LED Ceiling Tiles Create A Virtual Sky For The Office

Researchers from the Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Engineering in Stuttgart, Germany, have created a dynamic lighting solution for offices that simulates an open sky effect. The luminous ceiling recreates subtle changes in natural lighting conditions, including passing clouds, to enhance work conditions for office employees.

The innovative 20-inch by 20-inch tiles are comprised of a board with 288 LEDs and a diffuser film. The LEDs are a combination of red, blue, green and white, which can produce the full light spectrum and generate more than 16 million hues. The head of the department, Dr. Matthias Bues, said:

The LEDs allow us to simulate these dynamic changes in lighting in a way that is not directly obvious to the naked eye. Otherwise the lighting might distract people from their work. But it does need to fluctuate enough to promote concentration and heighten alertness.

Fraunhofer IAO