TERRE HAUTE —
For Rose-Hulman students participating in a summer research conference, the light came on in a very smart way.
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology played host to fellow members of the Smart Lighting Engineering Research Center on Thursday, as engineers from across the country joined to discuss the concept of “smart lighting” with local students. Launched in 2008 and funded primarily by grants from the National Science Foundation, the ERC focuses on new applications for better-performing lighting devices and systems.
Charles Joenathan, chair of Rose-Hulman’s physics and optical engineering department, explained that “smart lighting” goes beyond the on-and-off switch found on a wall. Whereas today, most airlines require passengers to turn off their cellular devices due to interference with the plane’s radios, the technology studied here could change that, he said.
In addition to student research, Rose-Hulman professors Azad Siahmakoun and Michael McInerney shared work from their “Korean Project” involving micro-electromechanical systems. The light sensors involved are between 2 and 20 microns in size, Siahmakoun said, explaining that dust particles are about 100 microns, and human hair is about 40 microns in width. The processors are microscopic silicone devices with electronics and moving parts. Devices such as those are used everywhere from airbag deployment mechanisms to ink jet printers and micro-pumps for diabetics.
“So it’s a big industry,” he said, explaining the course he and McInerney designed involves disciplines including electrical, mechanical, biomedical, and chemical engineering, as well as chemistry and physics.
Rose-Hulman is an outreach partner of the ERC along with Howard University, Morgan State University, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Boston University and the University of New Mexico.
Ken Connor, of Rensselaer, said the ERC has 21 industrial partners in their efforts and cost savings is one of many driving forces.
“Energy savings is a huge part of this,” he said, noting the room in which they were standing was full of light not being used. “The bulk of light we use is actually wasted.”
Sensors can be designed for nursing homes to gauge the walking gait of patients as they move. The sensors not only use light technology to do this, but lights within that room can be dimmed or brightened depending on the walker’s needs, he said.
“The right light when and where you need it,” he said, contrasting that to the fundamentally “stupid” way light is used now, all on or all off.
Sophomore Evan Hale and senior Stewart Falco were among the optical engineering students presenting at the conference, explaining the work they did over an 8-week period on data communications with light-emitting diode technology.
“It was very successful. We learned a lot,” Hale said, as Falco explained his interest in the topic dates back to high school physics.
Junior Joseph Braker teamed up with Norfolk State University junior Hampton Terry to work on camera calibrations.
Braker noted that optics is a growing field and explained his interest in the complexity. Electrical fields work primarily in two dimensions, he said, whereas light fields are in four. The opportunities for encryption are thus higher, he said.
Other areas of research include the use of light sensors to detect breast cancer at the cellular level, said Mohammed Chouikha of Howard University.
“The light sensor comes as another medium of imaging,” he said.
Joenathan said the 8-week research program for undergraduates was funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation and marks Rose-Hulman’s second year in the program.
“This is the first year that we’ve done a Smart Lighting undergraduate research conference,” he said, adding the future seems bright for the field.
Brian Boyce can be reached at 812-231-4253 or brian.boyce@tribstar.com.
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Rose students investigate ‘smart lighting’ during research conference
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