Astronauts use Lighting Technology to grow potatoes in space!

Well martian was not a myth after all,  as NASA have announced their latest technology which uses LED Lighting to enable the growth of vegtables in space.  Martian for those who don't know is a film stared by actor matt damon which describes a mans struggle for survival in space.

Matt demon's quest for survival in martian 

Under those harsh natural circumstances an astronaut named Mark Watney (matt damon's character)  created a way in which he can reproduce potatoes. He achieved this by cutting them down to smaller sizes and then increasing the temperature in his survival pod to ensure the right environment is available for growth. The release of the film was prior to the unveiling of water being found in mars,  so he also had to create water to ensure the irrigation of the potatoes.  

survival of the fittest. Matt demon working on his crop in new film Martian

Planet earth is blessed with large amount of water for irrigating the plants and a huge supply of sunlight for keeping the plant healthy. In contrast space doesn't posses great amount of this, meaning most plants will need to be grown indoors. Step up the latest LED grow light system technology from NASA called the veggie developed by orbital technologies. It assist scientist to grow plantation in zero gravity conditions.
This lighting system emits a purple and almost magenta coloured beam that is necessary in stimulating the growth of the plant.  Although the only colours required to grow plants are Red and Blue, green was thrown into the mix in order to neutralise the purple light and make the plant look more edible.

DR Rey Wheeler, leader of advanced life support activities from the Exploration Research and Technology program in Kennedy said " they are probably the most efficient in terms of electrical power conversion. The green LEDs help to enhance the human visual perception of the plants, but they don't put out as much light as the red and blues" 

    

would you like some lettuce from space?- researchers investigating the growth of plantation in space  

 However if humans were to live in space growing food is not the only problem. Mars averages -80C° and that is well below freezing point making mars very difficult to live in, but even to say the necessary insulation is equipped on the planet, people will still need to eat and growing some vegetables won't be enough to create a inhabitable environment for humans. Oxygen and water are also necessities which need to be used resourcefully in space. the lack of water means irrigation of plants has to preciece and calculated. NASA funded research for bioserve space technologies, a non profit research centre situated at the university of colorado in order to look at the the connection between the amount of water and leaf rigidity. They found on earth were water is in high supply traditional irrigation gives leaves more water then they actually need . This hypothesis then was further developed by AgriHouse brands as they created sensors to be installed on leaves that determine the amount of water that particular leaf requires.  

The wonders of intelligence and handwork is highlighted beutifully on martian as matt demon has to be both resourcefull and patient in order to survive. Thats enough of me giving the plot away but it goes to show what the human is capable off if his back is against the wall and with further developments technology space does not seem to far away.  

This blog post was adapted from LEDinside "How Astronauts Might be Able to Grow Martian Potatoes with NASA Lighting Technology" 08/06/2015

The Department of Energy and Climate Change Practice What They Preach and Install LED Lighting

Lighting in the Department of Energy and Climate Change (D.E.C.C.) has been replaced with energy efficient, cost effective LED light sources. Since their installation, member of staff have commented on the improved brightness levels and lower energy consumption.

Prior to the upgrade, the offices at 3 Whitehall Place were illuminated by T5 fluorescent lamps. Some argue that T5 and LED lamps have the same energy saving features; building managers often opt for T5s due to their low cost. The D.E.C.C. believe a clear advantage of opting for LED light sources is their localised control system which turns lights off if rooms are vacant and dims them down to 5% as natural daylight pours in.  

During the make-over, the fluorescent lamps on all 8 floors of Whitehall Place were replaced with 1,300 Philips LED fittings.

In their own case study D.E.C.C. stated: “Compared to retrofits in most comparable buildings, which tend to use relatively inefficient T8 tubes, the energy savings are slightly lower, however they are very significant.”

The project spanned for 26 days and cost £401,000, during this time the building’s heating and cooling system was also upgraded. Since these two renovations, the energy consumption in Whitehall place has reduced by almost 30%, majority of these energy savings can be attributed to the lighting switch-over.

The D.E.C.C. anticipates annual savings of around £22,000, predicting an addition £7,000 saving on maintenance costs. They said: “There are additional savings to be had from the switch to LED lighting in the form of lower maintenance costs- it is claimed that LED luminaires typically last 5 times as long as the fluorescent equivalent.”

