Intelligent Lighting Networks
Intelligent Lighting Networks: Screenshot from virtual reality game. Image by Tony Yu.
Contributors: Tony Yu; Stanislav Roudavski.
Presented at the Future Implied Media Architecture Biennale event held at Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences, Utrecht University in Utrecht, Netherlands and others from 24 June to 2 July 2021.
Our research group often uses "design experiments", which is an established method in a number of fields. This is similar to but also different from an artwork. The main purpose here is to contribute to theory or practice. These experiments can be physical prototypes or speculative designs presented in a variety of media, however, in all cases they are primarily meaningful and transmit knowledge as designs.
In this case, the theme is design responses to environmental light pollution. Within this theme, we work on various sub-projects and arguments. We are working on journal articles that are forthcoming. We have also put together a design experiment that is the object of this submission. It is distinct from the other outputs and presents the material that cannot be shown in other ways.
This project addresses detrimental effects of the environmental light pollution by developing intelligent lighting networks that support nonhuman as well as human needs. Artificial sources of light at night are increasing by 6% every year. Existing design trends do not acknowledge the needs of nonhumans or provide systems that can flexibly adapt to their behaviours. Computational analysis, simulation and interactive visualisation provide opportunities to reassess such approaches. We use these tools to ask how design can address the damaging misalignment of nonhuman needs and human preferences for light.
Our results demonstrate that data-driven simulations, immersive interactive visualisations, and persistent multi-modal input systems can extend design imagination. In contrast to nonresponsive and anthropocentric lighting systems, the proposed intelligent lighting network uses smart luminaires and mobile-device controls to adapt to the uncertain dynamics of urban ecosystems. This research contributes to knowledge about urban ecologies and develops novel options for urban rewilding. It does so by highlighting the damaging effects on light and proposing an innovative approach to lighting design. This approach broadens the scope of possible implementations, demonstrating their plausibility, and formulating concrete research questions about ecological, social, aesthetic, economic and risk-related aspects of interspecies lighting design.
Design materials and the theoretical contributions of this project have been selected for presentation at the Future Implied Media Architecture Biennale, event by Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences, Utrecht University, and others. 24 June - 2 July 2021. As a result of this presentation, I have been invited to contribute a chapter to a University of Oxford Press book on the topic of more-than-human design. This project contributes to the work funded by the ARC Discovery (DP170104010) and Melbourne Networked Society Institute.
Video
Intelligent Lighting Networks: Video describing the project. Video by Tony Yu.
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