As part of the Horizon 2020 project Repro-light, Bartenbach, an Austrian lighting design and research consultancy, has delivered two novel LED tiles that offer new lighting possibilities for offices, homes, the hospitality sector, outdoor spaces and more applications.
The purpose of the EU Repro-light project is to transform luminaire production processes and enable intelligent, more sustainable lighting solutions that deliver benefits to wellbeing, productivity and specific applications.
As part of the project, Bartenbach was tasked to deliver a novel optical system, and has developed two new LED light tile optics (LLT).
The concept comprises a modular system allowing unlimited configuration and light distributions within the fixture. At 8.3mm thick, the LLT can easily be integrated into the light exit plane of many fixtures. Through using total internal reflection, light emitted by the LED is dispersed evenly over the whole tile and precisely radiated following a desired light intensity distribution. Therefore, high luminance outside the radiation field and multi-shadowing are avoided.
The patented design of the reflectively coated micro-facets ensures targeted, even distribution of light. Each facet is therefore calculated individually for total optimised light control. Depending on the chosen design of the facets, almost any desired light distribution can be achieved without the need to change the visual appearance of the tile. This light point composition across the facets creates a consistent luminous surface with no multi-shadowing and also with no colour shadowing when using two different coloured LEDs, since they are perfectly mixed within the tile.
All LLTs with varying light intensity distributions are designed for the same LED position and share the same outer dimensions. Therefore, the same fixture can be used in different applications, by simply replacing an LLT to give an alternative desired light distribution. Tiles with different distributions can be mixed within one luminaire, for example, to generate ambient light and task light from the same luminaire.
Specifically for the Repro-light project, two types of tiles were created: a special batwing-distribution for task light, avoiding reflective-glare, and a wall wash distribution to generate large area ambient light. The downlight with batwing distributioncan bebothsymmetrical and asymmetrical, i.e. the left part of the luminaire shines to the right and vice versa. Additionally, as light is distributed from the right and left optics there is no reduction of light directly underneath. When used together they provide reduced reflective glare, colour mixing, elimination of multi shadowing, and are fully flushed.
Applications for the LED tiles include office, general illumination, hospitality, gastronomy, residential, and outdoor. The variation possibilities can also include: singlepoint, multipoint (linear/panels), single function, multifunction, recessed, semi recessed, surface mounted, suspended, freestanding and table mounted.
‘At Bartenbach we are very excited to have engineered an innovative optic design that adapts and works so flexibly across many environments, and we are proud to be part of the Repro-light consortium’, said Christian Anselm, director of development.
The Repro-light consortium includes the following European organisations; lighting provider, Trilux; components manufacturers, BJB, Grado Zero Espace, and Rohner Engineering; members of the lighting industry Bartenbach and Luger Research; and experts in lighting sustainability and Life Cycle Assessment, IREC and Mondragon University.
