Brighter is not Always Better

The marketplace is rich in wide varieties of LEDs. While some serve as indicators, others are designed to provide illumination, which rely on LED arrays that produce an intense, even radiance for products such as spotlights, backlights, task lights, strobe lights, and line lights. But brighter is not always better — or even relevant for that matter. Most applications are quite nuanced in their lighting needs, and as a result, good engineers must be sensitive to the unique purposes they’re designing for. Let’s take a look at some of the diverse lighting applications that exist in the marketplace and why it’s essential designers and innovators keep the needs of the end-user in mind.

The Value of Creating Experience

You may not have noticed, but LED lighting is everywhere. As one of the most efficient and long-lasting lighting technologies, it’s no wonder they are so prolific. You can find LEDs in traffic signals or the metro signage on your morning commute. They’re radiating from your television set as you unwind, and glowing softly from your child’s nightlight as you tuck them into bed. More than simply a source that creates visibility, a lighting system creates an experience that can significantly impact your mood and the way you interact with your environment.

A consumer signage system should be just bright enough to plainly see without being glaring. Computer screens have adjustable brightness settings so users can decide what’s comfortable for their eyes, and devices designed for use in the dark, such as a nightlight, a clip-on reading light, or cabin lights in airplanes, are especially constructed against startling the user or disrupting anyone that might be in their vicinity. Take a heart rate monitor; these rely on multicolor LED indicators to strike a balance between the necessary brightness needed to convey vital signs while not disturbing the patient during the night.

User Friendly and Intuitive Products

There are many factors to consider when designing products across industry and application. When it comes to safety apparel and hazard signs, designing for high visibility is a priority. If the purpose is to call attention to a person, place, or event, simply blending into the environment could be catastrophic.

But what if the purpose is to guide? When it comes to designing user friendly and intuitive products, selecting the right type of indication lighting is significant.

A good design is one that takes into account the purpose of its product as well as the values and priorities of the end-user. A too-bright night light or a dim caution light are each inefficient and ineffective in their own why. No two applications are entirely the same, and a good product will recognize that. For designers who want to get the job done right, don’t settle for anything less than the best component parts. Contact VCC today and learn why we are the leader in electronic components.

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