Lighting Expert Feedback

Gaining feedback from industry professionals is a valueable way to analyse, improve and gain ideas of design proposals. I was lucky enough to make contact with Vaughn Bycroft, a lighting designer who has worked in the UK for 13 years and now works in another field.

I showed Vaughn both my conservative option, and my second more radical concept. He was very complimentary on both, but was more excited about the second idea. Vaughn agreed I should propose my solution with two parts, to satisfy both ends of the scale (cost effective/excitement).

He provided the following feedback and suggestions for each of my concepts:

Motion Sensor Footpath Lighting:

-Connect brace to pole via simple screws and drills into pole, connect current through ammeter punched into bus stop/streetlight voltage supply

-Use main body as long lasting component to save wasting sensors and solar panels, have a cheap throwaway LED driver unit that can be easily replaced in main body

-Slant solar panels to avoid settling dust and dirt, position towards angles of sun during the day

-Using electromagnetism will not work to connect components, interfeing fields from power poles will render attraction useless and make light fall. Use simple locking mechanism and possibly on escrew for securing device to brace.

-Make solar panels as large as possible, incluse Lithium Battery in housing for backup supply

-Use LED lighting, 50,000 hours of run time means less labour in replacement

Sound Bar Interactive Bus Stop Installation

-Contact an AV company such as Phantom BillStitches for further information (slightly out of Vaughn's Field)

-Hook system into local grid to relay power

-Use backlight screen of white LEDs that will light up area, select one colour change (blue - AT) LEDs to provide effect

-Use at night for interaction/lighting/safety, use in day for advertising

-Estimated cost at $5000, user benefit plus adverising space should outweigh extra $2000 cost of a normal streelight indtallation next to the shelter

I will take these useful suggestions forward as I look to prototype my solutions in 3D.