The Future of Infrared Lighting

Moving into 2025, still talking about Human Centric Lighting, and the value it adds to Circadian Rhythms, for Marine, Residential and Wellness environments, I feel it is also important to continue exploring emerging technologies in lighting.

As we know, by introducing flicker free reduced blue LED lighting into our artificially lit environments, we greatly improve the body’s natural sleep-wake cycle, known as our Circadian Rhythm. Not only that, but we also know there is a significant improvement in reducing baseline stress for neurodivergent individuals. The general standard of LED luminaires is quite poor (even if you have paid a fortune for the fitting itself) and with low-cost electronics there is naturally a compromise in quality. 

Lower quality luminaires generate a flicker not visible to the human eye, but neurodivergent individuals are susceptible to this continual background disturbance. 

It’s not visible to the naked eye, but if you were to open your phone camera, and put it in slow-mo filming whilst pointing it at your interior lights, you will be able to see this flicker quite clearly.

Studies have shown that neurodivergent children struggle greatly with this, especially at school where the lighting is a mix of LED and fluorescent lighting, often provided on a tight budget. Such lighting setups don’t consider the technologies we are discussing here, but they do shine a light (pun intended) on why neurodivergent children struggle at school and at home, but when out and about in healthy clean daylight appear worry-free.

My family know this first hand, and we have taken steps by improving our lighting at home and have asked the school to seat our middle child near a window as much as possible, and the effects have been tremendous!

As for 2025 and emerging technologies, we want to make sure our message of bringing the daylight inside continues, but now with even greater benefit.  To do this we are looking at how adding IR and UV to our artificially lit environments can grow and develop that (pun intended, again).

So what do we know about infrared lighting (IR)

We already know that the use of IR and UV lighting is used extensively throughout the horticultural industry to speed up the effects of photosynthesis. 

The effect of Infrared lighting in the horticultural world is known widely as the Emerson effect and was discovered by Robert Emerson in 1957.

The study proved that the use of red and far-red light, found between the 700-800nm range, improved photosynthesis. In fact, exposure to both parts of the spectrum simultaneously increased the photosynthetic rate further.

The human eye’s sensitivity range starts to lessen at wavelengths above 700 nm. Bright red gives way to a dimmer but deeper red and, as we approach 750 nm (the upper limit of “far-red”), we stop perceiving this electromagnetic radiation as “light” altogether and we enter the realm of infrared or radiant heat. Water molecules begin to absorb electromagnetic radiation very effectively between 760 nm and 800 nm. This means there is a heating effect on human skin within this 760 – 800 nm range. Therefore most “far-red” LEDs generally emit electromagnetic radiation between 720 and 740 nm to elicit a far-red response without generating excessive radiant heat.

For humans, the known added wellness benefits of infrared lighting include:

• Improved sleep patterns

• Eased muscle tension

• Soothed joint pain

• More energy and less fatigue

• Better appearance of skin and cellulite

  
  

All those added benefits contribute to less stress and better relaxation.

People are already using IR lamps extensively but are having to commit time to experience them either at home, or at an IR Sauna. 

Why then can we not integrate this technology into our existing lighting system? 

The technology is nearly there, at least to deliver the luminaire with the capability of IR. 

These luminaires will be able to combine the invisible parts of the spectrum with visible parts of the spectrum, providing better artificial light indoors, that is even closer to that of natural daylight with all its benefits.

The next steps are to develop control systems for this new technology and understand the best way to deploy this into our living environments. 

Will lighting design in its current form change to accept that we need more light, but importantly, better light?

Can this technology be built into a retrofit format so end users that already have a lighting solution in place can also benefit?

How much time under IR light can or should we have exposure to?

There are still lots of questions, but we are close to getting answers and further improving our day to day lives under artificial light. 

If this article interests you, and you would like to know more then please get in touch.

We would love to hear from you.

☎️ - +44 1243 210229

📩 - projects@mptech.solutions