LIGHTING A FLEXIBLE FRIEND
LED technology is constantly evolving, and with the advent of OLED, a whole realm of new possibilities has opened up for FMs and lighting designers says Ian Drinkwater, Managing Director at Applelec.
The humble light bulb has come a long way since Thomas Edison’s ground-breaking efforts back in the 1870s. We can switch lights on and off across entire estates at the click of a button, thanks to IoT connectivity, while the amount of energy consumed has been dramatically reduced since the introduction of LED lighting.
It’s a technology that is constantly evolving, particularly areas such as organic light emitting diode (OLED) modules, at the same time as opening up exciting possibilities for premises managers looking to cut energy bills while reducing carbon emissions.
When OLED is mentioned, the first thing many of us think of is television. OLED technology has revolutionised television technology since it was first introduced in 2013. The perfect levels of black and excellent colour made them instantly popular, despite the fact that brightness levels did not match those of LED TVs, in addition to the significant price gap.
Today’s OLED televisions are much brighter and prices have fallen; meanwhile the same technology is also now widely used in mobile phones, gaming devices and MP3s. However, it also offers many benefits when used in lighting applications, both in terms of design and light quality.
While the price of materials means it has not been widely adopted in general lighting schemes, it does offer a myriad of possibilities for designers and specifiers. Slim and flexible, OLEDs have the potential to be built into buildings and furniture – even textiles and clothes – opening up a vast new set of design potential.
Let there be (natural) light As the name suggests, the light produced by OLED modules is more natural – or organic – than traditional LED luminaires, making it more akin to natural daylight.
The benefits of using natural light in buildings are long established. Research shows that it has a positive effect on human health, revealing a direct link between productivity and natural light in the workplace. Scientists at the Lighting Research Centre in New York noted that environments lit with daylight experienced higher productivity and comfort for workers.
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The arguments for replicating natural light in a healthcare facility are compelling, with various positive outcomes including a shorter average length of hospital stay, faster post-op recovery, reduced requirements for pain relief and a quicker recovery time from depressive conditions. Florence Nightingale herself was a firm believer in the beneficial effects of daylight in the treatment of various conditions, from TB to rickets.
“The light produced by OLED modules is more natural than
traditional LED luminaires, making it more akin to natural daylight.”
In addition, OLED is free from blue light and consequently the associated risks, such as eye strain and possible retinal damage. Similar studies have affirmed the benefits of daylight in office spaces, educational establishments, museums and even retail outlets – daylight which can be replicated through the use of OLED modules. The fact that they are incorporated into thin panels offers impressive space-saving capacities, allowing more room for displays.
Its ability to create illumination across a surface as opposed to a specific point, along with the low levels of heat produced, makes it the ideal choice to light potentially fragile or sensitive artefacts.
Design for light OLED modules offer a number of significant benefits for lighting designers and architects. In addition to boasting superior colour rendering compared with LEDs, they are slim, flexible, cool and practically glare-free.
This streamlined, lighter and more flexible product opens up a whole new realm of possibilities and applications in terms of flair and versatility. As OLEDs have no backlight, they are significantly leaner than their traditional counterparts – in some cases are around 10 times thinner.
From a creative perspective, OLED in both rigid and flexible panels opens up a realm of possibilities for work spaces, hospitality
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