Literature Review

Michael Ridgway
6/28/2016
Light Box

Background Research and Terminology

As I started my research I found many standards of lighting for different types of settings.
The Illuminating Engineering Society (IES) sets lighting standards and creates guidelines and
handouts regarding lighting. Color rendering index (CRI) is the measure of ability of a light
source to render and reveal colors relative to a reference light source. Lumens (lm) are an SI unit
that describes the total amount of visible light emitted by a source. Luminaries describe a
complete lighting unit including power input, casings, and lamps. Foot-candles (fc) is a non-SI
unit describing lumens per square foot and are used standards of lighting. Lux is the SI
counterpart of foot-candles and is measured as lumens per square meter. The efficacy of a
luminary is the net light output in lumens over the power into the system in watts. Scalloping is
the effect when a wall is placed too close to a wall creating an undesirable shadowed area near
the ceiling. There are several ways to test a light such as relative photometry which only tests a
lamp or absolute which tests the entire luminary. The color correlated temperature (CCT) refers
to the relative color appearance of a light source measured in Kelvin.
Light Emitting Diodes (LED)
Light Emitting Diodes, also known as Solid State Lighting (SSL), are semiconductors
that project light directionally as opposed to other sources such as halogen that emit in all
directions. There are three ways to achieve a white LED light including blue LED and yellow
phosphor. Another option is to use a UV LED to excite phosphorous similar to fluorescent lamps.
The third way is to cluster three or more red, green, and blue (RGB) to achieve a white look.
Occasionally when the color is not mixed properly a halo effect is created.1 LED bulbs last longer
than other light sources and should be considered when installing lights in hard to replace areas
such as high ceilings. They also do not have a hard end of life like other bulbs so it is hard to

know when it is necessary to replace them as they will slowly dim until they die fully. They are
controllable allowing for dimming and if they are RGB can be color controlled. Due to the
directional nature of an LED they are great as task lights creating higher application efficiency.
The small size means several bulbs are required and can then create a sparkle effect or multiple
shadows if the lens is not properly chosen. They are highly durable and are not damaged by
shock or vibrations making them good for areas with high likelihood of vandalism. The LEDs do
not need to warm up and come on at full brightness and are unaffected by rapid on and off
cycling. They have minimal to zero infrared and ultraviolet emissions, while the heat is radiated
through the heat sink protecting the lens material. The heat sink is made of aluminum which is
energy inefficient to produce. The semiconductors are less energy intensive to produce than
traditional lighting. Most LED lights do not flicker unless they are put on the lowest setting.
There are natural variations of the color due to variations in heat. The colder the external
temperature the more efficient the bulbs are, making them great for refrigerated and outdoor
applications.2
Luminaries and Lighting Strategies
Several types of luminaries exist for specific stylistic effects and lighting strategies.
Portable and furniture mounted lights are used to increase light directed at task and create
supplemental localized lighting. Recessed down lights are general purpose luminaries that
provide ambient lighting but create a scalloping effect unless supplemented with other types of
luminaries. Ceiling surface mounted luminaries are similar to recessed down lights but jut out
instead of being flush with the ceiling. Wall washers ideally create uniform luminance on a wall
and eliminate the scallop effect, while emphasizing the wall which is great for art pieces. A wall
grazer creates non uniform light on a wall emphasizing the texture and is at a much steeper angle

than a wall washer. Accent and pendant lights are ornamental in design or create ornamental
patterns of light. The purpose of track lighting is to create adjustable track mounted fixtures
providing decorative effects. The combination of indirect and direct lighting creates more natural
shadow reducing ambient light while providing enough task lighting for general purpose. Cove
lighting is used to uniformly light the perimeter of ceilings, but does not provide sufficient
ambient lighting. Stage luminaries are designed to create focused spots of light and provide
flexibility in aiming and control. High bay and low bay luminaries provide ambient lighting to
industrial or commercial areas. 3
Previous Work
Others have devised strategies to test and compare the lamps. A study comparing a
Phillips brand LED and CREE brand LED shows the variations among different brands but
similar qualities. The CRI of the lamps were tested by mapping the intensity of each wavelength
of the visible spectrum using a spectrometer. Visual comparisons were also conducted under a
variety of different colors and finishes such as matte and glossy. Energy saving varieties of the
same brand were also compared with the LED lamps. The study also compared the lamps to
other unspecified lamps with higher CRI.4 VeriVide sells a light cabinet to designers for color
assessment specifically but do not specify any use for a quantitative study of lamps. The separate
compartments of one style of light cabinet contains three different lamps to provide simulated
daylight, an LED lamp, and a halogen lamp.5
Light Box
A light box is a testing apparatus that allows the users to create small models and layouts of
rooms to test and experiment with different lighting applications. There are many quantitative
properties to analyze in a light box. The CRI usually given on the lamp packaging can be tested

to see if they are accurate. The light efficacy can be tested by measuring the watt input and the
lumen output. The lamps can be tested to see if they flicker or dim unevenly. By creating model
rooms several qualitative aspects can be tested. Test subjects can be shown several room models
at once under specific lighting and be asked which they preferred. With the addition of adjustable
lights and various light bulbs types the variety of test samples becomes very broad.
Research Plan
By conducting this experiment I hope to evaluate the different lamp sources and lamp
types to understand which lamps yield greater efficiency and provide a more desired look in
specific settings. If the CRI of the lamp is greater than the subjects will prefer the lamp more.
I will test three lamps simultaneously in a white setting to see which of them the subject prefers.
The setting will be switched and tested with colored background as well as a dark background.
By doing this the CRI will be tested as similar CRI values can vary in which colors and shades
they reveal. I will collect data on the output of the lamps in lumens to see which is brightest in
each scenario. I will also measure the watt input to measure the efficiency of the light. The CRI
is a given measurement, but a spectrometer will allow me to see which colors are revealed more
than others by each bulb. The cost of each lamp will be recorded to analyze are more efficient
per price. A dimmer will be used to evaluate each source at varying levels of brightness. I am
specifically looking for flickering of the lamp when dimming. The subjects will be asked which
setting they prefer. Analyzing this data will allow me to find which lamp provides the best output
and will be beneficial when comparing to input of the system.

Works Cited
1 Illuminating Engineering Society (2010). Guideline for the Application of General
Illumination (White) Light-Emitting Diode (LED) Technologies. Illuminating
Engineering Society.
2 Illuminating Engineering Society (2012). Choosing Light Sources for General Lighting.
Illuminating Engineering Society.
3 Walker, J. (2012). Luminaires: Common Types & Issues [PowerPoint].
4 Sergey (2016). Comparison of Led Lamps By Philips And Cree. Retrieved from
http://led-obzor.com/home-led-bulbs/led-lamps-by-philips-and-cree
5 Artec Testnology (2016). Color Grading for Designers. Retrieved from http://www.artectestapparatuur.nl/lichtkasten-verivide/kleurbeoordeling/274/Kleurbeoordeling-voordesigners.html