Project Team Led By Osram Develops Invisible Light Switch
October 9, 2017
A new project, SceneUnderLight, brings together advanced research in computer vision and the most modern technology in lighting. The goal is to eliminate the need for any lighting switches, In response to a growing demand for office lighting that offers maximum comfort and sense of security for users, while generating large savings in energy consumption. Osram partners in the project include the University of Verona and the Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT) in Genoa.
Eliminating the need for switches means that each person in an office perceives the entire office as “all lit,” while lights, which are not visible by the person, are switched off by the system. This can be achieved by combining lighting with presence detection and smart light control. The project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under grant agreement no. 676455.
Dr. Fabio Galasso, head of the computer vision R&D activities at Osram, brought together the team consisting of Prof. Marco Cristani, heading the department of Vision, Processing and Sound at the University of Verona, and Dr. Alessio Del Bue, head of the department of Visual Geometry and Modelling of IIT. Since 2015, the project members have been targeting two main goals: understanding the light and scene structure in an office as well as the human factor in an illuminated scene.
The IIT is developing a light visibility map, showing where in a setting each luminaire is visible from. The University of Verona is focusing on estimating the visual perspective of people in offices.
Applications may be possible by 2019.
