cuelight

Cuelight is a term used in lighting design to describe a system that uses color-coded light cues to communicate information or guide user behavior. Unlike general ambient lighting, cuelight employs discrete hues, temporal patterns, and luminance changes to signal states, tasks, or conditions within a space.

Technology and components: An integrated cuelight setup typically includes LEDs or OLEDs, a controller, a cue library mapping colors and timings to meanings, and input devices such as sensors or software triggers. The system can operate autonomously or in coordination with other devices, such as displays or ambient audio.

Applications: In industrial or service settings, cuelight can indicate process progress, queue status, or operator availability. In education or healthcare, it can cue transitions, reminders, or safety alerts. In smart homes, cuelights can guide routines or signal system states without voice announcements.

Design and safety considerations: Color choice should account for accessibility, including color-vision deficiency, with appropriate contrast and luminance. Cues should be intuitive and consistent, and avoid excessive brightness or flicker that could cause discomfort. Energy efficiency and compatibility with ambient daylight are also important.

Limitations and standards: There is no universal standard for cuelight cues, and organizations typically develop internal conventions. The evidence base for effectiveness is context-dependent, and adoption often relies on user testing and workflow analysis.

See also cue light, color cueing, ambient intelligence.