When the rain continues for days, don’t you just wish for the sun? Italian CoeLux has designed an artificial skylight that is capable of replicating sun and sky by making use of Rayleigh scattering. It costs $61,000 though.
CoeLux was created by researchers belonging to University of Insubria located in Italy. Every unit of artificial light has been impregnated with a solid layer composed of nanoparticles, which are the cause of the light’s scattering. This phenomenon, known as Rayleigh scattering, is how sky appears blue. In simpler words, when blue light wavelengths make their way through the atmosphere, they get scattered by other particles present in atmosphere thus giving sky its unique hue.
The technology being introduced by CoeLux works on a similar principle and forces light from a standard lightbulb to scatter in the same way. This allows it to be able to mimic the quality and brightness of the light found in Tropics, Mediterranean and northern Europe. CoeLux 60 creates ‘cooler vertical’ rays that also have the ‘maximum luminance contrast of light and shadow’, as can be found in Tropics.
CoeLux 45 is based on Mediterranean and sports a ceiling beam at 45 degrees that allows for an equal distribution of light and shade. CoeLux 30 makes use of the angle beam at 30 degrees to the horizon in order to create a ‘warm, Nordic grazing light’.
The firm further said that this product is most suitable for offices, airports, museums and gyms while also rendering it feasible for parking garages and networks located underground. Installation charges are $7,600 while the company is also hopeful that it could be used to tackle the Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).
Paolo Di Trapani, Chief Executive and Associate Professor of Optics and Experimental Physics, said, “Besides SAD, we see plenty of possible applications of CoeLux in hospitals. Naturally, CoeLux is foreseen to improve the quality of the overall treatment, with respect to comfort and [relaxation], with benefit both for the patient and the hospital.” Would you like to have one for your home? Tell us in the comments below!
I would require.