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Experiments carried out on visual appearance have provided valuable input to EMRP lighting projects

A customer will often choose a product based on the way it looks. Consequently, many industries invest time and money into developing sophisticated visual effects such as metallic paints, sparkle effects and matt finishes. Visual attributes give the appearance of a particular surface and this project focuses on making better measurements of this overall appearance. 

EMRP project Multidimensional reflectometry for industry (IND52 xDReflect) aims to reduce measurement time and uncertainty, and strengthen the traceability of measurements of effects such as goniochromatism, gloss and fluorescence. It will consider how different effects combine to produce the final appearance, and will relate measurements to the visual sensation of the end-user. 

The visual experiments results carried out in the project on the appearance of a surface under LED lighting get and provided valuable input to other EMRP projects Metrology for Solid State Lighting (ENG05 SSL) and Metrology for efficient and safe innovative lighting (ENG62 MESail) to enlarge the uptake of LED lighting systems in the EU market. The first generation of LED products suffered from reduced light quality and variable performances that lowered the market integration and consumers confidence in such an energy saving source able to actively contribute to EU 2020 targets. 

Guidelines provided about the use of LED lighting in shops and exposition for brightness, sparkling, graininess and saturation perception can be used in the lighting community to strengthen the market position of LED lighting. This will also regain consumer confidence, demonstrating the high quality of second generation LED, stressing also on the appearance capabilities and not only on the energy saving qualities.