Adaptive Lighting System for Emergency Wayfinding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing alarm systems fail to provide meaningful information about emergencies and are ineffective for individuals with disabilities, as they rely on generic sounds and lights that are not adaptable to different environments and do not account for varying emergency situations, leading to confusion and safety issues.
Innovation Solution
A system that uses sensors to collect data about a location and generate dynamic lighting commands to convey real-time information about emergencies, navigational cues, and weather conditions, allowing for adaptable and intuitive communication through different lighting patterns, independent of mobile devices or additional signage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If generic alarm systems are used to alert individuals of emergencies, then the alarm can be activated, but the alarm fails to provide meaningful information about the specific emergency and appropriate response instructions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses different colored lights (red, yellow, green, blue) to convey specific emergency information and response instructions. For example, red light indicates evacuation, yellow indicates shelter in place, green indicates all clear, and blue indicates lockdown. This color-coding system provides meaningful information without requiring complex displays or signage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent repurposes existing ambient lighting infrastructure to serve dual functions: normal illumination and emergency communication. By making the existing lighting system intelligent and controllable, it eliminates the need for separate alarm displays or signage while providing comprehensive emergency information.
2Loss of information
If ambient lighting is used to map exit routes during emergencies, then the lighting is already present, but it is not sufficiently noticeable and provides no meaningful information about the emergency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms static ambient lighting into a dynamic communication system that changes color and intensity based on emergency conditions. The lighting system can pulse, change hues, and create moving patterns to guide evacuation routes and indicate safe zones, making it both noticeable and informative.
Solution Approach 2:
Different colors are used to convey different emergency messages and guide different types of responses. The color changes make the lighting system immediately distinguishable from normal ambient lighting and provide intuitive information about the nature of the emergency and required actions.
3Loss of information
If electronic displays or signage are installed to convey emergency information, then information can be displayed, but significant construction cost and time are required and space is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes the existing lighting infrastructure already present in buildings, eliminating the need for separate electronic display installations. The lighting system is controlled through existing electrical infrastructure, requiring no additional construction, material installation, or space allocation.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of installing physical displays, the patent uses light as the information carrier. The existing lighting fixtures become the communication medium, copying the function of electronic displays without requiring their physical presence or associated installation complexity.
4Reliability
If traditional alarm systems are used, then the alarm can be activated, but they are easily disabled by threat actors and provide no dynamic real-time information
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a dynamic lighting-based communication system that can adapt in real-time to changing emergency conditions. The system receives input from various sensors and automatically adjusts the lighting patterns and colors to reflect current conditions, providing continuous real-time information without requiring manual reconfiguration.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates sensors that continuously monitor environmental conditions and feed this information back to the lighting control system. This feedback loop enables automatic adjustment of emergency messages and evacuation guidance based on real-time conditions, enhancing both reliability and adaptability.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for providing dynamic information in real time regarding weather conditions, emergency situations, navigational cues, and location-specific alerts. Informational data sets are collected from a plurality of different sensors, which are affixed to a location of interest, and received at a processor that interprets the informational data sets to generate a set of lighting commands. The lighting commands are transmitted to a lighting control system that is operably coupled to the lighting system of the location of interest. The lighting system in the location of interest is activated in a lighting pattern based on the lighting commands to covey the information contained in the informational data sets to the individuals in the location of interest.