Energy Efficient LED Spectrally Matched Smart Lighting

Innovative Imaging and Research has teamed with the University of Southern Mississippi to develop a novel energy efficient smart light system. Smart lighting adds an occupancy sensor, photosensor, controller, and dimming unit to a light source and has been shown to save up to 50% of the energy required to power traditional lighting in existing buildings and up to 35% in new construction. Our novel system has the potential to further increase energy savings and enable new functionality never before incorporated into a light fixture. Our concept turns a commonly available low cost digital camera into an imaging photosensor using calibration techniques developed for NASA and the remote sensing industry. Our concept also takes advantage of the current mobile device technology boom by using mobile devices to both monitor and process control software within the smart light. Monitoring natural light that may be present, due to a window or skylight is key to our smart light, as our system spatially and temporally adjusts the light it produces when natural light conditions change?a sustainable energy concept known as daylight harvesting. While we will initially work with white light LEDs, our concept accommodates multi-color LEDs that mix to generate white light. Our smart light will therefore be able to spectrally match the natural light found within a room by controlling each color LED separately. Tailoring light spectrums affects biochemical processes and has been shown to improve sleep patterns and academic attention. By working with mobile devices we can reduce privacy concerns and process imagery within the light sensor without recording or transmitting information. It may be desirable however to add that capability as it would enable a host of other safety functions such as general security, and fire detection.