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Lighting laboratory

Light is important to all living things – not least to human life – though it is not necessarily something we think much about. Eye sight is the sense that is used the most and takes in the most impressions and thus also affects us to a great extent. Visual impressions are closely linked to well-being, health and the circadian rhythm, and research on light and darkness is therefore particularly important for good health.

The lighting laboratory at the faculty of engineering (LTH) is built to enable studies on how humans are affected by different light conditions such as glare and flicker. The lab also has equipment to study in detail the spectrum, color reproduction, color temperature, luminance, flicker and electricity of light sources such as lamps and luminaires.

Equipment in the laboratory

The lighting laboratory is equipped with several important measuring instruments. Some of them are:

  • spectrometer
  • light meter
  • luminance camera
  • flicker meter
  • measuring equipment for electricity quality

Large parts of the equipment are portable to be used in field studies, in research projects and at the request of companies and organizations.

 

Close up of a led light that flickers. Photo.

Flicker is not a lamp attribute; it is something you see

Flicker – temporal light modulation (TLM) – can affect human health negatively by causing headaches, eye problems and migraines. The EU has produced design directives where new standards for how TLM can be measured and recommended limit values ​​for TLM are included. The research project "Flicker explained" has produced interpretations of the standards and guides for different groups. You find links to the various reports here:

Read about the research project "Flicker Explained – How to ensure the EU's new eco design requirements on temporal light modulation for good lighting and health".

The links lead to Lund University's research portal.

Close up of hands adjusting a spotlight.

Contacts

The lighting lab is a collaboration between the Department of Design Sciences and the Department of Architecture and Built Environment. You find here contacts for the different departments:

Johannes Lindén 

Research engineer
johannes.linden@design.lth.se

Hillevi Hemphälä

Senior lecturer
hillevi.hemphala@design.lth.se

Maria Johansson

Professor
maria.johansson@arkitektur.lth.se

Who can use the lighting laboratory?

The Lighting laboratory is used by students and researchers as well as external actors interested in light and illumination.

Some examples of measurements performed in the lab are streetlamp luminance, flicker in lamps, verification of light and colour specifications of a light source as well as assessment of glare and flicker at a workplace.

Close up of film projector lamp shining in the darkness.

Films about illumination, light and darkness.

Watch the films on Youtube (in Swedish).

Page Manager: info@design.lth.se | 2023-01-23