How Teucer takes Human Centric Lighting to the Next Level with skyLUX
Teucer has long offered one of the most comprehensive ranges of LED strips, drivers profiles and accessories. Established in 2012, their initial aim was to propel the lighting industry forward into the LED revolution that was taking place at the time. They have now pioneered the award-winning and highly acclaimed skyLUX, which is a smart artificial daylight solution for dim areas of buildings, utilised by people who lack exposure to natural sunlight. SkyLUX mimics daylight and replicates not only the aesthetic of natural sunshine, but also the associated health benefits that come with natural daylight patterns. Why do we need skyLUX? Problems posed by modern lifestyles and lighting Changes in modern society in the late 20th and early 21st century have led to many issues concerning people’s sleep cycles and health. The appropriation of electronic light has led to a change in the ‘circadian’ rhythms of the human body, which controls key features such as sleep-wake behaviour and hormone secretion. This is all seen to disturb the 24-hour sleep cycle we should be operating on for optimum health and happiness. Recent studies have shown we now spend close to 90% of our lives indoors, meaning we are simply not getting enough natural sunlight.Human-Centric lighting The scientific evidence for the benefits of natural sunlight is overwhelming: it is proven to speed up patient recovery times in hospitals, improve student educational performances, and increase worker productivity. (These advantages will be discussed at greater length in an upcoming article from Sparks). The substitution of natural light for artificial light is detrimental to our health and happiness, so skyLUX seeks to remedy this with ‘Human-Centric’ lighting: lighting solutions that enable improved occupant satisfaction and productivity. SkyLUX works its magic by replicating a natural 24-hour day cycle that adheres to our natural body clock. The panel depicts realistic scenes of sky, clouds and sunshine, all of which enhance the body’s functioning and feeling of well-being. For these reasons, the skyLUX has to be considered an enormous improvement on any existing natural light substitute such as the various ranges of 'SAD lamps'. It's scope and ability to achieve 'Human-Centric' lighting is a genuinely significant achievement. The practicalities of using the skyLUX With skyLUX, Teucer are working with what they have always known best: LEDs. The skyLUX integrates the most modern LED technology, optical design and intelligent controls systems. The main control will be the level of brightness intensity, which is scaled all the way from 0 (which gives the effect of a cloudy day) to 100 (which exudes the intense illumination of a sunny day). The skyLUX can be controlled via a wall panel or even via a mobile app (compatible with Android and iOS), which will be capable of overseeing up to 64 multiple units simultaneously. Emulating regular weather patterns with skyLUX SkyLUX utilises a varying degree of colour temperatures (measured in Kelvins) on the ‘Colour Temperature’ scale', which can vary from 2500K all the way to 10,000K. The four pre-programmed settings you will be likely using the most are: Morning, Noon, Evening and Cloudy. To efficiently mimic natural daylight, skyLUX begins the day at 6am, with a relatively weak 2500K (warm white light), right up until 12pm where it peaks at 10,000K, pouring in a radiant ambience akin to strong natural daylight. It will then steadily decrease back down to 2500K by 6pm. Choosing your own tailored lighting with skyLUX You can transport yourself to any part of the world you wish to with the skyLUX’s handy and simple manual adjustment system. Pick and choose a geographical location, time of year, date, time and latitude, and the skyLUX will automatically synchronise its lighting ambience, transferring you to another time and place. This is particularly handy in those living in countries that don’t get enough natural sunlight for long parts of the year, such as the UK, Norway and Sweden. Are you feeling down during a miserable, rainy November night in London? You can welcome the ambience of a sunny, summer morning in Perth, Australia and feel your spirit rise alongside the light levels. Fighting unnatural day cycles intelligently with skyLux As mentioned previously, Teucer are experienced in intelligently utilising the latest in LED technology to help the environment, and reduce energy costs and emissions. Continuing this tradition of forward-thinking design, the convenient skyLux are compliant with Digital Addressable Lighting Interface (DALI) systems, a universal lighting control. When you combine that with easy-to-use wall panels and intuitive app controls, you are left with what is sure to be a colossal introduction to the lighting industry. With the skyLUX, Teucer are truly taking the next step in lighting, using high-calibre scientific research to help illuminate and elevate our lives! This is the first of a series of articles on the innovative skyLUX from Teucer LED; if you are interested in this system for your project, please contact us or leave us a comment below.
