Apollo is a modern light box that harnesses the characteristics of sunlight that resonate the most with people. It consists of high quality LEDs that produce both ambient and cast light in order to simulate the sun shining through a window.
Kyle Laidlaw - Industrial Designer
Nolan Deller - Electrical Mechanical Engineer
Lloyd McCullough - Photographer
Sunlight has an incredibly positive effect on our mood, productivity, energy levels and even sleep patterns. Unfortunately, many people don’t have a lot of access to sunlight for a number of reasons including, work schedule, lack of windows, geographic location, etc. Humans have even developed disorders such as, Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), because of this issue. Light box therapy is a very popular and effective form of treatment for SAD and other generic types of depression. There are light boxes on the market that provide high quality light, but they can be very intrusive and often less than ideal.
Designing for Perception
There was a heavy focus on perception during the research phase of this project, and catering to that was key to the success of the product. The inclusion of cast light gives the user an important perceptual cue that helps our brains render it as actual sunlight rather than artificial light.
How it Works
Apollo is formed to resemble a circular clock with the spotlight indicating the hour, however it does not function like a standard clock. You place the spotlight at any hour on the "clock" and the light quality will correspond to that time of day. Sunrise and sunset will generally happen between 6:00am/pm - 9:00am/pm. At these times, Apollo will transition from cool light to warm light. The smaller light’s function is to simulate cast light coming through the window in the morning/evening. It projects a silhouette image of foliage, window panes, buildings, or anything you’d like to see. The designs are simple templates that can be interchanged to cater to any environment you wish.Ready for a vacation? Throw in some palm trees. Feeling fancy? Slide in an intricate window design. Love Batman? Shine the bat symbol and you might just get a visit. Probably not though.
Apollo is perfect to use in areas that lack sunlight such as bedrooms, offices, hallways etc. It stands out in the market because of its heavy focus on design and comfort. Its wall placement keeps it out of the way and its size illuminates the entire room rather than just a small corner. The aluminum body minimizes weight and acts as a heat sink for the LEDs. The way in which humans perceive sunlight is very complex, but Apollo takes existing technologies and marries them in such a way that it gives you exactly that; sunlight.
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