Light Portal
2018
Testing Light Enhancement & Communication Capabilities
A natural light source that enhances communication and user well being
Light Portal is a research panel deployed within City Science’s Escape Pod (an exploratory platform for researchers investigating moments of refuge within our bustling work lives) developed to experiment with new ways of harnessing the benefits of natural light for human well being and productivity within closed, actuated environments as well as exploring new bio inspired mechanisms for communication between humans and machines.
Communication interface inspired by nature
Communication between computers and humans has always been carried out through displays, lights, buttons and intrusive notifications. The Light Portal’s use as a communication interface takes its inspiration from how animals and humans can communicate internal states using dilation and contraction of their pupils. This mechanism makes it possible for the computer (escPod) to communicate states of privacy, sociableness and approachability by varying the aperture of the iris mechanisms in the same way that animals vary pupil aperture to show openness or fear.
Smart modulation of natural light
Benefits of natural light on human well being and productivity are vast and well studied but there is little progress on devices that can harness all of these benefits. The Light Portal is a device that seeks to change the way we think about smart lighting by serving as a modulation mechanism that is capable of actively optimizing the quantity and quality of light that a user receives within a closed environment. The iris mechanism and a light sensor allow it to vary the amount of light that is needed for the activities that the user is carrying out. The Light Portal’s capabilities could easily be expanded so that it can control natural sources of light as well as artificial ones mounted on the back of the device.
The Creative Process
CAD Design of Iris Mechanism
Multiple Aperture CAD Design
Mounted Panel
First Mechanism Test
Motion Mechanism CAD Integration
Natural Light Modulation
CNC Routing Final Panel
Final Functional Iris System
Natural Light Modulation & Aperture Tests
Credits & Acknowledgements
Carson Smuts (Project’s Vision) | Tom Luntz (Manufacturing Instructor)