This refurbishment is part of the government’s recently announced UK Lighting Sector Strategy. This new initiative intends to slash energy consumption and encourage innovation in lighting.

Aside from the obvious energy and maintenance savings, the lighting overhaul has other benefits. A D.E.C.C. spokeswoman reported that responses to their questionnaire showed that, 71% of workers at Whitehall Place found that the LED light sources improved the lighting in their work space.  

Philips' Light at the Museum Pilot Study

The Dutch National Museum for Science and Medicine was home to Philips' landmark pilot study for connected lighting mobile apps. Findings from the study indicated that 7 out of 10 museum visitors would like to receive location relevant information via their smartphone.

Philips, the global leader in lighting, hopes this innovative mobile app for connected lighting will provide a template for use in museums, hospitals and supermarkets in the not so distant future. 

The exhibition is part of a pilot project for Philips' LED based connected lighting systems for indoor positioning. The connected lighting systems use Visual Light Communication (VLC) technology. The exhibitions luminaires are placed in a positioning grid, they are individually identifiable and communicate with the camera's sensors in smartphones and tablets. Each light fixture in the grid communicates by blinking at high frequencies undetectable to the human eye, information relevant to the patrons location within the exhibition is transmitted through these fast pulses. VLC transmits data one way only meaning users personal data cannot be accessed by the connected lighting app. 

Upon arrival at the museum, visitors were given a tablet with a pre-installed app, the app contains a variety of multi-media content relevant to various locations within the exhibition. As the visitor moves around the exhibition, the individual light fixtures act as positioning beacons transmitting their location to the tablets camera sensor which trigger the apps content at various locations.

Visitors completed a short survey after their museum tour, the findings indicate that;

67% of visitors liked the fact that the tablet automatically provided additional relevant information at various information points

63% of visitors said that the tablet made the visit to the exhibition more enjoyable and interesting

50% of visitors under 50 years old said they would visit museums and exhibitions more often if there were tablets available to provide additional information or to guide them around a special route

Dirk Van Drift, Director of the Boerhaave Museum said: “We now know that offering a location aware and interactive experience encourages people to visit our museum more often. What is also really exciting and innovative is that we were able to achieve this by using energy efficient lighting, giving us a double advantage.”

The “smartphone generation” (those under 50) said they were open to trying connected lighting mobile applications in a number of settings. Almost 50% of all visitors claimed they would like to receive location-based information and use way finding services offered via the app in hospitals, shopping centres and supermarkets.

Jella Segers, from Philips Lighting said: “The survey findings show that we need to think of lighting differently. Lighting has gone beyond mere illumination. We can now deliver great quality and highly energy-efficient LED lighting that acts as a positioning grid to deliver targeted information, enriching people’s experiences of the places they visit, whether it’s a museum, supermarket, airport terminal or any large public indoor space.” 

Tonight Chelsea FC Become The First Premiership Club To Use LED Floodlighting

This evening Stamford Bridge will host the UK's first football game lit by LED floodlights. During Chelsea's friendly against Real Sociedad, Philips lighting promise fans and players better quality light and enhanced night vision thanks to their innovative ArenaVison LED floodlight system.  

CEO of Philips Lighting, Eric Rondolat explains: "The world's first ever floodlit football match took place in England, so as sports lighting goes digital it is only right that the lighting standard is again being set there. We are witnessing another technology milestone in the modern football game."

Philips ArenaVision LED floodlighting solution was created to meet the latest Premier League broadcasting requirements whilst provide players, broadcasters and fans with a top class sporting experience. Philips ArenaVision LEDs emit flawless, uniform beams of light creating exceptional vertical illuminance of the players. 

Eric Rondolat elaborates: "Our LED pitch lighting meets the new stringent broadcast criteria of the English Premier League in helping to deliver high definition, flicker-free, super slow-motion images and ensures that Chelsea delivers the best possible viewing experience to the 40,000 plus fans in the stadium as well as those at home." 

It isn't just broadcasting images that are improved by ArenaVision, the club can also expect a huge improvement in its environmental impact. Unlike the old fashioned metal halide floodlights, used in previous seasons, the new LED solution can be switched on instantaneously eliminating the need for a warm up period which in turn reduces light pollution in the area. Maintenance costs are also significantly reduced as Philips LED floodlights promise to last for up to ten seasons whereas the old metal halide lamps could only be used for three seasons. 

