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TRILUX has always been committed to researching innovative lighting technologies and their impact on people and the environment. One example is the Chronolite project, in which we participate as an associate partner, collaborating with institutions such as TU Ilmenau and Charité Berlin. Funded by the Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport (BMDV), the project explores the effects of "Human-Centric Lighting" on the circadian rhythm in a mobile world and aims to develop an IoT standard for chronobiologically effective lighting in the mobility sector. We asked Dr. Achim Leder, Managing Director of jetlite, initiator and consortium leader of Chronolite, the most important questions about the project and its results.
Managing Director of jetlite, initiator and consortium leader of Chronolite
In today's society, artificial lighting is everywhere. We spend roughly 90 percent of our time indoors, where lighting serves not only as a means of orientation but also has a profound effect on our inner rhythm. Light regulates our natural cycles by influencing the release of melatonin, often referred to as the sleep hormone. It is desirable to have chronobiologically effective lighting that is adapted to the natural course of the day and individual chronotypes. Against the backdrop of an increasingly mobile society, the challenge is to implement this light without disruption across the various mobility areas of road, rail, transit and air. Such a solution can support the circadian rhythm and thus lead to a healthier sleep-wake rhythm.
People who are exposed to irregular sleep patterns or shift work often experience a disruption of their internal clock. In addition, the constant use of screens and artificial light at night, as well as time changes, can lead to so-called social jet lag, which can have health consequences. Travelers across different time zones are also affected, the keyword being classic jet lag. The technical implementation of applied research can provide significant relief in some cases and contribute to a better adjustment of the circadian rhythm.
Chronolite is working on the development of an industry standard for networked lighting systems that have an optimal chronobiological effect. By controlling the lighting according to individual biological needs, the lighting environment should support the respective daily rhythm of the user, especially in areas such as aircraft cabins and other means of transportation. The Chronolite platform should be able to record the individual preferences of users - such as chronotype (e.g. early riser or night owl) and daily form - and synchronize this information across different mobility scenarios in order to provide consistently optimized lighting conditions.
Stable and fast connections to the IoT gateways must be ensured in order to guarantee customized lighting scenarios in different environments such as cabs or aircraft. This also applies to the control of TRILUX Tunable White luminaires in occupied areas along the customer journey. Technical standards and interoperability are crucial here. This is exactly what we are researching. Data protection also poses challenges. Technical limitations due to different protocols offer a solution.
In first and business class, different preferences can be easily created through separate lighting environments in the suite or at the seat, so that conflict situations only occur to a limited extent here. In areas such as economy class or on trains where there are only limited opportunities for segregation, so-called "chronotype zones" could be created. There, the lighting conditions are adapted to the needs of a particular chronotype group - for example, "relaxation zones" with less intense, warm white light and "work zones" with cool white, activating light. Practical: the Chronolite app shows users the way to their chronotype zone.
Several partners, including Charité Berlin and the Institute for Experimental Psychophysiology, are conducting laboratory studies and field trials to evaluate the effectiveness of chronobiologically effective lighting solutions. Tests in road, rail and air traffic environments help us to analyze practical use cases and record the effect of light on well-being and performance. In addition to the psychophysiological effectiveness of the different lighting scenarios, ethical issues were also considered. We used artificial intelligence to continuously analyze the recorded user data and derive chronobiologically tailored lighting scenarios. Machine learning makes it possible to continuously adapt the users' lighting preferences via an app and to optimize the system individually.
With the "CARL"system, which links the controllable lighting units, the IoT connection and the Chronolite app, we have developed a prototype to test these lighting scenarios in real traffic environments such as airports and to collect further data for optimization. Initial tests have shown that targeted lighting adjustments can have a positive effect on users' attention and well-being. Individual adaptations that meet the different biological rhythms and lighting needs of users are crucial here.
The project is officially set to conclude in December 2024. However, extensions have been approved for certain areas, pushing the timeline to June 2025. Following its completion, the findings could potentially be applied to other areas of life, such as healthcare and workplace environments. A key objective is the development of an international IoT standard to drive broader acceptance and implementation.
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