LIGHTING AND HOME AUTOMATION
DOMOTICS TECHNOLOGIES GIVE NEW FRUITION OPPORTUNITIES OF THE LIGHTING SYSTEMS
By Riccardo Comper
Beyond the 80% of all our sensory perceptions are of optical nature and they need light. An adequate light control is very important not only because it allows a good vision, but also because the induced nervous stimulation generates situations of psicophysical wellbeing, increases the natural capacity of concentration and it avoids the precocious weariness, because it influences the organs of control of our neurovegetative system.
The modern lighting systems have the task, not banal and secondary, to value, protect, communicate, move and furnish.
So, the lighting engineering design is a complex discipline, that requires uncommon specific competences that represents one of the ideal applicative contexts for what concerns the home automation, where the innovative and creative abilities of domotics designers can find rich soil.
What primary distinguishes a domotics system from a traditional one is that its control functions (those referring to the lighting systems in this application) are implemented through a programming and configuration activity of smart electronic devices, instead of the usual electrical wiring of push buttons and spots.
In the lighting field, this prerogative offers interesting opportunities of application, above all when it is possible to use dimmable spot and dynamic lighting systems with white and coloured light (RGB).
The digital regulation of the luminous intensity and the relative absorbed power (dimming) gives the possibility to vary the light intensity in order to have fascinating atmospheres, to evidence luminous accents and to renew the places in which we live through the optical perception. Someone has also desired a meticulous dimming programming in order to avoid eyes stress for brusque light variations.
Thanks to home automation it is possible to create a particular magic only turning on and off the lights, because automatisms and algorithms of control can determine and characterize every single curve of performance, in a refined and personalized way. For example, the pleasantness of the gradual switching off of the courtesy light in the new cars, is just obtained through the management of a dimming.
The dimmers of new generation, besides offering excellent performances, can also reduce of 20% the energy consumption and protract of 4 times the life of the light bulb (an incandescent lamp has a average life of about 750 hours). It is estimated therefore that only the adoption of these devices would allow a saving of approximately 10.00 €/year for every light bulb.
Unfortunately, in our houses too many lights remain on, often unnecessarily. Also in this case the home automation can be very useful, for example proposing the situation so-called “alone at home” that automatically switches on the light of the room in which we are, switching off all the others.
The wiring of the building of the American center of the New York Times Magazine has recently had a technological revamping, that has produced, considering only the lighting system, a reduction of 70% of the energy costs.
Besides the energy considerations the home automation is very useful for what concerns the emotional field, because it allows a creative control of “wallwashers” and “washing lights” in order to colour with light walls and environments and also to have colour therapy functionalities. We can imagine, for example, to establish a different luminous coloration for our rooms for every day of the week. Also the technology called “Cold Warm” dedicated to the white light (cold/warm) gives the possibility of interesting dynamic light regulations, for example to be in harmony with the natural circadian cycles.
For further information: www.livingtech.it