As with most connected lighting systems, ArenaVision is complete with its own dedicated user interface and control system. The club's maintenance managers will easily be able to switch between optimal lighting configurations, giving them total flexibility and the ability to dim and switch each individual floodlight. 

The control system comes with an added benefit, it can also be used to create entertainment lighting. The control system can be used to create a number of lighting effects that previously could only be achieved using dedicated stage lighting. This additional features means the floodlights can be easily integrated into pre- and post-match light shows creating the ultimate, exciting stadium atmosphere. 

Ron Gourlay, Chief Executive of Chelsea FC said: "I am delighted to be able to work with Philips on delivering the best possible environment for our supporters to enjoy Chelsea matches in. Once again, Chelsea Football Club is at the forefront of innovation and we look forward to many more memorable games at Stamford Bridge under this new floodlighting system." 

After seeing the benefits of ArenaVision at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea FC are in the process of up-lamping it's training ground to ensure lighting at training is similar to that of match days. The new high-tech connected lighting system will also enable the club to create varied illuminance levels by only lighting specific areas of the training ground creating the ideal practice environment for it's world class players.  

The LED Specialist and our sister company, Lightsave Fuller Read are preferred Philips lighting distiributors, if you require more information on this or any other LED lighting product visit our website http://theledspecialist.co.uk/ or call 0118 9507125

A Guide To The Specification of LED Lighting Products- Part 2 of 4

System Reliability

Unlike lifetime based on luminaire maintenance, lifetime of the luminaire has to do with the reliability of the components of a LED luminaire as system.

Factors Affecting System Performance - LEDs

LEDs do not radiate heat however, in current products half or more of the input energy must be converted into heat that must be conducted away from diodes.

Factors Affecting System Performance - Optical

LEDs are directional light sources, giving the lamp designer new challenges in comparison to existing lamp technology.

The use of reflectors, lenses and diffusers allows a designer to direct light in many different ways.

The efficiency and depreciation of the optical system must be considered and factored into the overall efficiency of the luminaire. 

Factors Affecting System Performance- Mechanical

The mechanical integrity of a luminaire is important in several different areas including: IP rating to suit the application, heat sinking that will not become compromised with time, lack of maintenance vibration resistance so the heat sink does not become detached from the PCB, bonding mechanisms that are suitable for the life of the luminaire. 

Many LEDs and specifically phosphor can react to different chemicals. Some gaskets can out-gas chemicals which can affect the performance of some LEDs.

Factors Affecting System Performance- Cooling System

The performance of a LED is dependant on its temperature during operation.

The design of the luminaire will influence its operating temperature and hence published characteristics.

The paint finish or fixture colour may affect the heat dissipation from the luminaire.

A PCB is the interface between a LED and the heat sink and has a thermal resistance value. 

The higher the resistance the less efficient the system is at conducting away heat from the LED. 

This may well impact on the LED lumen output performance and ultimately its life.

Factors Affecting System Performance- Electronic

Electrical overstress is a cause of catastrophic failure of LEDs.

Some LEDs contain an on board Transient Voltage Suppression chip (TVS), which provides some level of protection.

A well designed lamp will feature the necessary design or protection in order to minimise damage at installation or power-up.

Failure rate of the external control gear shall be included in the overall assessment of total life/failure rate.

System Reliability

The entire system only lasts as long as the critical component with the shortest life, whether that critical component is a weather seal, an optical element, a LED, an electronic control gear circuit or something else.

LED light sources are simply one critical component among many, although they are often the most reliable component in the whole system.

How To Verify Lifetime Claims

In most cases, the reliability of LED luminaires is longer than the practical test times, verification of manufacturer’s life time claims need to be made in a sufficiently confident way.

In order to validate a lifetime claim, an extrapolation of test data is needed. There is no validated way to translate the lumen maintenance curve of an individual LED light source into a curve for the LED module or LED luminaire.

Beyond the 10,000 hours testing recommended by LM-80, statistical predictions are made. If LED light source data is available for 6000 hours, LED modules and LED luminaires may have life testing carried out for just 2000 hours!