Part20 ~Future lighting trends~

In our daily lives, lighting is not only a function of simply providing light, but also an important element that creates the atmosphere and comfort of a space.
Additionally, as technology evolves, the concept of lighting is also changing.
We will introduce the possibilities of how technologies such as IoT (Internet of Things), smart homes, and AI (artificial intelligence) can be combined with lighting technology to create new lifestyles in future living.

Fusion of IoT and lighting
With the rise of IoT, we are entering an era in which various everyday objects are connected to the Internet and communicate with each other.
Lighting is no exception.
Lighting systems that incorporate IoT-based smart lights and sensors enable real-time data collection and remote control, providing a comfortable lighting environment.

For example, you can use your smartphone to adjust the lighting in your home or adjust the brightness of the light to match the weather.
Sensors can also detect the surrounding conditions and control lighting as needed, which can help save energy.

Evolution of smart home technology and lighting
Smart home technology is a general term for technologies that allow devices and systems in the home to be connected to the Internet and controlled.
Smart home technology is revolutionizing many aspects of life.

New possibilities for smart home technology
While early smart homes focused on basic functions such as lighting and temperature control, these days smartphones and tablets can be used to remotely control many functions within the home, such as security, energy efficiency, and entertainment. Now you can control it.
Lighting is also part of this effort, opening up new possibilities.
Whether it's turning on the lights in your house before you get home or turning off all the lights before you go to bed, you can easily control your lights remotely through a smartphone app or voice assistant.
You can also set specific light colors and brightness using voice commands.
This makes it even easier to change lighting scenes and create atmosphere.

Evolution of lighting
The technology of lighting itself has come a long way with the evolution of LEDs and smart homes.
LEDs have become mainstream, replacing traditional incandescent and fluorescent bulbs.
LEDs are widely used as an environmentally friendly option due to their low power consumption and long lifespan.

Additionally, smart lighting can be controlled remotely, allowing you to adjust the brightness and tint using a dedicated application.
This allows you to adjust the lighting to suit the scene and control your home's lighting from the go.

Benefits of smart home lighting
The benefits of smart home lighting are wide-ranging.
First and foremost is savings.
The adoption of LED technology significantly reduces power consumption compared to traditional lighting.
Additionally, remote control allows you to turn on and off the lights from anywhere, reducing unnecessary power consumption.

Smart home lighting also provides comfort.
For example, when you wake up in the morning, you can adjust the lighting to a color similar to sunlight, and at night, you can create a relaxing environment with warm light.
Furthermore, by combining sensor technology, it has many useful functions, such as automatically turning on the lights when you enter a room.

The evolution of smart homes is just beginning.
In the future, with the use of AI, lighting will be automatically adjusted to the optimal state according to our daily lives.
Furthermore, it is expected that more sustainable lighting technology will develop as energy efficiency improves and environmental consideration advances.

The future of AI and lighting
In recent years, AI technology has rapidly evolved, bringing revolutionary changes to our daily lives.
As part of this, lighting technology is also taking on new horizons.
AI has the ability to analyze data and recognize patterns, which will be used to optimize lighting.
For example, AI could collect data on room usage and light brightness and automatically create optimal lighting scenarios.

Additionally, AI can improve occupant comfort by learning individual preferences and needs and providing a personalized lighting experience.
Lighting optimization using AI like this will also contribute to improving energy efficiency.

Fusion of AI and lighting
AI uses machine learning and deep learning to learn and analyze data, and has the ability to autonomously make decisions.
Combining this power with lighting technology will lead to amazing advances.

Optimization of lighting with AI
AI can automatically optimize lighting.
For example, it is possible to suggest the optimal illuminance and color by considering information such as the usage status of the room, the weather, and the time of day.
It will improve your quality of life by providing lighting that is suitable for being active in the morning and relaxing at night.

Improving energy efficiency
AI also helps improve energy efficiency.
For example, by automatically turning off the lights when the room is not occupied, you can reduce unnecessary power consumption.
The AI also uses external information to take into account the weather and sunlight level to set optimal lighting settings.

Security and collaboration
AI also works with security to make your home safer.
For example, if suspicious movement is detected, AI can automatically turn on lights and issue a warning at the same time. This reduces the risk of unauthorized access.

However, security and privacy challenges are also emerging.
Because IoT and smart home lighting control are connected to the Internet, there are risks such as hacking and leakage of personal information.
Additionally, if lighting controls are hijacked from outside, there is a possibility that information related to residents' privacy may be leaked.
Security and privacy issues like these will be important considerations when introducing new technology.

Outlook for the future
The fusion of AI and lighting technology has the potential to make our lives more convenient and comfortable.
This is expected to improve energy efficiency and improve quality of life.
It will also contribute to environmental considerations and strengthen security.

Impact on design
The changes brought about by future lighting technology will also have a major impact on design.
Lighting design incorporating new technology allows for more creative and novel approaches that go beyond traditional frameworks.
For example, by changing the brightness and color of the light remotely, it is possible to instantly change the atmosphere in a room or the appearance of an artwork.
The influence that lighting has on design can greatly change the overall atmosphere and impression of a space, opening up new possibilities for expression.

Contribution to the environment and sustainability
One of the major benefits of future lighting technology is its contribution to the environment.
Lighting control using IoT, smart homes, and AI enables more efficient use of energy and reduces power wastage.
Additionally, advances in LED technology are improving energy efficiency and reducing power consumption.
Advances in lighting technology will become a way to demonstrate care for the global environment as part of a sustainable lifestyle.

Brightness of the future
Future lighting technologies are expected to bring new dimensions to our lives by combining with IoT, smart homes, and AI.
Lighting is more than just a source of light; it has a major impact on our health, comfort, and contribution to the environment.

However, as technology evolves, so do security and privacy concerns.
In order to realize the lighting technology of the future, it is important to proceed while maintaining a balance between technological development and ethical aspects.
We need to explore the possibilities of how future lighting technology will change our lives and build a better future.

The evolution of future lighting technology has the potential to bring a brighter future to our lives.
By combining IoT, smart homes, and AI, lighting is expected to change from just a light to a smart and efficient entity that makes life more comfortable.
Consideration for the environment, improved health, and experiences tailored to individual lifestyles will become a reality in our future lives.





Written by: BARREL Editorial Department
Supervised by: Yuki Oe (Lecturer, Department of Lifestyle Design, Faculty of Human Culture, University of Shiga Prefecture)
Lecturer at the University of Shiga Prefecture, Faculty of Human Culture (Department of Lifestyle Design).
She specializes in architectural environments, light environments, lighting environments, and color environments.
She is a member of the Architectural Institute of Japan/Illumination Institute of Japan.
After completing her doctoral course at Nara Women's University Graduate School of Humanities, she worked in technology planning at Sharp.
She worked as an assistant professor in the Faculty of Science and Technology at Tokyo University of Science and as a part-time lecturer at Osaka Jonan Women's Junior College before reaching her current position.