources (i.e. LEDs and/or OLEDs) controlled by microprocessors that are coupled to sensor networks and adapt to the needs of users. Control over such lighting systems can be automated, or users can be put in control as this leads to higher satisfaction with the lighting conditions than with automated systems. We argue that, if multiple people control light sources in their environment, mechanisms to support the social structure need to be developed. In our research we explored how three control structures (an individual, shared and hierarchical control structure) influenced the behavior of participants in a discussion. Based on insights from a user confrontation we designed a novel light controller, which allows users to control lighting conditions individually or to engage in shared control. The light controller supports social mechanisms that are commonplace in most working environments. With this design we show that it is possible to provide each user with individual control, while maintaining social balance among users.